Most pool manufacturers and companies like Backyard Paradise Pools will tell you that you should only lower the water below the skimmer level and the jets of your pool so that all of the plumbing lines are clear and don’t face the risk of freezing and bursting. Leaving the majority of the water in your pool is a good thing for several reasons.
Your liner will fair better through the winter if you have water in your pool. It will reduce the risk of tears from debris falling in the pool during winter. It will also mean a quicker fill up in the spring when you are ready to reopen your pool. Don’t worry about the water turning bad, you or your pool professional will add the proper winterizing chemicals that way, when you go to re-open your pool in spring, the chemicals will be easier to balance because you made sure they were balanced before you closed up shop.
You’ll add things like chlorine shock, stain prevention, and algaecides to your pool before closing it for the winter. This will ensure that the water is as clean and safe as possible so that you can have an easier time reopening it next spring. This clean water is going to keep the liner intact and protect it from rips and tears, as well.
The standard operating procedure is to drain your pool below skimmer levels so that you can clean out the plumbing system to avoid those frozen and burst lines during the winter. If you have an in-ground pool, that might mean more draining. If your above-ground pool has a removable pump and skimmer system, just take it out and drain a little water so that there is room for expansion and contraction throughout the winter and then place the cover on.
Some people use air pillows to create an area in middle of pool to minimize ice damage to liner walls and skimmer. If you do this, you will need to leave a little more water in your pool. Additionally, if you have drained a lot of water, you might want to choose a tight pool cover so that it is less likely to collect water and debris. Having a lot of standing water on your pool cover can lead to stress, rips, and damage to the cover as well as debris and dirty rain getting into the pool that you worked so hard to clean.
If this seems like too much work, or you simply would rather a professional handle it, call Backyard Paradise Pools in Saucier, MS. We can handle the complete installation and maintenance of your pool. Call and speak to one of our expert representatives today at 228-687-8133