Pool Winterizing

Collection: Pool Winterizing

181 products

Pool Winterizing & Closing Supplies

Closing your pool properly is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy. The right pool winterizing supplies keep water out of your plumbing, ice off your skimmer walls, and debris out of the water you will be looking at next April. PST Pool Supplies carries everything a fall closing needs in one place — winter plugs, skimmer protection, air pillows, water tubes, cover pumps, and closing chemicals for both inground and above ground pools.

Freeze damage almost always starts in the same three places: return lines, the skimmer throat, and the pump and filter equipment pad. Anderson and Technical Products winter plugs seal returns and main drain lines after a blowout, in standard closed, extended, and open styles from 1/2" through 2½" pipe. For the skimmer, an Original Gizzmo, an Aquador faceplate cover, or a blowout plug absorbs ice expansion so the skimmer body does not crack — browse the full skimmer cover and Gizzmo range. Anderson has been manufacturing pool winterizing plugs in the USA for decades; see their line at Anderson Manufacturing.

Above the waterline, an air pillow or water tube does the structural work. GLI and Swimline air pillows from 4' x 4' up to 4' x 15' float under an above ground winter cover and absorb the lateral push of expanding ice, while single- and double-chamber water tubes hold an inground cover down without putting holes in your deck. A cover pump from Little Giant, Superior Pump, Danner, or Swimline then keeps rain and snowmelt off the cover all winter. Round out the closing with Jonas, Pool Trol, or SeaKlear winter kits, polyquat algaecide, WinterPill, and non-toxic antifreeze rated to -50°F. For seasonal maintenance guidance, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance is a good industry reference.

Order your pool winterizing supplies before the first hard freeze — closing early with the right plugs, pillows, and pumps costs a fraction of repairing a cracked skimmer or split return line in the spring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What pool winterizing supplies do I actually need to close my pool?
At minimum you need three things: something to seal the plumbing, something to protect the skimmer, and something to hold and drain the cover. That means winter plugs for your return lines and main drain, a Gizzmo or skimmer cover for the skimmer throat, and either air pillows (above ground) or water tubes (inground) plus a cover pump. Add a winter closing chemical kit with polyquat algaecide so the water is not green when you open. Everything you need is in this pool winterizing collection.
When should I close my pool for winter?
Wait until water temperature holds consistently below 60°F — usually mid-to-late fall depending on your region. Closing too early while the water is still warm lets algae bloom under the cover all through the off-season, which wastes the algaecide in your closing kit. Closing too late risks a hard freeze reaching plumbing you have not blown out yet. A cheap pool thermometer and a week of sub-60°F readings is the right trigger.
Do I need to blow out my lines before installing winter plugs?
Yes, for inground pools. Winter plugs seal a line that is already empty — they do not push water out on their own. Blow the lines clear with a shop vac or a dedicated winterizing blower, then plug each return while air is still bubbling so the line seals dry. For above ground pools with a short plumbing run, draining below the return and skimmer plus plugging is usually enough. See our winterizing blowers for the equipment side.
What is the difference between an air pillow and a water tube?
They solve the same problem in different pool types. An air pillow floats in the center of an above ground pool under the winter cover, so expanding ice pushes inward against the pillow instead of outward against the pool wall. Water tubes sit on the deck around an inground pool and hold the cover edge down against wind — they are ballast, not ice protection. Above ground pools use pillows; inground pools with a solid tarp cover use water tubes. Shop both in our air pillows and water tubes collection.
Is pool antifreeze necessary if I blow out my lines?
It is inexpensive insurance for the water a blowout cannot reach. Even a well-blown line can hold a small amount of water in a low spot, a jet elbow, or a section of underground pipe that does not drain fully. Non-toxic propylene-glycol pool antifreeze rated to -50°F poured into those lines stops residual water from freezing and splitting a fitting. Never use automotive antifreeze — it is toxic and will contaminate your pool.