Aside from feeling the undeniable cheerful holiday spirit, this is the time of the year when pool owners take steps to winterize their Californian pools. When the weather is chilly, and rain and snow may come as a surprise, apartments and hotels may close their pools. If you don’t plan on using your pool during the winter, winterizing your pool should be considered. If you are wondering, do I have to winterize my pool in California, it’s recommended that you do.
Compared to when you are on the eastern coast, winterizing your swimming pool in California requires much less work. Check these tips on how to keep the pool from freezing in winter.
If you think swimming pool winterization is just done for fun, you are wrong. There are specific reasons homeowners winterize their pools, including the following:
To winterize your swimming pool, follow the basic steps below.
Draining your swimming pool during wintertime is not advisable, but why is that? Well, when you drain your pool in winter, water can accumulate in the ground beneath and around the swimming pool during the rainy season. While this does not sound so critical in general, it may cause damage if your pool is empty.
Water build-up below the swimming pool shell can increase buoyancy, leading to an upward hydrostatic force. This results in the entire pool shell being lifted from the ground – something you never want to happen. Following the winterization process will keep your pool in good shape and prevent damage from occurring.
While it is not recommended to drain your pool in winter completely, the standard is to drain below the skimmer level. This way, you can clean the plumbing system to prevent damage to your lines. Make sure to use a tight pool cover. Not covering the pool for winter will make it susceptible to collecting debris and water.
The winterization process is simply a way to keep the pool from freezing in winter. If the water freezes, there is a possibility that the tiles will crack. However, it is also not advised to drain your pool as hydrostatic pressure from underground water can make it unstable.
Lower temperatures have arrived and will stay for some time. Continuous checking and servicing your pool during the winter is essential to ensure that it is in good working order. So, why do I have to winterize my pool in California? Because it is a great way to keep it well and ready for when spring comes.