Winterizing

[Ga. puddle]

This is my 5th year (I think) of having an above ground pool and I love it!

I remove my ladder but storing it is somewhat of a problem due to available space. I built my deck to have an entry point just under the top rail cap so my ladder is only the part in the water. Its not a basic cheap ladder. Its all plastic and has a triangular base where it will stand up without having to prop it up.

If I leave it out all wither it gets really dirty and takes a lot of time and effort to clean it.

My question is, can it be simply laid over and left in the pool when the pool is covered to store it?

[PoolDoc]

If you maintain a reasonable pH and don't take your chlorine too high . . . it should be fine . . . IF there's no metal on the ladder OR IF the metal is ALL stainless steel.

Do NOT leave either steel, aluminum, or galvanized steel in your pool over the winter.

[Ga. puddle]

There is some hardware on the ladder that must be stainless because it has not changed. I know galvanized steel would be showing rust by now seeing its the original hardware the ladder came with.

I have an 18', 52" pool. I have never checked levels through the winter and have only had one time where it was cloudy when removing the cover. I had looked in it a couple of weeks before and it was clear. I remove my pump/motor and store it in my shop during the winter.

I usually add algecide and two bags of shock before covering it. We have very hard water here, its always high on hardness with strips. I know those have limited accuracy so I just use them to see a ballpark figure.

[PoolDoc]

Sounds like a reasonable call. -Ben