How to Winterise a Pool: Australian Guide

Australia is not as cold as other countries during winter, but if your pool is not prepared properly, it could suffer damage during cooler months. Winterising a pool is more than simply covering it and forgetting about it until the warmer weather returns. Taking the right steps to winterise your pool correctly will keep your pool water in balance, save you money on repairs and chemicals when the swimming season begins, and keep your pool equipment protected from the elements and damage.

Winterising a pool the right way will help you maintain a good filtration system, prevent algae growth, and reduce the amount of work needed when you’re ready to start swimming again. This complete guide to winterising a pool will take you through a step by step process to maintain your pool year round, even during winter.

Why Winterising Your Pool Matters

It’s a common misconception by many pool owners that Australia’s relatively cool winter months mean pool maintenance is not as big a concern as overseas. Pool water that is not properly maintained with the correct winter maintenance schedule, even for a few months, can end up with algae build up, calcium deposits, and the need for expensive pool repairs to your pool equipment.

Winterising your pool helps you:

• Save money by reducing electricity bills from your pool pump and heating system

• Maintain a constant level of pool water and reduce evaporation

• Prevent algae buildup and other bacterial growth that can turn pool water green

• Protect your pool surface from oil deposits, calcium buildup, and staining

• Reduce chemical evaporation and keep your chemical balance stable

• Avoid costly repairs to your chlorinator, cartridge filter, and media filter

Step by Step Guide to Winterising Your Pool

Winterising a pool in Australia is simple, but it is important to do a thorough job. This step by step guide will take you through each stage to ensure your pool is ready for the cooler months.

Step 1: Give Your Pool a Deep Clean

The first step to winterising your pool is to deep clean it before closing it for the winter. Remove leaves, debris, and dirt from your pool water using a leaf scoop. Make sure you empty both your skimmer baskets and your pool pump baskets so the filtration system can run smoothly without obstruction. Use a pool brush to scrub the pool surface, paying extra attention to the water lines around the pool where grease or oil deposits can build up. Check light fittings, steps, and corners where mustard algae can grow.

Vacuum the pool floor and walls to make sure no debris is left. If you have a robotic pool cleaner, now is the time to invest in one if you haven’t already. This will make it much easier to keep your pool clean and in top condition year round.

Step 2: Test and Adjust Your Water Chemistry

Before the winter months set in, it is essential to get your pool water correctly adjusted. Use a reliable test kit or take a water sample to your local pool shop for professional testing.

Check and adjust the following:

• pH levels should be between 7.2 and 7.6

• Chlorine levels should be slightly higher than normal to prepare for reduced chlorination during winter

• Calcium hardness levels should be balanced to avoid calcium buildup on the pool surface and pool equipment

• Total alkalinity should be stable to maintain chemical balance and prevent damage to your pool surface

Balancing your water chemistry now will save energy and reduce the amount of maintenance needed when warmer months return.

Step 3: Add Winterising Chemicals

Winterising chemicals help keep your pool water clean and safe for swimming during low use periods. Add a high quality winter algaecide to prevent algae growth and algae buildup during cooler months. If you’ve had problems with mustard algae in the past, choose a product that is designed to target this algae specifically.

A shock treatment is recommended before going into winter hibernation. This will kill bacteria, remove organic contaminants, and leave your pool water crystal clear for the start of your winter maintenance schedule.

Step 4: Adjust Filtration and Chlorination

Your pool pump should still be running during winter, but not for as many hours per day. Cut back on your pool pump’s runtime to reduce electricity bills, while still ensuring the water is being circulated and filtered. For most pools, 2 to 4 hours per day during winter is sufficient.

If you use a salt chlorinator, cut back on the chlorinator output slightly to prevent over chlorination, and to save money on salt. This is particularly important if your pool water temperature drops significantly, as cooler water has less chlorine demand.

Step 5: Reduce Water Level if Needed

In areas where heavy rainfall is common during winter, you may need to lower your pool’s water level slightly to prevent overflow. Lower it to below the skimmer opening, while ensuring the pool surface remains covered. Do not drain your pool completely as this can damage the pool and cause the pool surface to crack.

Step 6: Fit a Pool Cover or Pool Blanket

Pool covers and pool blankets are an effective way to reduce evaporation, chemical evaporation, and debris entering your pool. It also helps maintain a constant level of water temperature during cooler winter months. Ensure your pool cover is fitted correctly and free of holes or tears.

Pool covers not only help to reduce maintenance costs, but they help maintain chemical balance in your water so you have clean, balanced water when swimming season starts.

Ongoing Winter Pool Maintenance

Winterising doesn’t mean you should forget about your pool until warmer weather arrives. Even with a pool cover, you still need to perform regular winter pool maintenance.

• Follow a weekly maintenance schedule for testing water chemistry, checking pH levels, and adjusting chlorine levels as needed

• Skim off leaves or debris that may have blown under the pool cover

• Brush the pool surface every two weeks to prevent algae buildup

• Check your filter gauge to ensure your filtration system is functioning properly

• Empty skimmer baskets and pool pump baskets regularly to keep water flowing freely

• Rinse cartridge filters or backwash media filters when required

• Inspect pool equipment such as pumps, chlorinators, and heaters for signs of wear

Do’s and Don’ts for Winter Pool Maintenance

Do:

• Use winter algaecide to prevent algae growth

• Keep your pool cover clean and secure

• Maintain a constant level of water in the pool

• Adjust chlorinator output for cooler months

• Follow the same maintenance schedule at reduced intensity

Don’t:

• Drain your pool completely

• Neglect your filtration system

• Ignore grease or oil deposits on the pool surface

• Allow chlorine levels to drop too low

• Wait until warm days arrive before checking chemical balance

Cost of Winterising Your Pool

Winter maintenance of a pool costs less than summer pool maintenance as you use less heating and chemicals. Winterising chemicals, algaecide, and shock treatment are small investments that prevent expensive repairs and deep cleans later.

Adjusting your pump and chlorinator settings will save money on electricity bills. Pool covers reduce evaporation, chemical loss, and heating needs, further reducing costs. Many homeowners find that winterising properly can cut total cost of annual pool maintenance by up to 30 percent.

State by State Winterising Tips

New South Wales and Victoria – Begin winterising in late April or early May. Cool winters mean reduced chlorination is safe from May to September.

Queensland – Milder winters mean you can still swim year round if you use solar heating, but a partial winterising schedule will save energy.

Western Australia – Perth pool owners benefit from pool covers to reduce evaporation during dry winter months.

South Australia and Tasmania – Cooler water temperatures mean algae growth is slower, but still follow a regular winter maintenance schedule to keep water chemistry balanced.

Final Checks Before Warmer Months Return

As warmer weather returns, start increasing your pump runtime, chlorinator output and chlorine levels. Remove the pool cover and rinse the pool out, brushing the walls and floor to remove any remaining oil deposits or dirt. Test water chemistry and adjust calcium hardness, pH, and alkalinity. This will help ensure the swimming season begins with perfectly balanced water.

Conclusion

Winterising your pool the right way means you can save energy, save money, and protect your pool investment year round. If you want to rest easy knowing your pool water is clean, your pool equipment is working, and your chemical balance is perfect all winter long, it’s time to hire the professionals that know exactly how to winterise a pool in Australian conditions.

Our professional pool cleaners at 1 Pool Care will provide your pool with a complete winter pool maintenance service, including deep cleans, water balance adjustment, and adding winterising chemicals. Call us today and let us keep your pool water clean and ready for swimming, reduce evaporation, and prevent algae buildup, so you’re ready to enjoy it in the moment warm weather returns.