Why and how put EcO in wintering?
When the summer season comes to an end, it is important to winterize your pool to protect its facilities. There is no recommended date for wintering your pond, however, it is advisable to winter when the water temperature drops below 15 degrees.
💡 Regarding your EcO, it is not intended to stay in your pool during the winter. You will need to switch your EcO to standby mode and store it in the shelter until next season. For more information, see our dedicated article.
About your swimming pool, there are two distinct types of wintering.
Active wintering or passive wintering
Whether you choose active or passive wintering, the first stages of wintering are common:
Prepare and clean the pool. A good thorough cleaning of your pond is essential. Clean the walls, the waterline, the skimmer basket (s) and the pre-filter (s) with a robot or brush.;
Check the chemical balance of the water. Balance your pH to a value between 7 and 7.4 to limit the development of organic elements during the winter. Also, check the alkalinity and hardness of the water for a perfect balance before wintering.;
Disinfect your pool. Make a shock chlorine treatment: 150g (2 white iopool spoons) for 10m3, then let filter turn 48h non stop.
If you have a sand filter: descale the filter with a suitable product (not supplied by iopool). Leave on for 12 hours, then rinse (backwash) for about 30 seconds.;
If you have a cartridge filter: wash the filter with a jet of water and a soft brush. Then disinfect the filter in a water bath and shock chlorine.
Now comes the choice between passive and active overwintering.
Passive wintering – put the pool at rest
Passive wintering is intended for pool owners located in cold areas, regularly subject to freezing, as well as those who do not want to have to maintain their pool during the winter.
💡 It is also MANDATORY FOR ABOVE-GROUND SWIMMING POOLS, or if the pool is located in a secondary residence.
For a passive wintering:
Lower the water level below the discharge nozzles;
Stop filtration;
Empty all pipes and external pipes, pump, counter-current system, etc.;
Place plugs in the skimmers, discharge nozzles and brush plug to protect them from frost;
To avoid damaging the structure of your pond, it is advisable to install winterizing floats in the diagonal. Their role is to absorb the pressure of the gel on the walls.
Add a wintering product (facultative, not provided by iopool).;
Cover your pool with your opaque winter cover or shutter.
Active wintering – involves filtering your pool in slow motion
Active wintering is preferred in areas with mild temperatures during the winter if you want to enjoy your pool visually throughout the year or for ease of use. During active wintering, no need for tarp. In addition, the return to service is simplified in the spring, during summering.