Every autumn someone asks whether they should drain their pool for winter. The answer is almost always no. Here's the routine we recommend instead. It takes about 40 minutes and sets your pool up to come back cleanly in spring.
1. Don't drain it. Really.
An empty fibreglass or liner pool is a structural problem waiting for rain. Shells can lift. Liners can shrink. Water is what holds your pool in shape all winter. Leave it in.
2. One last balance
Bring us a sample for a free test, correct the pH and alkalinity, then shock-dose. Balanced water going into winter is the difference between a blue pool and a biology experiment come September.
3. Slow the pump, don't stop it
Drop filtration to a few hours a day. Stopping entirely invites algae; running summer hours just donates money to your power company.
4. Cover it properly
A fitted thermal cover keeps leaves out, heat in, and cuts down how much chemical you get through. Bungee-corded tarpaulins count as decoration, not covers.
That's it. Check the water monthly, and come see us in spring for the start-up.