Canberra winters are hard on pools — but not in the way most owners think. The water itself is fine at 5°; it's the neglect that costs money. Nearly every green pool we recover in October traces back to a filter that was switched off in June.
Don't "close" it — wind it down
Unlike the northern hemisphere, Australian pools aren't drained or sealed for winter. The right approach in Canberra is a reduced but consistent routine:
- Keep the pump running — 3 to 4 hours a day is usually enough in winter (versus 8+ in summer). Moving water resists algae and won't freeze in the pipes during circulation.
- Keep chlorine in the water — algae grows slowly in cold water, but it grows. Winter sanitiser levels can be lower, but not zero.
- Balance monthly — pH drifts even in an unused pool, and unbalanced winter water quietly damages equipment and surfaces.
- Empty baskets after storms — winter leaf loads in Canberra's older suburbs are heavy, and rotting leaves feed spring algae.
Protect the equipment from frost
This is the genuinely Canberra-specific part. On sub-zero nights, water sitting still inside pumps, filters and heaters can freeze and crack housings — a $50 problem becomes a $1,500 one overnight.
- Run the pump in the coldest hours — set the timer to run early morning (4–8am) when frost risk peaks; moving water doesn't freeze
- Check equipment enclosures — good airflow but protection from frost settling directly on plumbing
- Heat pumps: modern units have freeze protection built in — but only if they have power. Don't switch them off at the board.
The maths: a winter service schedule costs a fraction of one green pool recovery plus a cracked pump housing. Prevention genuinely is cheaper here.
Winter is also renovation planning time
If your coping, tiles or interior need work, winter is when to plan and book it — spring slots go quickly, and work completed in spring cures properly before summer swimming. See renovations or get in touch to get on the spring schedule. Call 02 6294 0824.