8 Essential Winterizing Supplies for Your Above Ground Pool

As the autumn leaves begin to fall and the evening air turns crisp, the time has come to shift focus from summer splashes to off-season protection. Leaving an above ground pool exposed to freezing temperatures, heavy snow, and organic debris can lead to catastrophic structural damage that is incredibly costly to repair come spring. Investing in the right winterizing gear now ensures your backyard oasis survives the brutal winter months unscathed and ready for another season of warm-weather fun.

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Why Proper Above Ground Pool Winterizing Matters

Water behaves in a unique and destructive way when temperatures drop below freezing. As water turns to ice, it expands by approximately nine percent, exerting massive outward pressure on anything containing it. In an above ground pool, this expansion can easily split vinyl liners, crack plastic skimmers, and bow or rupture the steel walls that hold the structure together.

Beyond structural damage, a pool left uncovered or poorly treated over winter becomes a breeding ground for algae, mold, and organic rot. Cleaning a green, swampy pool in May takes days of hard labor, expensive chemical treatments, and unnecessary frustration. Proper winterization keeps the water clean, clear, and balanced beneath the ice, saving you time and energy when the swim season returns.

Investing in high-quality winterizing tools is the most cost-effective decision a pool owner can make. Spending a small amount on durable covers, plugs, and expansion guards prevents thousands of dollars in structural repairs or a complete pool replacement. Think of winterization as essential insurance for your summer investments.

Winter Pool Cover – Poolmate Sandstone Cover

A winter cover is the primary barrier defending your pool against UV rays, falling leaves, snow, and rain. Without a rugged, opaque cover, sunlight will fuel algae growth under the water, and organic debris will stain your vinyl liner. A standard blue tarp won’t cut it; you need something engineered to withstand the weight of winter precipitation.

The Poolmate Sandstone Cover stands out because of its heavy-duty polyethylene construction and heat-sealed seams that prevent water from seeping through. Its top side features a clean, sandstone color that blends into backyard landscapes, while the black underside blocks all light transmission to inhibit algae growth. It comes with a heavy-duty, vinyl-coated cable and a metal winch to secure it tightly around the pool perimeter.

When ordering, always match the cover to your actual pool size; the manufacturer already includes a 4-foot overlap to accommodate the water drop and air pillow. This cover is perfect for pool owners in heavy snow zones who need a durable, light-blocking shield. It is not ideal for those looking for a feather-light, temporary tarp that requires minimal effort to install.

• Material: Heavy-duty polyethylene
• Overlap: 4 feet of extra material
• Inclusions: Vinyl-coated cable and metal winch
• Best for: Standard round or oval above ground pools in regions with harsh winters

Winterizing Kit – In The Swim Deluxe Winter Kit

Getting the water chemistry right before closing is non-negotiable if you want to open to clear water in the spring. A winterizing kit bundles pre-measured chemicals designed to slowly release over the cold months, preventing stain formulation and keeping biological growth at bay. Using these specialized formulas ensures the pool water remains stable during months of stagnation.

The In The Swim Deluxe Winter Kit simplifies this chemical balancing act by combining a powerful winterizing powder, a slow-release sanitizer floater, a metal stain preventer, and a unique non-chlorine shock. This combination ensures your liner remains stain-free and your water stays clear without bleaching or damaging the vinyl liner over months of contact.

These kits are sized by pool volume, so knowing your exact gallon capacity is essential before buying. It is perfect for owners who want a straightforward, all-in-one chemical regimen without the guesswork of buying separate bottles. It is not suitable for those who prefer to custom-mix their own chemicals based on daily testing kits.

• Coverage Options: Up to 10,000, 15,000, or 35,000 gallons
• Included Chemicals: Winterizer, Stain-Off, Chlorine-free shock, slow-release floater
• Liner Safe: Yes, won’t bleach vinyl liners
• Best for: Streamlining the chemical closing process

Pool Air Pillow – Robelle Ice Equalizer Pillow

When water freezes on top of and inside your pool, it creates a solid sheet of ice that expands outward, putting tremendous pressure on the pool walls. An air pillow sits in the center of the water, creating a void that absorbs this expansion pressure. This forces the ice to expand inward toward the pillow rather than outward against the pool walls.

The Robelle Ice Equalizer Pillow uses heavy-duty, 16-gauge vinyl that resists punctures from cold-weather stress and rough cover friction. It features secure grommets on all four corners, allowing you to center it perfectly in the pool using ropes so it doesn’t drift to one side during a storm.

Do not inflate this pillow to 100% capacity; inflating it to about 60% to 70% allows the pillow to compress under the weight of freezing ice without popping. This is an absolute necessity for pool owners in freezing climates, while those in temperate, frost-free regions can safely skip it.

