Winterizing Pool Chemicals for In-Ground Swimming Pools

As the days begin to grow colder and the leaves begin to fall, the outdoor swimming season unfortunately draws to a close. While this may be a disappointing time for many swimming enthusiasts, it's important to look ahead and to prepare your in-ground swimming pool for the next season. This involves properly winterizing your pool by following a number of important steps and by using the right chemicals. When you close your in-ground swimming pool for the winter months correctly, the pool will remain cleaner and will suffer less damage from debris, algae and the elements. This means that your spring opening will be faster and easier, and that you'll be able to enjoy your pool for many years to come.

Closing your in-ground swimming pool for the winter involves a number of different steps. To begin with, you will need to backwash your filter to ensure that it is thoroughly cleaned out. After draining your filter tank and pump, you will need to disconnect both pieces of equipment. Other steps involved in winterizing in-ground swimming pools include removing ropes, floats, diving boards and ladders from the pool. In addition, one of the most important steps will involve the correct use and application of winterizing pool chemicals.

Winterizing chemicals for in-ground pools will help to keep your pool free of algae and other contaminants so that you won't have to deal with a lot of scrubbing and cleaning with the arrival of spring. As a result, you will have fewer hassles and headaches to deal with and your pool opening will go much faster and easier so that you can get back to swimming sooner. Moreover, by properly protecting your in-ground swimming pool from algae growth and other problems, you will extend the lifespan of your pool's liner, thereby saving you money and ensuring that you have less pool maintenance to deal with.

When choosing from a selection of winterizing pool kits, it's important to make sure that you choose one which contains a shock-type product. This will help to keep the water from becoming contaminated with bacteria and other organisms. Since chlorine is a highly effective pool sanitizer, it has been a very popular form of shock for winterizing in-ground swimming pools in the past. However, using chlorine does have its drawbacks. For example, chlorine can stain, bleach and damage pool liners, especially vinyl liners. Chlorine can also interfere with the effectiveness of algaecides. As a result, chlorine-free winterizing pool kits are becoming more and more popular among owners of in-ground pools.

These alternative winterizing pool kits are readily available from quality online retailers. These kits will typically contain a variety of different chlorine-free pool winterizing chemicals such as chlorine-free shock, a chlorine-free oxidizer and Winter Sorb. The oxidizer removes carbon dioxide from the water, thereby starving algae so it can't survive and grow in your swimming pool. Other winterizing pool chemicals such as Winter Sorb will eliminate lotions and oils from the water. Not only are these chlorine-free winterizing pool kits very effective, they are also far less likely to damage your pool liner.

Once you have chosen the pool winterizing chemicals that are right for your in-ground swimming pool, it's important to make sure that you apply the chemicals correctly. If you are using any chemicals in granular form, make sure that you mix them in a bucket so that they will be fully dissolved prior to putting them into the pool water. This will help to prevent any granules from settling on the bottom of your pool where they could bleach or stain the liner. Once liquid and fully dissolved granular winterizing pool chemicals have been added to the water, you should then test the water’s pH level and alkalinity, adjusting as necessary.

One of the best characteristics of chlorine-free kits of winterizing chemicals for in-ground pools is the fact that they typically come with easy to follow instructions. This allows you to close your swimming pool quickly with the confidence that it has been done correctly. Another great feature of these winterizing pool kits is that they are readily available at discount prices from online retailers. Offering great quality, low prices and fast delivery, discount online retailers are a great source for finding all the pool winterizing chemicals you need without breaking your budget.

After you have purchased and added all required winterizing pool chemicals to your in-ground swimming pool and have completed all other steps for closing your pool, you and your swimming pool will be all set for the approaching winter. Then all you have to do is relax and enjoy the winter months and, before you know it, the next swimming season will be upon you with hours of swimming fun to enjoy with friends and family.

James Claypool is experienced specialist in pool maintenance solutions including winterizing pool chemicals for in-ground swimming pools.