One of the many benefits of living in Central Florida is that we’re spared the freezing temperatures, sleet and snow of northern locales. If you’ve recently moved to The Sunshine State from one of these areas and are now a proud pool owner, you may be wondering if your pool needs special attention this time of year. The good news is, you don’t have to make any extraordinary effort – but you can’t forget about basic cleaning and maintenance. Just follow our tips, and you’ll take a few more steps toward becoming a true Floridian!
Should You Close Your Pool?
In a word, no. Even if you’ve done so “back home,” temperatures don’t drop low enough long enough in Central Florida to necessitate a formal closing. Average daytime highs are around 72 °F, with lows of around 52 °F. As SE Pool Supply points out, it’s far less expensive to maintain your pool than to close it – another advantage to living here! Besides, your family and friends who still live in your hometown may find the temperature just fine for a dip when they visit this winter. If your blood hasn’t started thinning yet, you might be joining them, so keep your pool open!
Should You Drain Your Pool?
Absolutely NO! Not under any circumstances, no matter what kind of pool you have – be it concrete, fiberglass, vinyl liner or above-ground! Draining the pool can result in permanent damage, and should only be done by a licensed pool repair contractor if necessary. Our blog post – “Why You Should Never Drain Your Pool Yourself” – covers in detail the many reasons to not drain your swimming pool, which include the following:
- When too much pool water soaks into the ground, the resulting upward water pressure (hydrostatic pressure) could crack the bottom of your pool or cause it to float right out of the ground.
- In the case of fiberglass pools, the floors can split altogether, necessitating repairs to the fiberglass shell, plumbing, side walls (which can bulge outwards or even pop as a result of the sudden lack of water pressure) and pool deck.
- For both inground and above-ground pools, the liner can shrink when the pool is drained, then tear when the pool is refilled. Refilling promptly and shifting the liner in the early stages of refilling can mitigate this. However, this is not a good idea with older liners.
- Excess ground water can cause pool liners to float away from the walls, causing wrinkles.
We hope that answers your question! No matter what you may read elsewhere, draining the pool is seldom necessary – and when it is, it is not a DIY job.
Your Winter Pool Maintenance Schedule
Even if your blood has thinned enough that Central Florida’s winters are too cold for swimming, your pool still needs regular maintenance to keep it clean and ready for spring, when temperatures start to rise! Just follow these steps:
Continue your pool cleaning routine – Remove leaves and debris from the water, and clean the debris traps or skimmers. Old leaves can also cause stains on the sides and floor of your pool and promote algae growth. Run your pool filter and regularly vacuum the pool to remove debris. This will help you maintain a healthy water balance.
Balance the chemicals in your pool – Continue to maintain the water balance throughout the season. Algae can thrive in pools during this time due to the fluctuating weather. Also, it will save you time and money in the spring. However, you can decrease the amount of chlorine in the water, since it won’t have to kill contaminates from people using the pool. Test the pool water at least once a week during this time. If you have a salt chlorine generator, turn down the amount of chlorine it produces. This will increase your system’s lifespan, sparing it from unnecessary runtime.
Prevent algae buildup – As temperatures don’t get low enough to prevent algae growth, GPS Pools recommends keeping the water circulating at a rate that matches your environment’s needs. Colder water requires less circulation. Run your pool’s pump for one hour per 10 degrees of water temperature. So, if it’s 60 degrees outside, set your pump timer for a six-hour cycle.
Monitor the water level – Keep an eye on the water levels. Since Florida has less rainfall in the winter to replace evaporated water, the water level can drop one to two inches a week. If the water level falls below the skimmers, your pool could experience severe component damage. That’s why it’s important to monitor your pool’s water level and add water as needed to keep the water level above the skimmers. In addition, if you notice the water level dropping soon after adding water, a leak could be the cause. Should this happen, conduct the bucket test, and contact us if the test indicates a leak.
In addition to following a maintenance routine, you may want to consider the following upgrades to improve your winter pool experience:
Invest in a pool heater – Yes, there will be times when it will be too cold to swim! If you want to get the most from your Central Florida pool, a pool heater is the ideal solution. Electric, gas and solar powered models are available, giving you numerous options.
Invest in a pool cover – This is an option for those who don’t swim (or host anyone who does) over the winter months. Obviously, a cover keeps out leaves, dirt and other debris. Also, because the pool water isn’t exposed to sunlight, chlorine levels don’t need to be adjusted as often, and the water is much slower to evaporate. A solar cover will absorb heat on sunny days – which are common in Central Florida’s winter season – to warm the pool’s water naturally, so you can swim if you’d like. Pool covers are typically designed for rectangular-shaped pools. The cost of a custom-made cover, of course, will be significantly higher.
The Take-Home Message
It’s an unfortunate fact that swimming pool leaks don’t take the winter off. Fortunately, following a regular maintenance schedule will help you be better aware of changes and conditions that could indicate a leak, allowing you to catch it sooner rather than later, before further damage results. Some leaks are easy to find, but there are many that pool owners can’t detect without professional assistance. Certified Leak Detection uses technology and techniques we have developed over 30 years in business.
In addition to quick detection and repair of swimming pool leaks, we provide industry-leading leak detection and repair for spas, hot tubs and fountains. Serving areas throughout Central Florida – including Orlando, Longwood, Lake Mary, Sanford, Kissimmee, Clermont and Winter Springs – our team is ready to answer your call.
Contact us for quick, reliable service.