An inground fiberglass pool is a wonderful thing when the weather is hot, the kids are out of school, and spending time in the water is a top priority. However, as winter approaches, it’s time to winterize to prevent damage to your pool’s support systems. Here’s a quick look at what’s involved in winterizing a fiberglass swimming pool that Rochester residents should take note of:
What’s Involved in Winterizing Your Fiberglass Pool in Upstate New York?
Let’s start by talking about what can happen to your pool over the winter. In upstate New York, we have a fairly high water table, which means that there’s water in the ground around your pool. When your pool is filled with water, it offsets the pressure of that ground water. This is one of the reasons why we don’t drain pools in this part of the country, because of this backpressure that can deform a swimming pool. This can even cause a warranty issue.
However, we do get cold in the winter, and you’ll want to drain enough water that your pipes and skimmers no longer have water in them, allowing them to remain dry for the cold season. That prevents the water inside them that are above the frost line from freezing, expanding, and breaking the pipes or skimmer. That means that you’ll need to drain only to an inch or two below the bottom of the skimmer.
Here’s the entire process. You’ll turn off your equipment, remove any accessories, sanitize and balance the pH of your pool water, and remove water from your pump, filter, lines, vessels, and anything else above the frost line. Open the valves on the top and bottom of the filter and let it drain, then replace them. Add your air compressor fittings to the top of your pump, remove eyeball fittings from the returns, and turn on the compressor to blow the water out of the lines. Plug each of your returns one at a time as they are emptied of water, turning off the compressor as you’re plugging the last one. If you have a heat pump, disconnect it. Put foam in your skimmer to prevent it from breaking due to ground water pressure, then cover your pool. Of course, if your pool manual recommends anything different, please follow those instructions instead.
By taking these steps, plus any that your manufacturer recommends, when winterizing a fiberglass swimming pool, Rochester residents can rest assured that their pools will remain in great shape for many years to come. If you need help in figuring out what to do with your pool for the winter, or need to replace your pool due to damage from prior years, the experienced professionals at JBC Pools are ready to help. Please feel free to contact us today with any questions or concerns, or to get a professional quote on your pool dreams.
