For EMERGENCY winterizing go to step 5

Common in northern realms, usually only done in southern areas in emergency situations. After all, most of us have to LOOK at the pool from our main entertainment windows! And we don't want to look at a SWAMP! Which means we operate our pools year-round. Usually, the same amount of chemicals that is used in one week of the summer will last up to six weeks in the winter! For warmer climates, just run the pumps and keep everything circulating whenever the temperature goes below 38 degrees f.. If you have extended COLD spells plan ahead for 'winterizing' your equipment. Learn where all of the drain plugs are along with the breakers for the pool / spa. So don't go dumping ANTI-FREEZE in your pipes! Animals drink that water also!

Do not add automobile antifreeze to your equipment and plumbing. It is an environmental hazard of serious consequences, dangerous to all life forms that come into contact with it! If the equipment is drained of all water beforehand, it will not NEED the antifreeze!

1. Test and balance water. It doesn't take a lot of effort to maintain a pool chemically throughout the winter, if it is not a problem to begin with!
2. Remove all debris (especially organic matter) from the pool. If left in the pool all winter, it can be a very costly and labor consuming cleanup in the spring.
3. Clean or backwash filter, it isn't good to leave a coating of filtered gunk on the inside of a filter for an extended period. Sometimes the only way to clean a filter element that has been done that way, is to replace it! Save your pocketbook and the environment at the same time!
4. If the pool is to be drained partially, and a safety cover installed, this is when to do it. Remember, if you drain below the return fittings, you will need to plug the return lines after you drain them. Some people even use compressed air to blow out the pipes to remove all water from the lines above the water level. Remember also, it will rain and the water level will rise.
5. Turn off all power to equipment at the breaker. NEVER WORK ON EQUIPMENT WITH POWER ON! INJURY CAN RESULT FROM ACCIDENTAL SWITCHING ON! This also prevents the equipment from running dry accidentally.
6. IF EQUIPMENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO FREEZE, CAUTION SHOULD BE OBSERVED! ICE CAN CAUSE EXTREME PRESSURES IN EQUIPMENT AND CAN CAUSE INJURY. MERELY ATTEMPTING TO OPEN FROZEN EQUIPMENT CAN POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY!!
7. Drain equipment. At the bottom of most pieces of equipment, is a drain plug (i.e. at the bottom of most pumps there is a drain plug for the pump pot, and one for the volute, at the bottom and behind on some filters is one or two drain plugs. If there is two, one inside of another, then remove the center one! Heaters usually have them where the pipes go in and on the opposite side occasionally) Let all of the water out of the equipment by opening everything that can be opened. Including, the backwash valve being opened halfway.
8. Place some loose, dry gravel (don't fill more than a fourth to a third full) in an empty plastic gallon jug or two litter bottle. place this bottle with the cap on, in the skimmer. The gravel is used for ballast to keep the bottle from just floating on the surface. It has air spaces in the area between the rocks to allow the freezing water to crush the bottle instead of the (VERY expensive repair) skimmer! In the Texas area, it takes a trained pool pro to replace a skimmer in a gunite type pool and will cost, in the neighborhood of $2,000.00 each! Plus a replaster!
9. Drain Backwash line (and separation tank) if applicable. If you have one and it freezes, it can bust a backwash valve, pronto!
10. If the equipment has already begun to freeze (you open it up & no water comes out, or you see that your pump lid is not going to move because it is frozen from the inside, etc.), contact your local pool professional (and your insurance agent), to replace it. Once a filter tank has been frozen (with ice expanding, as it does, inside) it is worse than useless. It's dangerous to anyone around while it runs. It might not burst in 24 hrs. It may take weeks to burst and the stressed parts sending almost shrapnel-like portions across the yard! DON'T take chances with hydraulic pressures.