While sitting atop the Great Dividing Range makes for postcard-perfect mornings, it also means the Southern Highlands can get seriously cold and frosty. With overnight temps often dropping below 0°C – and sometimes hitting -5°C or even -10°C in higher spots [um, brrrr]- your backyard pool can really cop it during winter.
It’s easy to forget about your pool in these cooler months [we’re leaving the cold plunge trend to the TikTok crowd, thanks!], but this is exactly when it needs a little extra TLC.
Looking after your pool in winter might feel like extra effort, but a little maintenance now means fewer headaches [and costs] later, and a sparkling, swim-ready pool when summer rolls in.
We chatted with Patrick and Kristin from Sapphire Pool & Spa – our trusted local experts who know pools inside and out. Here are their top tips to keep your swimming pool healthy and hassle-free during the colder months:
1. Clean your entire pool
Give your pool a thorough scrub before winter sets in, brushing the walls, floor, tiles and all corners. And keep clearing it regularly throughout winter. Clear skimmer baskets and the pump’s lint traps, and vacuum the whole pool every few weeks. This removes a build-up of debris and scum and helps prevent nasty algae from growing and also ensures your equipment and filtration system continues to work efficiently.
And don’t forget to clean your pool filter regularly too… This is crucial, as winter can cause dirt and grime deposits to harden making it even harder to clean the filter in the warmer months.
2. Balance and sanitise water
Keep your pool water balanced by testing it weekly. We offer free in-store water testing with a professional spin machine, and we can adjust your pH levels to the ideal 7.4–7.6.
It’s easy to check at home too! Just scoop a sample from elbow depth and add the right treatment if needed.
You’ll also want to keep chlorine levels around 2–3 ppm [that’s the sweet spot for killing bacteria, viruses, and algae] to keep your water safe, sanitised, and swim-ready.
3. Use a shock treatment and algaecide regularly
A winter shock treatment using BioGuard’s Swim Clear helps break down organic waste like sweat, sunscreen, bird droppings, and dead bugs, so your chlorine can focus on killing bacteria and algae, keeping your water safe and swim-ready.
Follow up with a dose of BioGuard’s Algiguard algaecide to fend off sneaky algae blooms and keep your pool water clear, especially during periods when you might not be checking it as often. Don’t forget to run the pump and filter for several hours afterwards to circulate everything properly.
4. Remove algae as soon as you see it
And if you do spot algae starting to bloom, don’t wait, treat it straight away. Algae uses up most of the sanitiser in your pool as it tries to fight it off, leaving little left to keep your pool water clean and healthy. The sooner you act, the easier it is to get things back on track.
5. Keep water circulating
It might be tempting to switch off your pool equipment [such as filtration and sanitation systems] over winter to save on electricity and chemical costs, but this can lead to stagnant water which can actually cost you more in the long run. Stagnant water can freeze and damage pipes and pumps, mess with your pool’s structure and design, and also lead to nasty algae or bacteria build-up that’s really expensive to fix later [not to mention the amount of chemicals you would need to use! yuck!].
So instead of shutting everything down, it’s much smarter to keep things ticking over, just on a reduced schedule. Aim for around 4-6 hours of filtration each day, ideally during off‑peak periods to help keep costs down even more. This kind of low-key maintenance helps maintain circulation and water quality, and it’s often far more cost-effective than dealing with damage or major clean-ups later.
6. Roll out the pool cover
Cover your pool whenever it’s not in use. It helps keep out leaves, debris and other organic material, which means less cleaning for you and less for algae and bugs to feed on. Pool covers and blankets also slow evaporation and reduce both heat and chemical loss, all of which is especially important in winter and helps save you time, effort and money.
7. Set your solar heater to Winter Mode
If you don’t have an automatic controller on your solar heating system, switch it to Winter Mode manually, or turn it off completely if you’re heading away. It’s a simple step that helps protect your system and saves energy when the pool’s not in regular use.
8. Check and protect your equipment
Give your pool equipment a once-over every now and then to keep things running smoothly. That means checking pumps, filters, heaters and pipes for any signs of wear or blockages.
Empty skimmer baskets, give the filter a clean, and double-check your heater and timer settings. A little upkeep now helps prevent bigger issues later, and keeps everything working efficiently right through winter.
So, a little winter pool care now saves a lot of hassle [and cost] later.
That’s some pretty top advice!
Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone. The friendly team at Sapphire Pool & Spa are here to help every step of the way. With free water testing in-store, a full range of winter products and expert onsite service, they’ve got you covered [just like your pool should be in winter!].
Drop by their Bowral showroom at Shop 3, 32-34 Bowral Street, or give them a call on 02 4601 2810.
They’re here to make winter pool care easy, so when the warm weather hits, your pool’s sparkling and ready to dive into [no nasty surprises!].
Splash!
Quick Winter Pool Care Checklist
- Clean your pool regularly – scrub walls, floor and tiles, clear baskets, vacuum and clean the filter
- Test and balance water chemistry weekly [pH 7.2–7.6, chlorine 2–3 ppm]
- Shock and add algaecide regularly
- Remove algae as soon as you see it
- Run filtration 4-6 hours daily during winter [ideally off-peak]
- Use a pool cover whenever the pool’s not in use
- Set solar heater to Winter Mode or turn off if away
- Inspect and clean equipment regularly [skimmer baskets, filters, heaters, pipes]
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