After an amazing year of swimming, fun, and making memories, it's time to close your backyard pool for the season. As a first-time pool owner, you aren't sure how to properly winterize your pool. Improper winterization can lead to a host of avoidable damage and problems in the future. Avoid these common mistakes when closing your backyard pool for the summer.

Closing Your Backyard Pool When It's Too Warm Outside 

Always wait until the temperatures begin to drop before closing your backyard pool for the season. Warm water is the perfect breeding ground for algae. Installing a cover over warm water allows algae to bloom, which can not only create cloudy water but will also cause damage to the pool lining.

Instead, wait until the outdoor temperatures are consistently low to perform the necessary steps to close your pool.

Draining Your Inground Pool

One of the most common and potentially damaging mistakes inground pool owners make is completely draining their pool before winter. Leave water in your pool to protect the elements from damaging the pool liner. Water does expand, so you should drain a small amount of water out of the pool. However, you should never completely empty your inground pool before winter.

Not Cleaning and Shocking Your Pool

Maintaining your pool's chemical balance throughout the summer is critical. Don't assume that the water's pH balance will not be negatively impacted just because no one will be swimming in your pool. Always thoroughly clean and shock your pool before winter. Check the chemical levels, clean the inner pool walls with a scrub brush, and shock the pool with cleaning solutions.

Purchase a non-chlorine or chlorine product and shock your pool before closing it. Follow the product's directions to ensure you add enough product to the water to raise its free chlorine levels properly.

Improperly Storing Equipment, Supplies, and Accessories

Many homeowners make the mistake of concentrating their efforts solely on the pool. Remember to properly prepare, clean, and store all your pool equipment, accessories, and toys. Use your garden hose to thoroughly wash off your pool equipment and accessories, including the skimmer, automatic pool cleaner, and inflatable pool toys.

Allow the equipment and toys to dry completely before storing them in a cool, dry place. This will prevent mold and mildew damage that could destroy your expensive equipment and toys.

From not cleaning and shocking the pool to forgetting to clean and store the equipment and pool toys, there are several mistakes backyard pool owners make when closing their pool for the season.

Speak to a contractor to learn more about swimming pool closing.