Be cautious of the winter months if you own a pool. Many homeowners pause on winter pool cleaning services and this can end up a very costly mistake. Swimming pools need maintenance even during the winter months, whether you have an in-ground pool or an above-ground pool. You might be able to extend the swimming season if you have a pool heater, but you still need to ensure that you keep the correct balance in your pool over the winter months. If you’re not on top of things, you could wind up costing yourself more than you realize. Here are four important reasons for maintaining your pool cleaning service over the Winter season.
1. Temperature
Much of the damage to swimming pools will occur during the Winter. Usually we are busy with holidays, not really using it, when no one is really paying attention. DO NOT IGNORE your pool in the off season and keep your pool cleaning service coming out to check on your pool. Regardless of whether your pool freezes or even if the temperatures get down to only 40 or 50 degrees, the water temperature always matters.
2. Water Quality
Water chemistry is a complex subject and there are basically two sides of it: water quality and balance. Water Quality will keep your water safe by preventing diseases, germs, and algae. It keeps the water condition clear and clean. But water balance keeps your water happy. Managing the pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, TDS and CYA, protects your surfaces and equipment which can etch, deteriorate, fade, or even scale. Chemical balance is always needs to be adjusted for the water temperature and conditions and your pool cleaning service can take care of this.
3. Sanitation
Typically, in the Winter, people worry less about sanitation because water temperature makes it difficult for algae to reproduce or disease to flourish. Keep in mind that dropping temperatures are more likely to impact the water balance. Pool service seems to make more sense when the weather is warm, and people want to swim. It seems like there is a direct relationship between the money being spent on pool service and the benefits received…but you need to protect your investment.
4. Insurance
Winter pool cleaning service is more of an insurance plan. Many pool cleaning professionals will have a partial service during Winter months that will maintain your water balance and chemistry and reduce the cost. This replaces the “full” pool service including brushing and vacuuming. Yet, it allows a pool professional in your backyard to protect your investment and let you know when problems occur. Winter pool service may cost some money but it’s very little compared to the costs of cold-water damage to your surface and equipment, not to mention frozen pipes or equipment. These issues will cost thousands of dollars to resolve.
Your pool may be the last thing on your mind when the temperatures drop, but that doesn’t mean you should stop maintaining it. Even if you don’t plan on stepping foot in the water for quite some time, your pool cleaning routine needs to stay consistent all year long. Be sure to follow these procedures carefully to ensure that your pool is safe and ready to use as soon as the warm weather comes back around. Before you know it, the warm weather will be here and you’ll be getting ready to jump back into your pool.