How much chlorine do you need to close a pool?

Chlorine levels need to be at 1-3ppm (parts per million) in your pool for the cold winter months. Most pool supply stores recommend using a Chlorine or Non-Chlorine Shock treatment before you close the pool to balance the water and make sure that it's ready to sit all winter.

Correspondingly, how much liquid chlorine do I need to winterize my pool?

For chlorine pools: Add 1 gallon of liquid chlorine for every 5,000 gallons of pool water and 1 winterizing kit per 12,000 gallons of pool water.

Additionally, how do I prepare my pool for winter? Six Tips to Prepare Your Pool for Winter

Balance the Water: The pH level of the water in your pool is important for both the clarity of your water as well as longevity of the pool equipment.
Clean the Pool.
Clean the Filter.
Protect Against Algae.
Do Not Empty the Pool.
Cover the Pool.

Secondly, what chemicals should I put in my pool when closing?

Chlorine Free Pool Shock: Add 2 days before closing the pool.
Stain & Scale Treatment: Add 1 day before closing the pool.
Winter Algaecide: Pour into the pool just before covering.
Winter Floater: Place into the pool just before covering.

How do I keep my pool closed in the summer?

Open the pool, but keep it covered all summer, and run the filter only as much as needed. Keep the water balanced and chemically treated. Keep it closed and maintain proper water level. Open next year with a drain and clean, or replace the plaster or vinyl liner at the same time.

37 Related Question Answers Found

What happens if you don't winterize your pool?

When you close your pool, you flush the lines and pumps, ensuring no water is left in these to freeze and potentially cause damage. If you instead want to keep your pool open during winter, you're going to have to run your pumps to keep the pool from freezing and causing these structural damages.

How soon can you swim after adding liquid chlorine?

It is recommended to wait at least 20 minutes to an hour after adding water balancing chemicals. You should wait 2-4 hours (or one full cycle through the filter) to swim from the moment you use calcium chloride in your pool. It is safe to swim once your chlorine levels are around 5 ppm or after 24 hours.

Does an above ground pool freeze solid?

Aboveground Wall Collapse: If a pool begins to leak water, while the winter pool cover is frozen solid into the ice sheet – either the cover will rip, or the pool walls will collapse inward. Water expands about 9% when it freezes, so use enough Air Pillows to cover about 10% of the pool surface area.

How much liquid chlorine do I need for a 1000 gallon pool?

If the water is clean and clear, then add about 3 oz of liquid chlorine per 1000 gallons of water – while the pool filter is running. This should give you a chlorine level of about 3 ppm.

Do I need to put antifreeze in my pool lines?

Not if you blow out your plumbing lines correctly. That is, if there is no water in the pipes to freeze, then there's no need to use antifreeze. However, many folks like to use antifreeze as additional insurance against faulty plugs, or if you're not really certain that all of the water has been blown out.

How far down do you drain your pool for winter?

It's acceptable to drain the pool a few more inches below that if you live in an area that gets heavy precipitation during the winter months. Some pool professionals even suggest draining the water to as much as 6 inches below the skimmer — about the level of the bottom of the pool's return jet.

What comes in a pool winterizing kit?

Ultimate Closing Kit contains:

Natural Chemistry Pool Magic Plus Phos Free – Algaecide plus phosphate remover.
Natural Chemistry Metal Free – Locks up any metal particles in your water which could stain your underwater pool surfaces.
Chlorine-Free Pool Shock – Burns out any organic contaminants or waste in your pool.

Can you shock your pool during the day?

What Is the Best Time of Day to Shock a Swimming Pool? Shock your pool late in the evening or at night, when the sun is down, to make sure free chlorine will stay in your water longer. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from direct sunlight greatly reduces free chlorine levels, so shocking during the day will not be very effective.

Should you shock pool before closing?

Shock and Chlorinate Your Pool

Shocking kills any bacteria that might linger in your pool during the winter. We recommend shocking a few days before you close the pool. If that is not possible, make sure to shock the pool the night before you close it for winter.

What does chlorine free shock do?

Chlorine-Free Pool Shock will help eliminate chloramines (non-sanitizing chlorine) and allow the sanitizing chlorine to be more effective. Chlorine-Free Pool Shock is not only for routine maintenance, but is also great to use before and after you are expecting a heavy bather load.

How long can you keep a pool closed?

So how long is too long when it comes to closing a pool? For example pools that are located in cold climate areas are all closed for six months or so every year and they are still fine. It is worth noting that in these areas pools are closed during very cold months when bacteria growth and insects are minimal.

How long can a pool stay empty?

I also live on a small rise so any natural water runs downhill away from my property. I have a concrete pool, it was re surfaced (about 1 1/2-2 inches) 3 years ago. I have drained my pool before and left it empty for about 2 weeks with no problems. I want to drain it now and fill it in the spring.

What does pool Winterizer do?

The Winterizing Pool Chemical kit includes the three essential chemicals to properly close your pool including 1L of Stain & Scale, 1L of Algaecide, and 1kg of Oxidizer. Together, these chemicals work to get rid of organic matter, clean and prevent algaecide, and prevent staining and scaling over the winter.

Is pool antifreeze safe?

Non-toxic, propylene glycol pool anti-freeze protects your pool plumbing from freeze damage during the winter months. It is safe for all types of plumbing and glycol antifreeze can be released into the pool without any hazard to the swimmers in the spring.

Can you leave water in pool over winter?

The standard is to drain your pool below skimmer levels so that you can clean out the plumbing system to avoid frozen, burst lines during the winter. If you have an in-ground pool, that might mean more draining. If you do this, you will need to leave more water in your pool than others.

Can you leave pool steps in pool for winter?

We strongly recommend pool ladders and steps be removed from the swimming pool during the off season (winter months).

How often should you drain your above ground pool?

For homeowners, the best recommendation is to drain and refill your swimming pool every two to three years. A number of factors will influence how often you should change the pool water.