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Are Pool Closing Chemicals Necessary?

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Categories: Winterizing, Chemicals, Q&A Topics
 
Good news! Retiring your pool for the winter is not a complicated procedure. Many D.I.Y pool owners successfully do this year after year and reopen in the spring with great success. They key to successfully winterizing your swimming pool is preparing your pool water. If you do not balance and treat your water before closing up for the winter, you risk uncovering your pool in the spring to a mess that could take some serious work to clean up!  
 
We list several winter pool closing chemical kits and the pool closing chemicals mentioned below in our Winterizing Pool Chemicals section. Many of these kits are bundled products for a specific sized pool. You can also order the specific chemicals based on your pool size and requirements. Most kits contain just three to four chemicals and a couple of simple steps. Thankfully, the chemicals needed to close your swimming pool for the winter won’t take a big bite out of your wallet.  
 
Most importantly on your to-do list is to test your water and balance it before you close for the winter. This should be easy, as it more than likely is in good shape from the end of the summer. If you have algae present, it is best to treat the water and get it clear before you winterize. Learn more about cleaning up algae here.  
 
Many pool owners will drain the water level down and blow out the plumbing, skimmer, pump, filter and heater. If you're taking this route, the first chemical needed would be an antifreeze. We suggest the Camco Non-Toxic Concentrated Antifreeze. Do not use automotive antifreeze as it is very toxic to humans and pets. Inground pools will require at least two quarts to be administered into the skimmer and down to the main drain. With underground pipes for inground pools, a pint or two into the plumbing while it is being blown out is a good practice.  
 
For those pool owners that do not drain their pools down but, simply cover them for the winter, the following three chemicals, along with a few hours of filtration per day, that should keep your water clean and clear until spring.  
 
  1. For all of us, an algaecide is in order. Do not use anything with a metal ingredient like copper or silver as it may lead to staining of the pool surface. The Easy Care Winter Algaecideis a great product for all season use as well as a winterizing chemical. ClearView Quat Power Algaecide is another powerful algaecide, that is great for above ground or small inground pools. 
  2. Something to control metal staining during the winter season should be considered. If you have a salt water pool the Easy Care Beautec is a great product that can be used all year. The Orenda SC-1000 is an excellent product that is compatible with all surfaces. Clear View has a stain remover for budget conscience consumers or those with small inground or above ground pools. It is best to add metal protection chemicals to the water and mix well before adding any chlorine products.
  3. And finally add some chlorine. The least expensive chlorine available by percent is Cal-Hypo shock. While we cannot ship this product, you should be able to find this locally. A couple of pounds is all that you should need to set your pool up for the winter. The best strategy is to mix a few pounds in a five gallon pail of water and let it sit covered for several hours until the powder settles to the bottom. Pour off the clear liquid into another bucket and then pour into your pool. 

That’s it! Four chemicals, four easy steps. For more information on winterizing your pool check out our pool closing blog post.
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