How To Winterize An Intex Above Ground Pool 

Maintaining an above-ground pool is not easy but not as hard as you may think. When the old season comes, you should know how to winterize an Intex above-ground pool.

Intex is an outdoor entertainment company that produces above-ground pools mostly made from metal and vinyl. There are different guidelines on what you should or should not do.

Intex produces different types of above-ground pools, and those pools differ in terms of ways of maintaining and whether you should keep it up during winter or not.

Make sure to check out their guidelines and see if your Intex pool fits the descriptions. But not to worry, they have a fairly simple way to winterize the pools that they have.

One of the most important tasks you should do is prepare for the coming cold season long before arrival. You would not want to risk destroying your pool in the winter.

 

What does Winterizing Mean?

Winterizing is to prepare your pool for the winter. You can use this term in a different context, such as winterizing your entire house, winterizing your car, and more.

When you winterize your pool, you usually remove other equipment and dry out pipes that may come fragile when winter arrives.

You also add chemicals to the water in case you did not store away your pool. Those chemicals that you use will help to prevent algae and mold formation over the winter months.

Winterizing an Intex pool is a little different. You might need to do some specific jobs to make it worthwhile and not risk destroying your pool.

 

 

See, Intex pools are partially inflatable, so making sure that the pool gets winterized can determine whether your pool will stay for the winter or you need to purchase a new one.

Intex recommends closing and storing your above-ground pool when temperatures drop to 41 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Intex uses some light materials to make their pools, making them fragile when they freeze. You risk rupturing your pool lining when you leave it out in the cold.

Having a ruptured pool lining is very hard to repair, well, that is, if you can still repair it. Damaged pool linings from the cold are often too much beyond repair.

It is a mental game where you are left to choose whether to store your pool or winterize it. See, if winterizing is not done properly, there would be damages that can be irreversible.

That goes the same with storing the pool. If you did not dry out the pool when storing, the algae formation can take a toll on your health and even deform your pool.

 

Why is it Important to Winterize your Intex Above Ground Pool?

More and more families prefer Intex pools since they use lightweight materials. This makes setting up the pool very easy.

However, there is a downside to this. Intex use materials are fragile and prone to be destroyed when exposed to ice and freezing winds.

This means that you cannot just leave your pool unattended during the winter and expect to be in top shape when the summer comes in once again.

The Intex products’ pool lining can contact ice, which means that you risk destroying the entire pool beyond repair.

Winterizing an Intex pool is the best option to keep you looking forward in the summer without worrying about the pool.

This will keep you from a huge amount of money from repairs or replacement. You can make all the adjustments before winter comes, so your pool is secured and is guaranteed to function when summer comes.

 

Before you get started

Once you have decided to winterize your Intex pool, you need to make sure that there are proper tools and equipment to do the job.

Here are a few reminders on what to make sure of before you get started in winterizing your pool:

1. Keep track of the pH balance (it should be 7.2 to 7.6 for the pH balanced to be safe)

2. Keep track of the Alkaline Level (it should be between 100 to 150 parts per million )

3. Chlorine Level (the chlorine level should be 3.0 to make sure that the water is safe from bacteria)

 

Winterizing your Intex Above Ground Pool

After ensuring that you have all the chemicals set to the right balance with the water, you can now proceed to the next step, which is winterizing.

So here are the steps to winterize your Intex Above Ground Pool:

 

1. Clean your pool

This is an essential step to winterizing your pool. First off, it is only right that you clean your pool before storing the water for months to prevent any build-up of bacteria or algae.

Intex pools are very easy to clean, so you would not have any problem doing this. You just need to ensure that all of your pool parts are clean to prevent clogs inside the pipes.

You can pick up large debris or use an above-ground pool vacuum to eliminate the pieces of dirt that are hard to notice with the naked eye.

 

2. Get the right Chemical Kit

Due to dramatic changes in temperature and weather in general, stagnant water without the right chemical balance is prone to be contaminated.

You need to make sure that all the chemicals you put in the pool water are properly balanced and proportioned with your pool’s size.

With that said, you should use an oxidizer to prevent the entire pool water from freezing and an algaecide to prevent algae build-up.

After putting the chemicals into your pool water, make sure to circulate the water in your pool to distribute the chemicals evenly.

You can do this by running your pool pump for at least one day and allow the water to circulate or mix with the chemicals.

 

3. Keep some Water

Once you have balanced the chemicals on your water, make sure to drain some amount of water.

