Winterizing pools: How to save water and money this winter

The biggest mistake: Emptying the pool

With the arrival of autumn on the Costa Blanca and Murcia, many owners wonder what to do with their pool. The most common and dangerous mistake is to completely empty it to save on maintenance. The water acts as a vital counterweight to the pressure of the earth surrounding the basin. If you empty it, the winter rains can swell the ground, causing the concrete structure to crack or, in the worst case, the entire pool to rise like a boat. Furthermore, wasting tens of thousands of liters of water in the middle of a drought is unsustainable.

1. Deep cleaning and pH adjustment

The first step to successful winterization is leaving the pool spotless. Brush the walls, run the pool cleaner, and clean the skimmer baskets and the pump pre-filter. Next, it is essential to adjust the water's pH between 7.2 and 7.6. An unbalanced pH will nullify the effect of winter chemicals and can corrode metallic elements (ladders, lights) during the months of inactivity.

2. The winterizing product: Your best ally

Once clean, apply a shock treatment and, the next day, the winterizing liquid. This chemical is a powerful algaecide and flocculant that numbs the water, preventing the proliferation of algae, bacteria, and limescale. Depending on the temperature of your area, one dose is usually applied in October and a booster dose in mid-winter (February). If you have a salt chlorinator, this is the time to turn it off, clean it, and store the cell.

3. Reduced filtration and thermal covers

During the winter, you don't need the filter to run 8 hours a day. Reducing filtration to just 1 or 2 hours daily (preferably during the coldest hours to move the water and prevent surface freezing) is enough and will save you a lot of money on your electricity bill. For a perfect result, installing an opaque canvas cover will prevent leaves from falling in and block sunlight, preventing algae photosynthesis 100%.

Prepare your pool with professionals

A poorly done winterization means finding a green and costly swamp to recover in spring. At Servinmosol we are experts in comprehensive pool maintenance. Contact us and we will take care of preparing your pool to hibernate safely, saving water, time, and money.