A few hours of work saves thousands.

Yes, you need to winterize your above-ground pool — and it’s not just about throwing a cover on it. Freezing water expands, and that expansion will crack your pipes, your pump, and your skimmer if you don’t take it seriously.

The basics are simple. First, lower the water level to about 4–6 inches below the skimmer opening. Clear the skimmer, remove the pump and filter, and drain them completely. Then blow out the return lines using a shop vac or a compressor — you want no standing water in the pipes. Plug the return fittings and the skimmer hole with expansion plugs or freeze plugs. Add a skimmer guard or a gizmo to absorb ice pressure inside the skimmer.

The cover is the easy part. What matters is the plumbing. I’ve seen too many people skip the blowing step and end up with a cracked pump housing or a split return line in spring. That’s a $200+ fix you could have avoided with one afternoon of work.

If you’re unsure about blowing lines yourself, pay a pool company to do it once and watch them. It’s not hard, but it’s the one step where doing it wrong means real damage.

Future you will thank you when the pool isn’t a disaster come April.