Let Swimming Pool Contractors Inspect for Pool Damage from Winter Weather
By this time of the year, swimming pools have undoubtedly been closed for many weeks, with any/all pool winterization and protection steps firmly in place as well.
Now that the snow and cold temperatures have arrived and are likely to stay for a while,
it would be understandable if homeowners gave little thought to their pools – except, perhaps, when dreaming about how good it will feel when they can again enjoy the soothing comforts of their pool next season.However, while these same pool owners and their
swimming pool maintenance providers have painstakingly made sure that every precaution was implemented to safeguard their investment over the off-season, the wrath of winter weather can be unpredictable, along with stealthily damaging and destructive.
Despite the beauty, to all appearances, of an unblemished blanket of snow in the backyard, what lies within and beneath can be quite detrimental to a pool and its surroundings.
Snow and ice may not look very heavy to the naked eye, but they can and do possess considerable weight (just ask anyone who has shoveled a snow plow deposit across the bottom of their driveway); in turn, this weight can be particularly harsh on a pool and its cover, even if the pool owner is diligent about clearing away any snow/ice after a major winter storm.
As a result,
pool owners may want to keep this post-winter swimming pool inspection checklist in mind to help them assess the extent of any pool cover-related damage due to snow and ice accumulation before preparing to re-open the pool again next spring:
- Decking damage – have any deck stones shifted toward the pool?
- Damage to coping – are there any cracks, chips, or jagged edges?
- Wall anchors (mesh covers) – are they stable or in need of attention?
- Condition of pool walls – cracks or tears in the vicinity of wall anchors?
- Security cover anchors – firmly in place or are any loose or popped out?
While all of the above can be attributed to the excessive weight of snow and ice placing a strain on pool covers and their anchors, there are other potential winter weather-related issues that should be added to a post-winter pool inspection checklist.
These consist of:
- Water chemistry (particularly sanitizer levels)
- Underwater leak detection/structural damage
- Underground leak detection (from burst pipes)
- Plaster finish (due to diluted calcium hardness)
- Loose/dislodged vinyl liner (insufficient water level)
- Heater blockage from small rodent intrusion/nesting
- Buckled/distorted walls (primary above-ground pools)
Although some steps of these checklist can be done by pool owners themselves, others, particularly those involving leak detection below the surface of the water and/or below ground level, should be left to professional swimming pool contractors like Aveco Pools.
The experts from Aveco Pools have the necessary training/skills as well as the necessary equipment to conduct thorough
leak detection/post-winter damage inspections; should any issues be identified, the Aveco Pools team can also perform any leak, structural, or equipment repairs quickly and efficiently.
Protect Your Investment with Swimming Pool Maintenance throughout the Year
Swimming pool ownership requires a substantial financial investment, both up-front and in its long-term maintenance.
And since
the swimming season in Toronto and the GTA is not year-long, pool owners want to recover the best possible return on that investment by maximizing its use; this plan can be derailed by the discovery of post-winter damage which can in turn delay the opening of the pool by several days or even weeks.
To avoid this scenario, pool owners are strongly encouraged to practice swimming pool maintenance throughout the year, including the winter, to avoid the disappointment, and the expense, of potentially extensive repairs.
Professional swimming pool maintenance providers, such as
Aveco Pools, can service a pool over the winter and thereby keep it in the appropriate condition for its earliest possible re-opening.
The fundamental aspects to swimming pool maintenance through the winter consist of:
- Maintaining water levels
- Managing pool chemistry
- Leak detection and repairs
- Equipment inspection/maintenance
- Timely/careful snow removal from pool cover
Aveco Pools offers a wide range of swimming pool maintenance services throughout the full calendar year to help pool owners achieve the greatest, and longest, returns on their backyard pool investment.
To arrange your winter pool maintenance and/or schedule a post-winter pool inspection,
call Aveco Pools today at 905-640-2666 to request your no-obligation consultation.
