POOL CLOSING - WINTERIZING

A properly closed pool is a pool that will survive the winter months without freeze damage and
will be easy to open come spring. The cleaner the pool is when you close
it, the less work you will have at the start of the next season.
When you are ready to close your pool for the season you will want to first
be sure that the water is CLEAN AND BALANCED.

1. We recommend that you bring a water sample to Ace Swim & Leisure
for a complete water analysis before winterization and make any necessary adjustments. Be
sure that the pH reads between 7.2 –7.6 and the Total Alkalinity between 125-175 ppm prior to adding closing chemicals

2. Brush and Vacuum the pool and remove any fallen leaves or debris. Leaves left in the pool over the winter months can cause staining to the pool liner.

3. Adjust the level of the pool water 6” below the thru-wall skimmer.
Press the SkimSaver LID’L SEAL™ snap-in lid into the skimmer opening.
The lid seals the skimmer to protect from freezing.

4. Unthread the directional eyeball fitting from the return inlet and hand tighten the threaded plastic cap into the return.

5. Add winterizing chemicals as per the instructions in your Ace Swim & Leisure Winterizing Kit. The Winterizing kits sold by Ace DO NOT require the pool water to be circulating to add the chemicals. If you are not using an Ace Winterizing kit, you may need to circulate the pool water for several hours- adding the chemicals prior to step 3. If your pool does not have free chlorine present, it must be added in addition to the winterizing kit. SoftSwim treated pools should add a top-up dose of SoftSwim B.

6. Remove Ladder or Drop in Steps and store inside.

7. The use of an air pillow placed underneath the winter cover is required to maintain the manufacturer’s warranty. Use a compressor, pump or blower side of a shop-vac to fill the air pillow 3⁄4 full. DO NOT over inflate or fully inflate the air pillow.

				Right Way	Wrong Way

You may also want to place a piece of duct tape over the air cap to help keep securely closed throughout the winter. Tie the pillow using rope into the center of the swimming pool.

8. Place the winter cover over the pool so that the cover is centered with an equal amount of over hang around the perimeter of the pool. Secure the cover by lacing the cable through the grommets and then tightening the winch. DO NOT hang water filled gallon jugs from the
cover’s grommets. The weight will destroy the cover and voids the manufacturer’s warranty. When securing cover with cable, cord or other mounting device, make sure the cable, cord, etc. is positioned over the top of the Thru-the-Wall skimmer and NOT UNDER THE SKIMMER.

9. You may want to consider using cover clips to prevent wind from getting under the cover at the grommets and lifting the cover. These clips slip over the cover and the top rail.

10. Your cover should rest on the surface of the water. Allow an accumulation of 1 to 2 inches of water on top of the cover to prevent it from flapping or dislodging during high winds. If ice forms on cover, do not tamper with ice or attempt to remove. Leave ice until it melts. Before
removing cover in the spring be sure to siphon off all excess water resting on pool cover. IMPORTANT: Monitor the pool throughout the winter and If you feel that the cable that attaches the cover to the pool is too tight and is pulling up on the pool ledges, or is creating excessive weight on the pool, release the cable to prevent damage to the pool. The cover should lie on the surface of the pool water. Leave slack, do not pull tight.

11. During the course of the winter you should regulate the amount of water that accumulates on the cover. DO NOT allow more than 2 or 3
inches of water to remain, as this will put undue stress on the cover and cables. Use a siphon or cover pump to remove excess water.

12. Now that the skimmer and return inlets have been sealed off you can disconnect the hoses at those fittings and store indoors. If your pool is plumbed with PVC pipe you need to completely drain the plumbing of water to prevent freeze damage.

13. Drain all equipment: pump, filter and heater, automatic chemical feeder, by removing the drain plugs and emptying all water (store drain plugs in pump basket). Refer to the filter operating instructions and pump instructions found within this manual for more detailed winterizing instructions. WARNING: Failure to properly drain your equipment may result in freeze damage that is NOT covered under warranty.

14. Add Ace Pump Protector to your pump to inhibit corrosion and lubricate the seals whether it's inside or outside.  That seal needs to stay lubricated over the Long Dry Winter Months.  Otherwise the seal will dry out and start to allow water leak back into the motor portion of the pump, causing the bearings to rust.

15. If possible, store pump and filter indoors during winter months or cover with a tarp to protect it from the Harsh Winter Weather.

PLEASE NOTE: An improperly winterized pool can be severely damaged by ice. If you are
unsure of any of the steps outlined above, please contact an Ace Swim & Leisure
representative. We will be happy to review these procedures and answer any questions
you have about winterizing your pool. Ace Swim & Leisure, as well as the pool and
equipment manufacturers assume no liability for improperly winterized pool/equipment.
Please thoroughly review the complete operating manuals for each piece of equipment;
located within this manual.