Ask the General; Do You Have Some Winter Pool Safety Tips?

Dear General-

Where did our pool go? We had nearly ten inches of snow overnight and now, when I look out the window, it’s hard to tell where the yard ends and the pool begins. We just got our new fiberglass pool this past summer, and we’re all very familiar with summer swimming pool safety tips and how to take care of our pool in swim season. But now that the snow is flying, I’d like to know if you have any tips on winter pool safety covers to share.

Signed, Shivering in Chicago

 

Dear Shivering-

In the Midwest, there are three different types of people when it comes to snow: The ones who head south for the winter, the ones who love snow and skiing, and the ones who hope for a white Christmas but spend the rest of the winter wondering how soon they can reopen their pools.

As a new fiberglass pool owner, you’re smart to wonder about winter inground pool safety tips. Sometimes people forget about their pools in the winter. Based on where you live, you’ll have different winter-time considerations.

Here are three tips on winter pool safety covers to make sure your family stays safe and your pool is swim-ready ASAP in the spring.

1. Keep safety in mind.

Here are some excerpts of actual conversations I’ve had with my kids in the winter over the years:

Some questions I have been asked (by my kids):

Q: Should I shovel the snow off of the cover?
A: NO, it will eventually melt.
Q: Is it ok to build a snowman in the middle of the pool?
A: NO, build it in the yard.
Q: Can we run and slide across the pool?
A: NO, you could break your neck.
Q: Can we make snow angels on the pool?
A: NO, for the last time, stay off of the pool.

What I am trying to explain to them is winter pool safety. Just like lakes and ponds, thin ice is a major danger. Winter pool safety covers are meant to withstand the weight of water, snow and ice, but they’re not meant for running and jumping on. Teach your kids to avoid the pool area in the winter months. They can have loads of fun and games in and around the pool when it’s swim season again.

2. Keep an eye on it.

I’ve talked about pool winterization before. It’s critical for protecting your swimming pool investment and having a worry-free winter. If you’ve properly prepared your pool for closing by balancing your water chemistry, removing your equipment, draining your plumbing and closing your automatic pool cover, you won’t have too much more to do in the snowy months. But that doesn’t mean completely ignoring your pool until you reopen it. Once that blanket of snow melts away, go out there and take a walk around the perimeter of the pool. You’re looking for any damage to your automatic pool cover track or any tears or fraying of your pool cover. A compromised cover can be hazardous for your family and your pool.

3. Keep your water level equalized.

Keeping your pool water at the proper level is your most important winter pool task! When all that snow melts, you don’t just have a swamp on your pool cover. You also have ground around your pool that’s saturated with water. When you’re pumping water off of your cover, don’t do it without first equalizing the water pressure around the pool. This is done by ADDING water to your pool before you pump off the cover. In a fiberglass pool, your winter water line should never dip below the skimmer level. If it does, you’re risking structural damage to your pool from the external groundwater pressure, and there’s nothing safe about that.

Keep in mind that it won’t be too long…

Once you get used to all the family fun you can have in your inground swimming pool, winters sure can feel long. Whether you love the snow or not, you should still get outside and try to have some quality family time. Soon enough, it will be time to haul out the floats and pool accessories and start having pool parties again.

Until then, stay warm.

-The General

 

Who is The General?

The man, the myth, the legend….we just call him The General. His organized, systematic approach to pool installations over the years had his crew members calling him “The General” and it stuck. The General has over 30 years’ experience in the pool and spa industry, working for one of Pool and Spa News’ “Top 50 Pool Builders.”

Over that time, he designed, sold, project-managed and installed over a thousand inground swimming pools. As a pool owner himself, he’s the perfect authority to give you the inside scoop, with amazing tips and tricks to make pool ownership a breeze!