Although we can still expect a lot of hot days through October in Atlanta, now is the time for outdoor commercial pools to close. In fact, many pools around the area, including Atlanta Parks & Rec pools, are already closed.
Closing your pool requires important steps to ensure that you avoid off-season damage. Although the specifics for handling these procedures can vary from pool to pool, here’s a general guide. Hiring professionals like Allen Pool Service to close your pool will ensure these steps are done properly.
Take this opportunity to give the pool one more thorough cleaning. Remove debris, skim, vacuum, and brush down the surfaces.
With the pool clean, it’s also a good opportunity to inspect the pool for damage, wear, or cracking. If you do find damage, consider fixing it now, for two reasons. First, some types of damage can worsen over winter and spring. Being drained can make a pool vulnerable, so it might make sense to get repairs now to protect from worse damage in the future. Second, there will be a rush to fix and open pools in the spring. It might be harder to get timely pool repairs then, which can delay opening.
Get your water chemistry right for shutting down the pool. Failing to properly winterize the chemistry can lead to unpleasant surprises when you want to open the pool in the spring, such as corrosion, algae growth, and scaling. The proper chemical balance for your pool can vary with the style of pool, the coating, and the specific chemistry of your pool (for example, whether you have a saltwater or freshwater pool).
Drain the Pool
Unless your pool is inside and operates year-round, you will want to drain it for the winter. However, not all pools should be completely drained. Here in Atlanta, most pools will be partially drained. Freezes aren’t so common and damaging that fully draining a pool makes sense. Instead, it’s best to have the pool water at a level high enough to provide support for the structure, but low enough that water doesn’t get into the pipes where it could cause damage. High water levels also help keep the pool in the ground during spring rains.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions and documentation from previous years to see whether your pool should be fully or partially drained.
Pipes, pumps, filters, and anything that passes water through it is at risk of freezing over the winter. Although freezes aren’t super common in Atlanta, it only takes one to wreck your pool equipment, so it’s important to drain and winterize it all long before the first freeze.
This is also a good time to consider whether you want to upgrade any of your equipment during the off-season. Again, doing the upgrade now can lead to a smoother start-up in the spring and help you avoid the spring rush.
Store Toys, Furniture, Ladders, and Signs Safely
Pool toys, furniture, ladders, and the like are all designed to be outside, but they still experience wear and damage over time. To get your full value out of these accessories, you should store them safely when they’re not in use. The same with all the pool signage, too.
Removing all the pool accessories and signage helps avoid the impression that the pool might be open and discourages people from coming into the pool area.
Pool covers come in many styles. All are useful, but to varying degrees. The best pool covers secure well so that they resist wind damage and won’t come off under most conditions. You want a pool cover that’s sturdy enough to protect against snow, ice, and debris over the winter. This can also make cleanup easier when it’s time to open the pool in the spring.
Don’t forget to secure the pool premises when you close the pool. A swimming pool is what is known in legal circles as an “attractive nuisance,” because it can lure people, especially kids, who might then get hurt or trapped. Practically speaking, you can’t possibly keep everyone out of the pool who really wants to get in. However, in legal terms, you can protect yourself from liability if you make a good effort to keep people out: have a fence in good condition, a locked gate, and signage indicating the pool is closed.
Finally, make sure you’ve documented the entire process, especially details like the pool chemistry, and any pool damage you noticed, whether it’s been repaired or still needs attention. Documentation is especially important for a professional pool, where employees might turn over between one year and the next, and knowledge of how to close the pool can be lost.
At Allen Pool Service, we are experts at dealing with all aspects of handling a commercial pool, including closing and opening for the season. Since 1972, we’ve been helping individuals and companies deal with their pools in the Atlanta area. If opening and closing the pool every year is a burden for your company, contact Allen Pool Service. Our goal is to simplify your life, making owning a pool as easy as possible.
We take the time to get to know our customers—and their pools. We keep detailed notes so we know how to properly handle your pool and get it set up just the way you want it so that you can keep your focus on other parts of your business. Check out our customer reviews to see how happy we’ve made our clients across the Atlanta area. Plus, with over 50 years’ history, you know we’ll be around for years to come. Once you trust us with your pool, you won’t have to worry about it anymore.
Please contact Allen Pool Service today to schedule your pool closing in Atlanta.
Need help closing your pool and getting it ready for the winter? Give us a call at (770) 451-1621 or request a quote.
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