Opening vs closing
Use the tabs above. Opening focuses on cover-off, circulation, test, and clear water. Closing focuses on clean, chemistry, equipment, and cover.
How to use this checklist
Tick the boxes as you complete each step — your progress saves in this browser only, so use the same device and browser throughout the season. If you swap browsers, you’ll start fresh. The checklist is a sequence aid, not a substitute for the full Open pool and Winterize pool guides.
Before you start, gather these in one place:
- Fresh test strips or a quality liquid kit
- Brush, vacuum head, telescopic pole, hose
- Cover pump (open) or air compressor (close)
- Chemical adjuster of choice for your water-test results
By climate zone
The right sequence doesn’t change, but the timing does. Match your work to your climate:
- Freeze climate (zones 4–7): Open when overnight lows stay above 50°F for a week. Close when they’ll dip below freezing for more than two nights running.
- Cool shoulder seasons (zones 8–9): Open and close by water temperature, not air. Below 60°F water, algae slows dramatically and the season is effectively done.
- Year-round (zones 10+): Skip the close step entirely — keep water balanced, sanitizer active, and equipment running year-round. Treat this checklist as a quarterly tune-up.
When the checklist isn’t enough
Most years, the opening/closing routine is straightforward. But some situations warrant a professional:
- Visible structural cracks in the shell or deck
- Persistent low-flow issues after backwashing
- Heater ignition failures or gas smell on startup
- Main drain covers that are missing or broken (safety code issue)
- Cover that is waterlogged and won’t pump off
Don’t push past any of these. A $150 service call is cheaper than replacing a heater or a cover.
Common pitfalls
- Skipping the deep-end brush. Pollen and silt settle low first; a quick wall-brush before vacuuming cuts filter load in half.
- Adding chemicals before circulation is fully primed. Air pockets in the lines cause inaccurate readings and uneven dosing.
- Closing with the water level too low or too high. Below the skimmer and you lose prime. Above the skimmer and freeze damage is more likely.
- Forgetting to drain the pump, filter, and heater before close. Even one closed line full of water can crack a manifold in a hard freeze.
Opening — quick reference order
- Remove cover, pump off any standing water with a cover pump.
- Reinstall drain plugs, return eyeballs, and skimmer baskets.
- Fill to mid-skimmer level if needed.
- Prime the pump, start circulation, watch for air leaks at the pump lid.
- Test water: pH, FC, alkalinity, calcium, CYA. Adjust in the standard order — alkalinity first, then pH, then sanitizer.
- Brush walls and floor; vacuum if visible debris.
- Shock to breakpoint if opening to green water or a stale cover.
- Run 24 hours continuous, retest, then begin weekly routine.
Closing — quick reference order
- Test and balance water 2–3 days before close — don’t close imbalanced water.
- Vacuum and brush; empty skimmer and pump baskets.
- Shock the pool the night before close.
- Lower water below skimmer (typically 4–6 inches).
- Drain pump, filter, heater, and any solar or plumbing lines.
- Add winterizing algaecide per label.
- Cover and secure; check the cover monthly through the off-season.