Here's a promise: if you close your pool properly this fall, opening it next spring will be genuinely easy. Clean water, no algae, no equipment surprises. You pull the cover off, run the pump for a bit, do a quick chemical adjustment, and you're swimming.

If you don't? You're spending a miserable weekend in May dealing with premium swamp juice, a clogged filter, and the creeping suspicion that something expensive is broken.

The difference between those two outcomes is just one afternoon in the fall. This is how to do it right.

When the leaves start turning, it's time to act. Don't wait until the first freeze—the goal is to seal everything up before water temperatures consistently drop below 65°F.

Timing Matters More Than Most People Realize

The biggest mistake with pool winterizing isn't getting a step wrong—it's jumping the gun and doing it too early.

A lot of people close their pool the moment summer feels over. The problem is that if water temperatures are still above 65°F, algae and bacteria keep growing under the cover, completely eating up your winterizing chemicals. You'll open the pool in spring to find it's been quietly turning green all winter.

Wait until your water temperature is consistently at or below 65°F before locking it down. In most of the US, that sweet spot hits between late September and mid-October. A cheap pool thermometer takes the guesswork out.

On the flip side, don't wait too long either. Trying to close a pool when overnight temperatures are already hitting the 20s means you're racing against freeze damage to your pipes.

The Pre-Closing Gear Checklist

Get your tools together before you start so you aren't stuck making a frantic hardware store run half-soaked:

• Pool water test kit or high-quality test strips

• Winterizing chemical kit (Shock, algaecide, and stain preventer)

• Skimmer cover plate or heavy-duty winterizing plugs

• Return jet expansion plugs

• Submersible pump or siphon hose (to lower the water line)

• An inflation air pillow (highly recommended for round setups)

• A reliable winter pool cover—built to match your exact Round, Rectangular, or Oval pool shape

• Pool brush and pool vacuum

Preparing and Deep Cleaning the Water

This step often gets rushed, and it shouldn't. Everything you leave in the pool—stubborn algae on the walls, rotting leaves on the floor, or sunscreen residue—will ferment all winter. By spring, it's a much bigger, more expensive problem to scrub away.

Take your time to brush the walls and floor, vacuum the corners thoroughly, and skim off floating debris. Most importantly, remove all accessories—ladders, floats, skimmer baskets, and toys. Clean them off and store them somewhere dry. Leaving a plastic ladder floating in freezing water is a guaranteed way to find it cracked and ruined by spring.

Dialing In Your Water Chemistry

Get your water chemistry dialed in before you add any heavy closing chemicals. If the water is out of balance going in, it'll be twice as bad coming out.

Adjust whatever's out of range and let the pump run for a few hours to circulate before moving on. Once balanced, add your winterizing kit:

Pour your pool shock at dusk so the sun doesn't burn off the chlorine instantly. Brush the pool to distribute it evenly, let the pump run, and then add your winter algaecide and stain preventer to protect your vinyl liner from mineral scaling over the dark months.

Managing the Water Level and Skimmer

You need to drop the water level before covering—but how far depends entirely on your approach to the skimmer:

Option A (Best for heavy snow zones): Keep the water at normal levels but use a winterizing skimmer faceplate plug to completely seal the opening. Keeping the water high gives your pool walls crucial structural support against heavy snow loads sitting on top of the cover.

Option B: Use a submersible pump to lower the water level 4 to 6 inches below the skimmer mouth. This completely removes water from the freeze-zone, though you'll have to monitor the cover sag more closely through winter. Never drain it more than 6 inches, or your vinyl liner will shrink and pull away from the frame.

Winterizing Your Pump, Filter, and Lines

This is where people lose hundreds of dollars. Any trapped water left inside a pump or filter housing will expand when it freezes, cracking the heavy plastic like an eggshell. It happens fast, and it's never covered by warranties.

• The Pump & Motor: Cut the power at the breaker. Disconnect the plumbing hoses, remove the bottom drain plug from the strainer basket housing, drain every drop of water, and move the pump motor inside a dry garage or basement.

• The Filter: For sand filters, switch the multiport valve to "Winterize" and pull the bottom drain plug. For cartridge or DE filters, pull the core grids out, rinse them clean, and store them indoors.

• The Hoses & Jets: Disconnect all hoses from the wall fittings. Remove the return jet eyeball fittings from inside the pool wall and screw in rubber winter expansion plugs to seal the lines.

Setting Up Your Air Pillow (For Round Pools)

If you're managing a round pool, inflation pillows are a lifesaver. Blow the pillow up to about 60% capacity—leaving it slightly squishy prevents it from popping under intense ice pressure. Tie a line from the pillow to the pool walls so it stays dead-center, and lay your cover over it.

The pillow acts as an expansion cushion. When ice forms and pushes inward, the pillow absorbs the crushing force instead of your metal pool walls. Plus, it creates a nice center dome that forces heavy rainwater to drain off to the outer edges rather than pooling in a massive swamp in the middle.

Locking Down the Winter Cover

Your cover is your last line of defense for the next six months. Don't rush this part. Inspect your old tarp first—if the fabric feels paper-thin or the loops are fraying, it's better to replace it now than find a giant tear in freezing January. Check out our guide on signs it's time to replace your pool cover if you're on the fence.

Grab a friend to help pull the cover across—dragging heavy winter fabric across rough dirt can ruin the waterproof layer.

• If you have a winch and cable system, thread the steel line through all perimeter grommets evenly before cranking the winch down snug.

• If you use a ratchet strap system, alternate sides as you tighten so the tension pulls evenly across the pool frame. You want a clean, uniform overlap of at least 12 inches hanging down the sidewalls with zero loose gaps for wind to catch.

Explore our rugged, high-weave above ground pool covers at Faircovers—tailored for maximum UV resistance and severe weather in every size:

• Heavy-Duty Round Pool Covers

• Premium Rectangular Pool Covers

• Exact-Fit Oval Pool Covers

The Winter Check-In Routine

Closing the pool doesn't mean walking away completely until May. Spend 5 minutes once a month doing a quick perimeter check:

• Clear standing puddles: If rain builds up more than two inches of heavy water on top of your cover, it puts massive strain on the seams and pool rails. Hook up a basic cover pump to siphon it off.

• Check the straps: High winter winds can gradually wiggle winches or ratchet buckles loose. Give them a quick yank to confirm they are still locked down tight.

Protect the Rest of Your Outdoor Investment

While you're winterizing the pool, don't let freezing moisture ruin the rest of your backyard setup. Winter rain, freezing sleet, and sub-zero temperatures can warp wood, split metal joints, and rot patio fabrics.

Keep your outdoor space pristine with our heavy-duty, weather-punishing patio furniture covers for sectionals and dining sets, or shield your outdoor kitchen with a durable, exact-fit grill cover.

Browse the complete outdoor protection lineup at Faircovers →

Have questions about getting the perfect fit for your pool dimensions? Drop a line to our team—we’ll help you lock down your yard before the cold rolls in.