Leave about a foot or less low than the skimmer line. Completely draining your pool and leaving it outside makes it more prone to damage from the cold.

 

4. Get all the accessories out of the pool

Remove all pool accessories such as pool heaters, and cleaners need to be removed from the pool to prevent damage to the said tools.

Remove Toys, ladders, floaters, balls from the pool. Make sure to clean them thoroughly before storing them.

 

5. Use an Air Pillow

This is not that big of a hassle, so I always wonder why most people ignore using an air pillow. All you need to do is place it on the water, and it will float right in the center of your pool.

This will keep the pool’s structure during winter and lessen the pressure that the heavy and cold water puts into your pool, thus preventing damage to its structure.

 

6. Cover the pool

Pool covers act as the shield of the water and the pool itself from strong and cold gusts of winds. This is the last step to winterizing your pool, so make sure to do this.

Take note that the steps mentioned above are for places with warmer climates where the winters are not that cold. Meaning the pool can handle it, leaving it outside for the entire cold season.

If you are in a colder region where winter includes heavy snow and temperatures below freezing point, then you might want to consider storing your Intex Above Ground Pool.

This is another way of winterizing your pool. Just because it does not stay outdoors does not mean that it is not winterizing. As mentioned above, winterizing is essentially preparing something for the winter.

 

So here is how you can store your Intex pool safely during the winter:

1. Clean and Drain

Just like the first step above, cleaning your pool before storing it is essential and practical. This is to prevent clogging the pipes with debris.

Before you drain your pool, make sure to check city ordinances on how to properly dispose of pool water and where to do it.

You would not want to add another trouble to this tedious work, so it is better to make sure that you follow all local ordinances regarding draining your pool.

Cleaning your pool includes removing all accessories from the water and from the pool itself. This is to prevent damage to those accessories.

You might also need to detach the pool from all power sources before draining it to avoid accidents.

 

2. Attach the Hose 

Intex pools do not require any machine to drain them. You just need to attach the hose to the drain connector.

This means that the pools have their connectors for ease of draining, and all you need is the hose and the adapter for the draining system.

Once you attached the hose and the drain connector, make sure to point the other end of the hose away from any structure.

This is to prevent creating sinkholes underneath a structure’s foundation. Then attach the hose and drain connector to the drain valve.

 

3. Let the pool drain

Once you have made sure that the other end is in the right place for water disposal and connected the drain connector to the hose, you can push it through the drain valve.

Once you have done this, the interior valve will automatically open, and the water will immediately flow.

Make sure to regularly check on your connector and see if it is still attached. Since the big pool drains via a small hose, this might take some time.

As the water slowly goes down, you can start cleaning the walls of your pool. Using a soft cloth, wipe down every dirt that you can.

Avoid using a rough cloth to prevent damage to the lining of the pool.

 

4. Finish Draining 

Once the water reaches the point that the draining valve is no longer able to reach it, you can continue draining the pool completely.

You can do this by lifting the pool away from the draining side and empty the water. The water should drain before you proceed to the next step.

 

5. Reattach the Valve and Continue Cleaning

After the water has completely drained, you should reattach all parts, including the drain valve, back to the pool. This is to make sure that you keep all parts with the pool when storing it.

Using the same textured cloth, finish up cleaning the entire lining of the pool.

 

6. Deconstruct the frame.

Most Intex pools have a frame to support the lining, and if you do have those, reverse the manual and deconstruct the pool’s walls.

Leave the lining to completely dry, and then sprinkle some cornstarch to ensure that the rubber does not stick to one another.

Ensure that you have wiped down every part of the frame before folding them and storing them in clean, dry storage.

 

7. Store the Pool

Keep all the pool parts and accessories in dry storage inside your house or anywhere, just as long as the storage is clean, dry, and not exposed to freezing weather.

Ensure that all the parts and accessories are stored in the same place to not have to look for them from different places.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

Winterizing your Intex pool may take a few days, but the good thing is, you do not have to be active on those days the entire time for your pool.

Waiting for it to drain is a long process, and the mixing of chemicals usually takes days to complete the job.

Nonetheless, if you store or winterize your pool properly, you can be sure that you will have someplace to enjoy the summer when the sun comes.

Follow the steps above and see which one fits your pool best. Remember, those two different procedures are used in two different climates, so you should see how winter works in your place before doing either one of those procedures!

Let us know if you have any more tips on how to winterize your pool!

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