Ask the Expert: What’s your best advice for pool care in the winter months? 

Frog Pool Products

Ask the Expert: What’s your best advice for pool care in the winter months? 

Depending on your region, continued care for your pool during the winter will differ. While it’s true, there might not be a lot do, however, some tips will help you have a more successful opening when spring rolls around. 

 Whether in a frosty wonderland or a mild weather region, these tips will have you covered—literally! 

Essential Winter Pool Care Tips

1. Inspect Your Pool Cover Routinely

Routinely checking your pool cover is like double-checking your cell phone battery or your car tires and oil. It’s easy to do and can prevent a lot of trouble. During winter, your pool cover is the first line of defense against debris and critters. 

To make sure it’s doing its job, check for rips or tears. High winds and storms can loosen or damage covers, so keep an eye on how your pool cover holds up during the season. A snug cover keeps snow, ice, leaves, branches and any wandering wildlife out of your pool. 

 Make it a habit to walk around the pool to inspect the cover. A few steps now can save you many expensive steps when the weather warms up! 

2. Keep Snow Off the Pool Cover

For those who live in climates with snow and ice, you know that winterizing your pool is essential to protect it.  Managing snow and ice on your pool cover is also important. You might think a little snow won’t hurt; however, the weight of snow depends upon its type. Instead of giving you descriptions of what types of snow are too heavy or a math formula to figure out how much snow is too heavy for your pool cover, it’s probably much wiser to keep snow off your pool cover.  

Even a couple of inches of snow can be heavy. Plus, if it melts and freezes or if it rains, the snow becomes denser and can increase its weight.  

Here’s how to get snow off your pool cover: 

  • Use a long broom with soft bristles to push new, fluffy snow off the cover 
  • Try a handheld leaf blower for any snow that’s light enough to be blasted away  
  • Get a pool cover snow removal tool – yes, they exist! It will manage heavier snow and has long handles to reach the center. Never use a shovel or anything with sharp edges; this can tear the cover 
  • Use a pool cover pump to remove water from melted snow or ice. Ask your local retailer. They’ll have a whole category of brushes, pool cover snow removal tools, pumps, and other recommendations to help. 

Just like you shovel your walkways and keep them free from snow and ice, stay proactive with snow and ice that accumulates on your pool cover; it will last longer and save you time and money down the road. 

3. Keep the Cover Clean

Aside from snow and ice – especially for those in milder climates who don’t have to think about that, keeping debris, like leaves, twigs and even trash off your pool cover is important. 

After all, the pool cover’s job is to keep all that out of the pool. If it accumulates on top of it, it’s more likely to get into it – especially algae spores that will grow when the temperature gets above 50°F.  

Worse, critters love to hide in piles of debris. You could have an unwelcome guest if you let it accumulate on your pool cover. 

And, like snow, accumulated debris can add unnecessary weight to your pool cover, risking strain or damage.  Regularly sweep off the cover with a soft bristled broom to keep it clean and help your cover last longer.  

4. Check Your System to Prevent Freezing

If you live in milder climates and don’t have to think about snow and ice, you do need to consider the “what if” you get a cold snap and suddenly see snow accumulating and icicles growing.

If your pool system isn’t protected from freezing during winter, you’ll have damage, and we know you want to avoid expensive repairs. It’s wise to monitor the weather forecast. If freezing temperatures are expected, take action. Keep your pump running and turn your heater low if or when the temperatures drop to freezing or below.

If the weather is expected to be below 32°F for more than a day, consider draining water from all parts of your system to prevent the costly consequences of frozen pipes. 

You can always call your local retailer for advice and recommendations for below freezing temperatures, snow or ice accumulation. 

Of course, for those who live in cold climates where temperatures are below freezing for days, weeks and months at a time, you’ll want to winterize your pool when the temperatures stay consistently below 50° F. 

5. Helpful Resources

You’ll find tons of helpful resources to make winter pool water care much more manageable. One is to download the FREE FROG Water Care App. It offers a wealth of information 24/7.

This App can help you diagnose issues, watch how-to videos, set maintenance reminders, and even purchase FROG products from your local retailer – they will provide personalized advice, recommend tools like pool cover pumps or snow removal brushes, and, of course, give expert advice tailored to your region’s climate conditions.  

If you need to find a local retailer, visit the FROG website.  

Winter Pool Care Checklist:

  • Soft bristled push broom with a long handle 
  • Pool cover removal tools – ask your local retailer 
  • Pool cover pump to keep water from accumulating on your pool cover 
  • Products to fix a torn pool cover  
  • Straps to keep it tight 

Count on FROG® Solutions for Spring Opening

The winter months are perfect for dreaming about next year’s pool season. What if you added some spectacular light around your pool? Or added a firepit area? Or what about adding an outdoor shower, so people can rinse off before and after they swim? Let your imagination carry you away, and you may come up with some inspiring new ideas to make your pool even more inviting next year. 

And, since you’re a FROG Pool Tender®, owner – you can count on a season of Cleaner, Clearer, Softer® water that’s Easier to take care of. Once spring rolls around, get your new Pool Tender Mineral Chamber®, and you’ll be ready for action. 

A FROG reaching out of the water with the word FROG below it in bright colors

You can always go to the FROG website – we have a chat feature to help you – or call our customer service team at 800-222-0169 or email them at customer.service@kingtechnology.com

 

Find a Dealer

FROG products can be purchased from local dealers in your area. Over the past 20 years, we have built a strong nation-wide network of dealers that carry our products and can service your needs. For this reason we do not sell our products on-line or directly to the pool or spa owner.