Climate and seasons: desert heat to winterizing
How service changes in hot deserts, humid coasts and freezing winters, including a winterizing checklist.
Hot desert (Phoenix, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, El Paso)
- Strong sun burns chlorine: test FC every visit and keep it at the CYA-based minimum or above.
- Evaporation can be a quarter inch a day or more; refill water raises CH and dissolved solids. Test CH monthly.
- Heat pushes the LSI up; winter water at 50–60 °F pushes it down. Use the real temperature.
Hot and humid (Florida, Gulf Coast, Hawaii)
- Heavy rain dilutes CYA, TA and salt: re-test after storms.
- Before a hurricane: don't drain the pool; turn power to equipment off at the breaker.
Cold winters: closing (winterizing)
- Balance the water and shock a few days before closing.
- Lower the water level as the cover maker says, blow out and plug the lines.
- Drain the pump, filter, heater and chlorinator; use pool antifreeze only where the equipment maker allows.
- Install the cover; check it during winter for water and snow load.
Opening in spring
Clean the cover, refill, start equipment, shock and balance. Have gas heaters inspected before first use.
Call a licensed professional for gas heaters and gas lines, electrical work (wiring, bonding, GFCI, salt-cell and pump power), and anything your local code requires a permit for. Turn power off at the breaker before opening any equipment.
The calculator gives these tips automatically for a pool's ZIP code and the current season.