• Material Thickness: Heavy-duty 16-gauge vinyl
• Features: Four corner grommets for centering
• Size Options: 4′ x 4′, 4′ x 8′, and 4′ x 15′
• Best for: Cold-weather climates prone to hard freezes

Pool Cover Pump – Little Giant APCP-1700 Pump

Rainwater and melting snow quickly accumulate on top of your pool cover, creating thousands of pounds of dead weight. This weight can drag your cover into the pool or tear the top rails of your pool wall. A reliable pool cover pump automatically removes this standing water before it can freeze or cause structural strain.

The Little Giant APCP-1700 Pump is a submersible utility pump designed specifically for pool covers, featuring an integrated mechanical float switch that automatically turns the pump on when water reaches 2 inches and shuts it off when the surface is clear. It pumps up to 1,700 gallons per hour, clearing heavy accumulations rapidly, and its wide base prevents it from tipping over on uneven cover surfaces.

It comes with a standard 3/4-inch garden hose connection and a generous 25-foot power cord, though you must ensure your discharge hose is routed far enough away from the pool frame to prevent soil erosion. This pump is ideal for homeowners who want hands-off, automatic water removal throughout the autumn and spring rains. It is overkill for dry, desert winter regions where rain is rare.

• Flow Rate: 1,700 GPH
• Switch Type: Automatic mechanical float switch
• Cord Length: 25 feet
• Best for: High-precipitation areas requiring automated cover maintenance

Skimmer Guard – Gizzmo Ultra Freeze Protection

Water trapped inside your pool’s skimmer can easily freeze, expand, and crack the delicate plastic housing. This leads to expensive leaks and a tedious replacement job when you reopen. A skimmer guard screws into the plumbing thread at the bottom of the skimmer, blocking water from entering the pipes while absorbing expansion pressure inside the skimmer throat itself.

The Gizzmo Ultra Freeze Protection is a heavy-duty, hollow plastic tube engineered to collapse slightly when ice forms around it, safely absorbing the expansion forces that would otherwise rupture your skimmer walls. It features a 1.5-inch and 2-inch double thread at the base, ensuring compatibility with almost all standard above ground skimmer models without requiring separate adapters.

Ensure you wrap the threads with Teflon tape before screwing it in to create a watertight seal and prevent water from leaking into your external plumbing lines. This tool is perfect for any pool owner with a standard skimmer in freezing climates. It won’t work on specialized, non-threaded vintage skimming systems.

• Thread Size: Dual 1.5-inch and 2-inch male threads
• Material: Blow-molded, heavy-duty plastic
• Length: 16 inches (Ultra size)
• Best for: Standard skimmers in sub-freezing winter zones

Cover Clips – Swimline Above Ground Wall Clips

High winds are the natural enemy of above ground pool covers. Wind can catch the overhang, ballooning the cover, which can rip the vinyl or pull the entire assembly into the water. Cover clips lock the cover fabric directly to the pool’s metal top rail, sealing out wind and preventing shifting.

Swimline Above Ground Wall Clips are made of durable, UV-resistant plastic extruded into a tight, spring-like grip that easily snaps over the pool wall’s top rail. Their long profile provides a larger surface area of grip compared to generic clothing pins, preventing the cover from slipping or wearing out from friction during high-wind storms.

For optimal protection, space these clips every 1.5 to 2 feet around the perimeter of your pool, especially facing the direction of your yard’s prevailing winter winds. They are designed specifically for standard metal-walled above ground pools with traditional top rails, meaning they are not compatible with soft-sided, inflatable-ring, or ultra-thick resin frame pools.

• Material: UV-stabilized plastic
• Length: 5 inches per clip
• Compatibility: Standard metal-frame above ground pools
• Best for: High-wind areas where cables alone fail to secure the cover

Pool Leaf Net – Blue Wave Deluxe Leaf Net Cover

Decaying leaves that sit on top of your pool cover decompose into a heavy, acidic sludge. This sludge is incredibly messy to clean up in the spring and can contaminate your pool water if the cover slips. A leaf net is a lightweight, mesh overlay installed on top of your main cover that catches falling leaves and lets you lift them away in one swift motion once the trees are bare.

The Blue Wave Deluxe Leaf Net Cover is constructed from a durable woven polyethylene mesh that allows rainwater to pass through while trapping even the smallest leaves and twigs. It features a generous 3-foot overlap and comes with a heavy-duty cable and ratchet system to keep it taut over your winter cover during the autumn leaf drop.

The key to using this tool successfully is timing: you must remove the leaf net and discard the trapped leaves before the first major winter freeze. Otherwise, the wet leaves will freeze solid to your main cover. It is ideal for pool owners surrounded by deciduous trees, but unnecessary if your yard is completely cleared of overhanging foliage.

