Seasons are quick, but you can be quicker! If you take care of your pool before winter, there is less job to do in the spring to prepare it for use.
Less work, more safety? Who’d argue?
Contrary to popular belief, more than covering your pool alone is needed to ensure safety. You can’t put a last-step bandage on something that needs primary care! For this reason, check if you need swimming pool repair before winter starts.
When the temperatures drop, changing how you maintain your pool becomes essential. It is because winter’s colder air and rougher weather can damage pools in various ways.
Damages Caused By Winter
Almost all essential components of your swimming pool are susceptible to damage when exposed to temperatures below freezing. Frozen water expands up to 10%, and not all pool parts can carry this load, such as:
Internal
Pipes, knobs, and valves can burst if water is left in them to freeze and expand. No freezing or overloading can occur without water residue.
Due to ground protection, underground pipes don’t freeze as quickly as above-ground pipes. But they’ll still freeze. It takes several days for the ground and soil around pipes to freeze.
In addition, most pool filter tanks can withstand 50 psi, but expanding ice is more potent. The tank, cartridge, DE filter clamp ring, or top-mounted multiport valve flange may break in half or separate.
External
On top of that, freezing and thawing of water significantly affect pools made of concrete. If the snow melts and gets into cracks before it freezes again, the concrete will expand, and tiles may pop up.
Likewise, heaving is a risk when draining a large in-ground pool.
Tip: Only bring the water level down until it’s below the skimmer unless it needs total drainage for concrete repairs.
Fix Pool Damages Before Winter
Winterising an outdoor seasonal pool depends on its location, type, groundwater, sewers, and other factors.
If you know the task, do an assessment. But missing details may cost you more time and money. Hiring a pool repair company will ensure there is no overlooked damage.
Refusing to repair before the snow sets you up for more damage and costs to arise. Pool repair professionals will find and fix the problems better.
Cracked Tiles or Surfaces
Check for chips and cracks in pool tiles. Broken or cracked tiles can indicate pool substructure issues.
When your pool’s concrete walls crack, it’s an emergency. Concrete cracks usually indicate water leakage and make the building’s soil erode. Poor pool construction, substandard cement, or a lack of sealing may cause it.
Once you have checked the surfaces, remember the following:
- Use air pillows and skimmer plugs to winterise your pool.
- New in-ground pool winter plugs and covers are available.
- Moreover, pool antifreeze is cheap insurance for winter-ready pools.
Plaster or Fiberglass Damage
When water leaks through the plaster, it can become loose, flake off, or even break. Fibreglass can also crack or get lumpy over time. If you don’t fix the leak, water will damage the foundation of your pool. Here are ways to ready it:
- Empty the pool – Unseen bulges and cracks will appear.
- Let it dry – Moisture hinders repairs. We advise against fixing the damage in an entire pool.
- Mark the damaged areas roughly – Peeling paint indicates hidden problems.
A local swimming pool supply store sells fibreglass pool repair kits with paste or putty, gel coat, bonding coat, sealant, and fibreglass replacement.
- Bond coat the area you removed first. It fills the pool’s gap and dries it according to the packaging.
- Second, apply putty over the bond coat. Smooth and dry the putty, and then use sandpaper discs or the electric sander to smooth it.
- Third, coat the fibreglass before it dries. Gel coat bonds fibreglass cloth to dried putty.
- Fourth, use a roller to remove all bubbles, as it prevents bulges and cracks. Apply more gel coat to the cloth and let it dry.
- Fifth, seal it. The bond and weather determine drying time but wait to refill the pool until it’s scorched. Early pool filling may ruin the repair.
Deformed Pool Coping
Pool coping caps the pool’s inner shell from the surrounding surface. Unmaintained coping can be dirty and deformed. For chipped copings, it might help if you:
- Use pool plaster or waterproof tile grout after chipping and cleaning.
- Blend evenly with a putty knife.
- After 20–30 minutes, wipe it down with a wet sponge.
Keeping this material safe is essential because people walk and sit on it. No one wants to trip or slip on a broken pool edge that could worsen if left unattended before winter.
Corroded Pool Mastic
Pool mastic seals your expansion joint, preventing water from entering pool concrete. When the mastic wears away, you must replace it; otherwise, water could get in and damage your pool system.
- Run the GCFI extension cord through the pool umbrella handle.
- Oscillating cutters remove old pool mastic.
- Clean the gap before sealing.
- Save sealant in wide expansion joints with closed-cell backer rod
- Fill cracks with closed cell backers to keep water out after applying mastic.
- Before applying another bead, wait an hour.
Mistakes in DIY pool mastic repair are common. Small pool mistakes can cost you more. A contractor can give you tips to protect your pool and extend the life of the pool mastic.
Damaged Pump
Pool pumps are pricey! It’s best to take care of yourself, especially before winter. It’s cheap and easy to replace frozen or broken PVC pipes and connectors, but not the pump.
- Removing the two pipe plugs from the connection points winterises your pool pump safely.
Broken Filter
There are indicators that a filter needs repair:
- Pressure issues – the filter valve pressure gauge must be standard when running. Turning on the filter valve should not show “0.” High pressure suggests a dirty pool filter.
- Leaks – Clamp bands connect the cartridge and DE pool filters. Leaky clamp bands ruin filters.
- Murky water – immediately check for improper filtration, sanitation, or circulation.
- Debris buildup – can cause drainage or filter issues. Double-check.
- Loud Noises – A malfunctioning pool filter motor can make loud noises.
Experts know when to repair or replace parts. It’s best to seek their advice.
Last Patch
Your family wants to enjoy your pool for years to come. Your pool will add worth to your home and last for years with regular inspections and repairs.
A pool restoration company you can trust with structures values life. And they should immediately repair cracks, chips, or breaks in your pool’s surface.
