How to Cover Inground Swimming Pools

When the seasons shift to fall, most homeowners begin preparing inground swimming pools for winter. Covering an inground swimming pool is an important step to protecting the pool's liner over the winter, but many steps are required to prepare a pool for covering. Winterizing a pool is a time-consuming process, but if you properly winterize your pool before installing the cover, the pool will need considerably less maintenance in order to open it in the spring.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pool net
• Pool brush
• Pool vacuum
• Chlorine-based pool shock
• Algaecide
• Pool cover

1. Skim the pool with a net to remove surface debris. Brush the sides and bottom of the pool. Vacuum any debris on the bottom of the pool.

2. Shock your pool with a chlorine shock and allow the filtering system to run for 4 hours. Add an algaecide after completion of the 4-hour filtering cycle.

3. Remove all accessories from the pool such as ladders, skimmer baskets and hoses.

4. Lower the water level in your pool based on the pool cover manufacturer's instructions.

5. Detach the filtering equipment from the pool and drain it. Lubricate all moving parts of the equipment and store the equipment in a clean, dry area.

6. Attach the pool cover to the top of the pool. Make sure you do not leave holes or gaps around any of the pool's edges, or leaves and other debris can fall into the pool. If you use a solid pool cover, rather than mesh, you must have a way to remove collected rain water and snow from the cover, or the cover will stretch or break. If you have a floating pool cover, place the cover on top of the pool's surface, making sure it is centered properly.

References

• Pool Center: Fall Pool Closings