Chemicals for Winterizing a Swimming Pool

Balance Chemicals

The pool chemicals must be balanced a few days prior to adding a winterizing kit and closing your pool. The reason for this is that the chemicals in the winterizing kit are not meant to clean the water as much as they are to maintain already clean water. No one should add a winterizing kit to cloudy or even algae infected water and expect the pool to be ready the next time it's opened. If the the winterizing kit is added to crystal clear water and your pool is covered correctly, you will be amazed at how clean the water is at the beginning of next season.

To begin balancing your chemicals, add a gallon of shock to the pool for every 5,500 gallons of water you have if you notice your pool water has gotten cloudy. Let the filter run for 24 hours after you add the shock, which will help eliminate any remaining algae that may have been starting to grow as well as other bacteria. Algae often begins to grow before you can see it. The shock can be added directly to the water.

Use some test strips to figure out which chemicals need to be added to the water to balance the pool correctly at least three days before you plan to close it. Chlorine, alkalinity and pH are the main three chemicals to balance. Some test strips also include calcium hardness, but the importance of this aspect of pool water is often debated among professionals. The calcium hardness may be unaffected if the chlorine levels are properly maintained. In a way, they go hand and hand.

The winterizing kit should be the last thing you add to your pool before it's covered. You should vacuum your pool before you begin the process of closing your pool and disconnecting the filter. You want to remove as much dirt form the pool as possible for you to cover it for the winter. Most winterizing kits come in a canister-looking plastic tube. The pool owner must punch holes into areas indicated, and drop the tube into the water. The chemicals inside consist of a time-release chlorine formula.