• Material: Woven polyethylene mesh
• Overlap: 3 feet
• Inclusions: Heavy-duty cable and brass winch
• Best for: Heavily wooded yards during autumn defoliation

Expansion Plug – Anderson Rubber Winterizing Plug

Once you drain your pool water below the return jets, any water remaining in the return lines can freeze, crack the fittings, or split the hoses. Expansion plugs are inserted into these return fittings and tightened to create a heavy-duty, airtight seal. This keeps water out of your plumbing all winter long.

The Anderson Rubber Winterizing Plug features premium, industrial-grade rubber that remains highly flexible even in extreme sub-zero temperatures, ensuring a continuous seal. It utilizes a large nylon wing nut and stainless steel hardware that won’t rust or corrode over the winter, making it easy to tighten and remove without specialized tools.

Make sure to measure the inner diameter of your return lines or skimmer lines before ordering, as these plugs come in specific sizes ranging from size #0 to size #11. This is a must-have item for anyone with hard-plumbed above ground pool systems, whereas pools using simple, detachable corrugated hoses can often just have their hoses removed entirely.

• Material: Heavy-duty rubber with stainless steel hardware
• Nut Type: Non-corrosive nylon wing nut
• Available Sizes: #0 (0.5″) through #11 (2.0″)
• Best for: Sealing return inlets, skimmers, and cleaner lines

Step-by-Step Guide to Winterizing Your Pool

Start by thoroughly cleaning the pool. Vacuum the floor, brush the walls, and skim the surface to remove all organic matter. Any debris left behind will consume your winter chemicals quickly, leaving your water vulnerable to algae outbreaks during early spring warms.

Next, balance your water chemistry and add your winterizing chemicals. Ensure your pH sits between 7.2 and 7.6, and alkalinity is between 80 and 120 ppm before pouring in your shock and winter algaecide. Run the filter for at least two hours to distribute these chemicals evenly throughout the entire pool.

Lower the water level and clear the lines. Drain the pool water to about 3 to 6 inches below the lowest return jet or skimmer faceplate, then disconnect your pump, filter, and hoses. Store your filtration equipment indoors in a dry, frost-free location to protect the delicate plastic housings from freezing temperatures.

Finally, install your winterizing hardware and covers. Thread in your skimmer guard, plug the return lines with expansion plugs, and inflate your air pillow to 60-70% capacity before centering it in the pool. Wrap your winter cover and optional leaf net over the pool, securing them tightly with the winch, cable, and wall clips.

How to Protect Your Pool Walls From Ice Damage

Above ground pools are highly vulnerable to ice damage because their thin steel or resin walls bear the brunt of outward water pressure. When a thick sheet of ice forms across the pool surface, it behaves like a wedge, pushing outward with immense force as the temperature drops. If this ice shifts or expands unchecked, it can easily buckle your pool walls or tear your vinyl liner.

The secret to mitigating this threat is the combination of an air pillow and maintaining a stable water level. The air pillow breaks the continuous surface tension of the ice sheet, providing a soft, compressible zone in the center of the pool. As ice expands, it compresses the pillow rather than transferring that crushing force to the pool walls.

Never completely drain your pool to prevent ice damage. Above ground pools rely on the weight of the water inside to maintain their structural integrity and hold their shape against winter winds. Keeping the water level just below the skimmer line provides the perfect balance of weight to keep the walls upright while avoiding plumbing damage.

Maintaining Your Covered Pool Throughout Winter

Winterizing isn’t a “set-it-and-forget-it” chore; your pool cover requires regular monitoring throughout the off-season. Keep an eye on water accumulation on top of the cover, as heavy rain or melting snow can weigh down the center, pulling the sides inward and straining the frame. Run your cover pump regularly to clear this water before it has a chance to freeze into a heavy ice block.

Keep debris from building up on the cover. If you didn’t use a leaf net, use a soft-bristled pool brush or a leaf blower to gently sweep away accumulated leaves, twigs, and pine needles before they decay. Avoid using sharp tools, metal rakes, or snow shovels, as they can easily puncture the cold-brittle vinyl cover.

Periodically check the tension of your cover cables, winch, and wall clips, especially after severe winter storms. High winds can loosen cables, allowing wind to get underneath the cover and cause flapping, which rapidly deteriorates the cover material. A quick five-minute inspection every few weeks ensures your pool remains safe and secure until the spring thaw.

Conclusion

Taking the time to properly winterize your above ground pool with durable, high-quality gear is the ultimate way to protect your backyard investment. When the spring sun finally returns, you’ll reap the rewards of your diligence with a clean, undamaged pool that is ready for another season of pure relaxation and fun.