Vacuum, brush the walls if necessary, and remove debris from water. The pool will open more easily in the spring if it is clean and winterized when closed. Debris left in the pool over the winter may cause staining.
If you have a sand filter, backwash to clean the sand for next season. You can also use a product such as Filter Magic to aid in the cleaning.
If you have a DE filter, empty the DE and spray the fingers or grids with a cleaning solution.
If you have a cartridge filter, spray it with a cleaning solution
2)Lower the water level
If you use the Aquador skimmer cover, cover the skimmer now and leave water level where it is. If not, drop the water level of the pool 4 to 6 inches below the skimmer.
3)Drain and store pool supplies
Remove the drain plugs on the filter and heater and allow them to drain completely. Unhook the filter hoses, and store all pool supplies indoors for the winter. 5)Add winterizing pool chemicals
Add 1 gallon of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water and 1 gallon of Winterizing Pool Chemical Agent per 15,000 gallons of pool water. 6) Cover the pool
Spread swimming pool covers for above ground pools over pool and secure cable around the perimeter. Do not stretch it taut; it is intended to dip in the middle.
RECOMMENDED: Purchase a reliable pool cover pump to remove water from the above ground pool cover. If water is allowed to build up it will stress the cover; if it freezes it may cause rips in the cover. Little Giant is a good choice.
Optional:
Purchase a Leaf Net and spread it over the winter pool cover. This will catch leaves and other debris and prevent them from building up on the cover. Every few weeks in the fall simply peel it off and shake debris loose.
Inflate an air pillow and float it on the water under the above ground pool blanket cover. Air pillows facilitate the removal of water from the cover.
