Winterizing Your Home Pool in South Carolina
You may be wondering if you need to winterize your pool if you live in South Carolina. The answer is yes, and it’s a much easier process than you may be thinking. Unlike our friends up north, where the winter reaches below freezing temperatures and they must drain their pools for 6 months out of the year, winterizing your pool in Taylors, SC requires much less. It can be time to start thinking about winterizing your pool towards late Fall or when your water temperature is consistently below 60 degrees. Usually in upstate South Carolina, this happens somewhere around October.
The first step you’ll want to take when winterizing your pool is to clean it! Make sure you brush and skim all the debris out of the water and from the pool’s edges. Vacuuming the pool floor is a good idea as well. Any dirt or debris left behind can sit in your pool for the next six months, and we don’t want that! Next, you’ll want to test the chemical levels in the water and make sure the water chemistry is balanced. It’s important to adjust the water levels to the proper pH so your pool will be protected for corrosion or scale buildup while it’s not getting frequent use.
Protect Your Pool from the Winter Freeze
It may seem like you don’t have to worry about winter freeze living in Greenville, SC, but it’s important to take the precaution regardless. Of course, weather can be unpredictable, and we want to make sure your pool withstands the winter months. To prevent your pool water freezing in the winter, you’ll want to drain the water to a couple inches below the skimmer mouth. An important tip: never drain your pool completely! The water table is too high in the Greenville, SC area, meaning the water in the soil under the pool will freeze, causing the soil to expand and quite literally “pop” the pool out of the ground. Leaving some water in the pool over the winter months can give it weight to keep it firmly in place.
Next, you’ll want to make sure all pump lines and valves are free of water. Disconnect your pump and filter and dump out any excess water. Ensuring there’s no water in the pipes means you will avoid any freeze damage! An expert tip is to install a flotation device in the center of your pool before putting the cover on. Nothing fancy, a pool flotation or a truck inner tube will work. This float will help balance the rainwater and ice that may end up on the pool cover, which can ease the pressure on the pool walls during the winter months.
The last step is placing a winter cover over the pool’s surface. Make sure your winter cover is stronger than your summer cover and is free of any rips or tears. Place all your pool floats and toys in storage and enjoy peace of mind that your pool is protected for the next couple of months!
Our Service Team is Here for You
Remember, we are always a phone call away if you need support winterizing your pool! Give our Taylors, SC service team a call and we can send a certified technician out to help. And if you believe something needs repair during the winter, we can come out and take a look. Our service team at Aqua Blue Pools is here for you 24/7.
