The Perfect Pool Blog

Transitioning to Fall Pool Care

For pool owners and professionals alike, it’s important to know the differences between pool maintenance during summer versus fall. Depending on where you live and the weather, it may mean shutting down your pool as early as September or October until spring rolls around again, but there are many parts of the United States that can keep their pool open year-round. Assuming your pool will still have water in it, here are a couple of major differences between summer and fall maintenance of which to be aware.

Winning the fight against algae

During summer, the long, hot, sunny days that make for perfect swimming conditions can also lead to increased debris and algae blooms. To combat this, you're likely servicing your pool weekly to keep chemicals in check, maintain equipment and remove debris. And, if algae begins to grow, more involvement will be needed to prevent further blooms. (Here's some advice on that topic.) But in the fall, the days are shorter and there is less light, so the battle against algae gets a little easier. You may be able to get away with servicing your pool less often.

However, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook completely. True to its name, fall brings more downed leaves and other debris that can get in the pool. So, you’ll want to empty your skimmer more often than in the summer. Regardless, you should check it weekly no matter the season. Every spring and fall, you should clean your filter grates as well.

Energy saver

Whether you’re running the AC or jumping in the pool (or both), you’re doing a good job of beating the summer heat. As the weather gets cooler, you may not need to run your AC as long as during the summer months, which could lead to energy savings and potentially a lower electricity bill. The same principle holds true for the pool filtration pump. You should be able to reduce the number of hours that your pump runs daily in the fall. As a general rule, typical filtration times average one hour of run time for every 10 degrees of air temperature.

You can feel good about doing your part for the planet and putting that extra money to good use, like saving for that new pool feature or equipment you always wanted.

Fill it up

With warm summer weather, water evaporates more quickly so you might need to add water more often. In the warmest climates, the evaporation is as much as four to six feet a year. However, as temperatures cool, evaporation will slow and you’ll hopefully be able to save on your water bill. Just be sure to watch your water levels in relation to your skimmer height. It’s important to maintain a level which will allow ample water flow through the system to prevent damage to the equipment.
If you’re looking for more information on how to prepare your pool for autumn, then be sure to check out 5 Fall Pool Maintenance Tips.

Now that you know the major differences in pool maintenance between summer and fall, you can be better prepared for the transition. Take advantage of the last few days of summer and look forward to the warm fall days that give you an excuse to swim or just sit poolside and enjoy that umbrella-embellished drink in your hand.