Pool Winterization Guide — Murphy TX

"Winterize" means something completely different for a pool in Murphy than it does in Minnesota. Nobody's draining lines, blowing out plumbing, or bolting on a winter cover. Your Murphy pool stays filled, the pump keeps running, and the water keeps circulating all winter. What changes is the intensity — less chemical demand, shorter pump run times, fewer service tasks, and a different set of risks (freeze damage instead of algae).

The winterization process for pools in Maxwell Creek, Mustang Park, and Murphy Heights is really a transition: dialing back summer-intensity maintenance to winter-appropriate levels without creating gaps that let problems develop silently for four months.

The November Transition

Chemistry Adjustment

As water temperature drops below 70°F (typically mid-to-late November in Murphy), chemical demand decreases substantially. Algae growth slows dramatically. Chlorine consumption drops. pH and alkalinity become more stable because there's less bather load, less UV, and less biological activity.

Target chemistry for winter:

Free chlorine: 1-2 ppm (down from summer's 2-3 ppm)
pH: 7.2-7.6 (maintain normal range)
Alkalinity: 80-120 ppm (maintain normal range)
CYA: 30-50 ppm (no change — CYA doesn't degrade over winter)

Reduce your chlorine additions proportionally. If you were adding a gallon of liquid chlorine weekly in summer, you might need half that in winter. If you have a salt system, reduce the cell output to 20-40% — down from summer's 50-70%.

Monthly shock replaces weekly shock. Once per month is sufficient in winter to oxidize any accumulated chloramines and maintain baseline sanitation.

Pump Schedule

Reduce pump run time to 4-6 hours per day. One full turnover is adequate when chemical demand and debris load are low. Run the pump during the warmest part of the day (10 AM-4 PM) for best results.

Critical exception: freeze protection. When air temperature drops below 35°F, the pump must run 24/7 until temperatures rise above freezing. Moving water doesn't freeze in the pipe and equipment scenarios that North Texas freezes produce. The moment the pump stops during a freeze, the clock starts on frozen plumbing.

If you have an automation system, confirm the freeze protection feature is enabled and the temperature sensor is working. The system should automatically run the pump when it detects near-freezing temperatures. Test this in November — don't wait until the first freeze to discover the sensor is bad.

If you don't have automation, you'll need to manually turn the pump on when freezing temperatures are forecast and leave it running until the freeze passes. Set a phone alarm. A missed freeze event with the pump off can cause $1,000-5,000 in plumbing and equipment damage.

For a detailed freeze-specific protocol, see our guide on preparing your pool for a Texas freeze.

Equipment Winterization

Heater: If you won't use the heater until spring, drain it by opening the drain plug to prevent standing water from freezing inside the heat exchanger. If you plan to heat for winter swimming, keep it operational but inspect the cabinet for insect nests or debris before the first cold-weather firing.

Salt cell: Reduce output to match lower chlorine demand. If you plan to stop using the pool entirely through winter, you can remove the cell and store it indoors — this protects it from freeze damage and gives the plates a rest from electrolysis. Reinstall in March.

Filter: Do a thorough deep clean in November. Clean the cartridge (chemical soak + rinse), backwash the sand/DE filter, and inspect for any maintenance needs. The filter should go into winter clean and ready so it doesn't need attention until the spring startup.

Pump: Inspect the pump lid O-ring — winter temperature swings stress rubber components. Apply silicone pool lube to keep it flexible through the cold months. Check the strainer basket for cracks (brittle plastic is more crack-prone in cold weather).

Debris Management

Murphy's tree canopy is maturing — neighborhoods planted in the 2000s now have 20+ year old trees dropping significant leaf volume in November and December. Fall leaves are the primary debris challenge during winter, and the reduced pump run time means the skimmer has fewer hours per day to capture them.

Strategies:

Leaf net over the pool during peak leaf drop (November-December). Pull it off, dump the leaves, replace. Far more efficient than skimming daily.
Skim manually 2-3 times per week if you don't use a leaf net. Leaves that sink and decompose on the floor stain plaster and consume chlorine.
Run the robotic cleaner once per week through winter to pick up settled debris that the skimmer misses.
Trim overhanging branches in October before leaf drop starts. Prevention beats cleanup.

Water Level

Winter rain in Murphy (November-March) can raise the water level above the optimal skimmer height. An overfilled pool prevents the skimmer from creating a surface draw — the water is too high for debris to flow over the weir.

After heavy rain events, check the water level. If it's above the top of the skimmer opening, lower it by setting the filter to "waste" and running the pump briefly until the level drops to mid-skimmer.

Conversely, dry winter stretches can lower the water level from evaporation (slower than summer but still present) without the regular top-offs you do during swimming season. Check the level at least biweekly and top off as needed.

Monthly Winter Maintenance Checklist

A simplified routine for Murphy pools from December through February:

Weekly (15 minutes):

☐ Check water level — adjust if needed
☐ Quick visual inspection — any debris accumulation, green tint, equipment issues
☐ Check pump operation — running normally, no unusual sounds

Biweekly (30 minutes):

☐ Test free chlorine and pH
☐ Add chlorine if FC below 1 ppm
☐ Add acid if pH above 7.6
☐ Skim and empty baskets

Monthly (60 minutes):

☐ Full chemistry test (FC, pH, TA, CYA)
☐ Shock treatment
☐ Brush walls and floor
☐ Check filter pressure — clean if elevated
☐ Inspect equipment visually

During freeze events (as needed):

☐ Confirm pump is running 24/7
☐ Check every 4-6 hours that pump hasn't tripped
☐ If power goes out — immediately open all drain plugs on pump, heater, filter, salt cell

The Spring Payoff

The entire point of winter maintenance isn't winter — it's spring. A pool that was properly maintained through winter opens in March/April with clear water, balanced chemistry, and working equipment. The spring startup takes 30 minutes: test, minor adjustments, increase pump run time, resume normal schedule.

A pool that was neglected from November to March opens with green water (or worse), degraded chemistry, potentially damaged equipment from undetected leaks or freeze events, and a multi-day recovery that costs $100-200 in chemicals and a full weekend of work.

Fifteen minutes per week through winter prevents hours of recovery in spring. The math is simple.

Want winter handled without thinking about it? Hydra Pool Services provides year-round weekly service — including winter maintenance, freeze monitoring, and spring startup — across Murphy, Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Parker, and The Colony. Stay covered all year →

Pool Winterization Guide for Murphy, TX — Keep It Running Right