Open for Winter

For decades, fully winterizing a pool has been standard practice in much of the country. Once temperatures start falling, service companies lower the water level, blow out and plug plumbing lines, add winterizing chemicals and shut down the system until spring.

But in many moderate-climate markets, some service professionals are taking a different approach. Rather than shutting systems down for four or five months, they’re keeping pools running with reduced circulation and ongoing maintenance to improve water quality, reduce spring start-up headaches and create a better customer experience. Advancements in automation, freeze-protection technology and variable-speed pumps have made year-round operation more practical.

That doesn’t mean open pools are right everywhere. Regional climate, equipment, landscaping and customer preferences all matter. But many pros say the conversation has shifted from whether every pool should be closed to what makes the most sense for each customer.

Protecting water quality 

The most immediate benefit of keeping a pool open is maintaining water quality throughout the winter.

Instead of sitting stagnant beneath a cover for months, the water continues circulating while technicians perform regular maintenance using fewer chemicals than during the swim season.

“We’re probably using less chemicals,” says David Townley, president of Townley Pool and Spa in Little Rock and Conway, Arkansas. “We don’t see a lot of humidity and evaporation, so we’re not adding a bunch of fresh water.”

Ongoing care can dramatically change what happens in the spring.

“Pretty much every [closed] pool that gets opened in [late spring] is going to be green,” Townley says. “There’s nothing you could have done in the fall to prepare for that.”

While algae treatment is common, it also creates more work.

“The customer’s expectation is to take the cover off, get it running and make it swim-ready,” Townley says. “Green-to-clean is an extra charge and can take five or six days.”

Averi Edwards, operations manager at Edwards Pool Construction in Wichita, Kansas, says her company has reached a similar conclusion. Although Kansas experiences much colder winters than many Southern markets, she says years of servicing pools have convinced her that keeping them operating year-round often leads to better long-term results.

“We’ve seen the damage that occurs on our pools when they’re shut down five or six months and then reopened,” Edwards says. “The pools in the best shape are the ones that have run 365 days a year from day one.”

Water balance also remains more stable when a pool receives regular service. Josh Ogden, co-owner of Ogden Pools in Germantown, Tennessee, says months of unattended water can lead to staining and discoloration.

“When you close the pool down, you’re not balancing your water chemistry where it needs to be,” adds Nick Carver, owner/operator of ASP – America’s Swimming Pool Company of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. “So whatever the surface of the pool is — whether it’s a liner, concrete or fiberglass — balanced water helps protect it over the long term.”

Keeping equipment working 

Year-round circulation can also benefit the pool’s mechanical system. 

“I liken this to a car,” Carver says. “If you don’t run a car for a long time, when you crank it up, you’ll probably have some issues. If you keep everything running, and greased and lubed, you’re less likely to have one.”

Technicians see the equipment every week, allowing them to identify small issues before they become expensive spring surprises.

“Customers don’t always have eyes and ears on the pool equipment or necessarily know what to look for,” Carver says. “As pool professionals, we can be proactive rather than reactive.”

Freeze protection remains one of the biggest concerns with year-round operation, but both Townley and Carver say technology has significantly reduced that risk.

Today’s automation systems monitor water temperature, automatically increase pump speed when freezing conditions are detected and notify homeowners when attention is needed. Many older pools can also be upgraded with freeze-protection features.

“If you want to keep your pool open, you need to consider some sort of freeze protect feature on it,” Carver says.

Neither pro suggests automation eliminates all risk. Extended power outages during severe winter storms can still cause freeze damage, making backup generators an important consideration.

More than swimming season

For many homeowners, the decision isn’t just about maintenance. Pools have become year-round amenities, with lighting, water features and attached spas that add value even when no one is swimming. 

“I don’t close my pool because I don’t think covers are very attractive,” Townley says. “I like to look out at my pool in wintertime. We have lots of lights and waterfalls, and we like to enjoy it.”

Edwards says helping homeowners rethink the purpose of their pool has become part of the conversation.

“Do you really want to look at a cover all winter?” she says. “Or do you want to be able to look out your back window and see this beautiful piece of art that you’ve built in your backyard?”

Closing the pool often means shutting down the spa as well, but keeping the system operating allows use through the winter.

Landscape also matters. Customers with heavily wooded lots may spend considerably more time removing leaves and debris than homeowners in more open neighborhoods, making a traditional winter closure the better option.

Why service companies like it 

The economics of open pools versus seasonal closings aren’t always as straightforward as customers assume.

A homeowner may expect a traditional closing to cost less, but service companies encourage them to look at the full picture: closing fees, reopening fees, potential green-to-clean treatments, equipment repairs and ongoing operating costs.

“Compare [the cost] to your normal monthly pool rate,” Carver says. “It would almost be the same either way. So really, [it’s about] the customer’s risk tolerance and whether they want to keep their pool open.”

Year-round maintenance also creates a steadier workflow.

Companies can continue servicing pools in winter while scheduling renovations, resurfacing, tile replacement, deck work and other projects that are easier to complete during the offseason. Keeping equipment operating also reduces the annual rush of spring start-ups and customer frustration when repairs delay their swim season.

Climate remains one of the biggest factors in the decision.

Edwards notes that Kansas experiences frequent freeze-thaw cycles rather than months of continuous freezing. Those constantly changing temperatures present different challenges than regions where temperatures remain below freezing for extended periods, making it important for service professionals to evaluate each market individually.

Townley says his advice isn’t about convincing customers that one option is always better. Instead, it’s about helping them understand the trade-offs.

“We’re here to help them make a decision and then support them,” he says.