Texas "Winter" Maintenance

[Zamspa]

This is our first winter with our pool, what do you fellow Texans do with your pools during the winter? I have continuously been cleaning and keeping the chemicals balanced but was wondering if this is what others typically do as well. We do not have a cover and leaves have been terrible lately so I am constantly skimming, brushing, and vacuuming but it's not unmanageable. We do have an attached hot tub that we like to heat up every so often so my thought was to just keep the chemicals right throughout the year but wondering if this makes sense. Are there any chemicals that you do not worry as much about during the winter? This picture was of this weekend and the pool still looks so refreshing (it's not, I only made it to my knees lol).

 

[Texas Splash]

what do you fellow Texans do with your pools during the winter?

Sit back and enjoy it. Of course we have to scoop-out leaves and stuff after a windy day, but the chlorine level should not drop nearly as fast as it does in the summer, so chemical changes are very slow. Focus on FC and pH every 2-3 days and run a full set of tests every 3-4 weeks if you want. But chemicals should remain fairly steady until next Feb/Mar. If you get a rare winter freeze warning, keep the water moving to be safe.

 

[BowserB]

It's somewhat warmer down here in SE Texas--Houston suburb. Only our second winter, but as long as it's open, you need to keep the chemistry right. I still run the TFP100 tests every week and FC/pH every day or two. Note we have the "Rainbow" chlorinator but never use it, using liquid chlorine instead. Otherwise, we have about the same size pool, the same pump, the same filter (although ours is the 420--yours is better), and the same heater. If CYA gets low, I'll put trichlor tabs in a floater in the spa until CYA is back up to 40. Since we do use the spa in colder weather, I want the water perfect at all times! Also don't want to give algae even the hint of a start, keeping FC at the upper end of the recommended range for our CYA level.

Your Pentair pump supports "Freeze protection" and is probably factory set to turn on at 38 degrees and turn off when the temp rises to 43. You can change those settings, though.

 

[ciaka]

im in same boat, wondering what I will need to do for TX winter. Austin area.
So far my water has been 70 deg. F. So by Northern standards like Great Lakes or CA, water is hot.
My pool just got built. Filled with water about 2.5 weeks ago now. They just revised the main pump to stop running full speed 24x7. Now they put me on schedule I believe high speed 4 hrs, then 50% for next 12 hrs, then turn off for few hrs.

 

[Texas Splash]

m in same boat, wondering what I will need to do for TX winter.

Same for you as well, although you have one thing to watch a little more closely - pH. With a new pool, your plaster is still curing, so the pH will try to rise quickly which can lead to scale if not maintained So stay vigilant on the pH. If the pH gets dark purple over 8.0-8.2, you'll want to bring it back to about 7.7-7.8. Make sure to use the PoolMath APP as well.

 

[ciaka]

Preciate advice. Tested yesterday, pH is at 7.4. Starting a log so I can track pool chemistry over time see trends, etc.
Looks like Texas winter maintenance mostly involves finding a good rockin' chair, some suds, and start rockin'.
I love winters in Texas. lol

Same for you as well, although you have one thing to watch a little more closely - pH. With a new pool, your plaster is still curing, so the pH will try to rise quickly which can lead to scale if not maintained So stay vigilant on the pH. If the pH gets dark purple over 8.0-8.2, you'll want to bring it back to about 7.7-7.8. Make sure to use the PoolMath APP as well.

 

[HermanTX]

In addition to keeping the chemistry correct - don't want algae to get a start - chlorine usage is way down but still need to monitor the FC levels. Suggest you pull your sides off the heater and ensure no animal has tried to make its home there for the winter. Also, run the heater occasionally if you are not physically using your spa. After the biggest leaves have dropped, may be a good time to clean the filter - just to get rid of any debris that may have accumulated. Some wait till after Thanksgiving and others may wait till after New Years. I have a DE filter and do an extra backwash and wait till Feb to do a full cleaning.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Texas winter maintenance is adding chlorine less frequently and emptying the skimmer more often.

 

[Plefasu]

Wait, you guys aren't using your pool as a cold plunge? Some nice contrast therapy going from the pool to the hot spa. Great for sore muscles!

 

[ciaka]

Down here in Tx, late Nov, water temp is about 72F. Guess at that temp, cold plunging is not practical. Wonder what the temps are up North now a days.