Winterizing a pool is mostly about keeping leaves and ice out.

Yes, you need to do a few things, but it’s not rocket science. Clean the pool, lower the water below the skimmer and return jets, add winter chemicals (shock and algaecide), then blow out the plumbing lines or pour in pool antifreeze. Plug the skimmer and returns, then cover it tight.

The two places people mess up: not getting all the water out of the lines (ice expands and cracks pipes) and leaving a dirty pool to fester all winter. A cheap cover that lets in debris just means more work in spring.

Also, get a real winter cover with a cable and winch, not a flimsy tarp held down by cinder blocks. You’ll thank yourself when you don’t have to fish out a raccoon.

Better than dealing with a green swamp in spring.