If you enjoy watching the seasons turn, you might be excited to welcome fall: turtlenecks, red leaves, crisp air, yada yada yada. On the other hand, you might still be outside shivering in your Speedo and cursing the cloudy gray skies. Whichever type of pool owner you are (but mostly if you’re the second kind) we wanted to provide some tips for fall swimming pool maintenance and care, so that even if you’re disgruntled, your pool won’t be.

Six Things to do Before It Gets Cold (At least cold for Texas!)

1. Skim debris out of the pool. Like leaf raking, you will have to do this more than once; unlike leaf raking, don’t give up and hope that those leaves are turning into a lot of beneficial mulch, because that’s not how things work in your pool! Clean the strainer baskets, pump basket, and skimmer box regularly before the cover goes on to keep the pool leaf and debris free, and to prevent waterlogged rubbish from sinking to the bottom.
2. Clean the pool filter. Whether you’ve got a sand, DE, or cartridge filter, they all require maintenance, and you don’t want to leave it clogged and dirty over the winter or your filtration system will be working overtime to try to keep the pool clean. Cleaning a pool filter for the first time can be tricky, so just contact us with any questions.
3. Spray down and brush the walls of the pool to remove scum. Scummy water lines are about as inviting as scummy shower tiles; if you want your pool to make it to next season looking great, clean the water line before it gets too cold – and don’t forget to vacuum the bottom of the pool as well.
4. Use less chemicals. Cooler temperatures mean less chemicals are required to maintain the water chemistry, which is great news, but you still need to use a test kit regularly to monitor the pH levels and ensure that chlorine, balancers, and other treatments are kept up.
5. Service the pool heater if you have one. We can help determine whether it’s working at optimal levels or whether calcium buildup has slowed it down. Before colder weather hits is also a good time to do a general servicing and inspect for leaks, damage to the pump, and anything else that might be amiss.
6. Inspect your winter pool cover. You know those mysterious small animals that got into your shed last spring? Did you check that they didn’t make a nest in your pool cover? Well, didja? When it’s time for the cover to go on you don’t want any surprises, so make a proactive check that your pool cover is in tip-top shape or begin investigating options for a new one.

If cooler temperatures, back to school, and two cubic tons of dead leaves are presenting enough of a challenge without worrying about increased autumn swimming pool maintenance, we can help. Pit Stop Pool Service has expert tips and information on how to keep your pool pristine no matter what the season, and we also have actual experts who will come right to your backyard to prepare your pool setup for the worst that fall can throw at it. Call us to chat about our service plans!