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Passion Pool Care handles pool opening and closing in Nashville, from spring startups to fall winterizing. We get your pool clean and balanced for the season, then protect the plumbing and equipment from winter freezes.
Local
Greater Nashville based
Reliable
Weekly, like clockwork
Since 2013
Over a decade of pool care
Family Owned
Real people, real care
What's included
Middle Tennessee has a long swim season, but it does have an off-season. Most winters are mild, with only a handful of hard freezes, yet one cold night can crack a pump, filter or pipe that was left full of still water. In spring, a pool that sat under a cover for months needs more than pulling the cover off before anyone swims.
A good pool opening service gets the pool clean, balanced and running well before the warm days arrive. A good pool closing service protects the plumbing, equipment and surface through the cold months, so spring starts easy. Some owners skip a full closing and keep the pool running with freeze protection instead. Each approach works when it is done right.
Our openings start with a careful cover removal, an equipment restart and a full balance and shock. Our closings start with balanced water, then we clean the filter, drain the equipment, protect the lines and set the cover. We work with Pentair, Hayward, Jandy and Zodiac equipment across Davidson, Williamson and Rutherford counties. If you would rather keep the pool open, we set up freeze protection instead. Below, you'll find when to open, when to close and how we winterize pool equipment for Tennessee weather.
Is it time?
Most of these show up at the turn of the season, before the first swim or the first hard freeze.
01
Daytime highs are holding in the 70s and the cover is still on.
02
Water and leaves have pooled on top of the winter cover.
03
The water temperature has dropped below about 60°F for good.
04
A hard freeze is in the forecast and the pump is off.
05
You are not sure how to drain the pump, filter and heater.
06
Last spring, the pool opened green or with cracked equipment.
How it works
Here is when to open and close in Middle Tennessee, what each visit includes and how to protect your pool through winter.
Nashville pool owners have three choices for winter. You can do a full closing, with lines protected and the water lowered. You can do a partial closing, keeping the water up but covering the pool and protecting the equipment. Or you can keep the pool running all winter with freeze protection, light chemical care and the cover off. Milder climates like ours often need only a partial winterization. The right choice depends on your equipment, your plumbing and how much you want to look at the pool in January. We help you choose.
The best time to open is when daytime highs stay in the 70s, which usually means mid-April to early May around Nashville. Opening a little before you plan to swim is a good idea. Warming water wakes up algae, and a pool sitting under a cover in a warm April can turn green before Memorial Day. It is far easier and cheaper to warm a clean, balanced pool than to clear a green one. If you have a heater, an earlier opening can stretch your season even further.
A pool opening takes more than pulling the cover off. We pump water and leaves off the cover, remove it carefully and clean it for storage. Then we remove the winter plugs, reinstall baskets and drain plugs and restart the pump. We check for leaks, cracks and freeze damage, clean or backwash the filter and look over the heater and lights. Finally, we test the water, balance it and add a strong dose of chlorine. Most openings take one visit, plus a follow-up to fine-tune the water.
The cover holds a winter's worth of rain, leaves and dirt. If someone pulls it off quickly, all of that slides straight into the pool and makes the first week much harder. So we pump the standing water off first, scoop out leaves and debris and then lift the cover off with care. We rinse it, let it dry and fold it for storage, which helps it last more seasons. While it is off, we check the springs, anchors and straps, so it is ready to go back on in the fall.
Equipment that sat all winter needs a careful start. Before we turn anything on, we look for cracked housings, split fittings and loose unions, since freeze damage often shows up here. We prime the pump, bleed air from the filter and watch for drips as pressure builds. Heaters get a close look, because leaves, nests and small animals like to move into idle cabinets. We also check the lights and their GFCI. If a part failed over winter, we explain what we found and quote the repair before going further.
Water that sat all winter has usually lost its chlorine and drifted out of balance. Rain may have diluted it, and leaves may have added a load of organic material. We test free chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium and stabilizer, then bring each one into range. pH between 7.4 and 7.6 keeps chlorine working and protects the surface. A strong dose of chlorine clears out anything that grew under the cover. If the pool opened green, we treat it as a full cleanup and keep going until the water is clear.
Opening day is a good time for a safety review. Drain covers should be secure, uncracked and within their rated life, since the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Act requires anti-entrapment covers on public pools and they protect home pools just as well. Ladders and handrails should be tight. Lights should work and trip their GFCI on test. Gates should close and latch on their own. We check these items as part of an opening and tell you about anything that needs attention before the family gets in. The CPSC's Pool Safely campaign has more home pool safety tips.
The right time to close is when the water stays below about 60°F, which usually means late October into November around Nashville. Closing too early, while the water is still warm, gives algae time to grow under the cover. Closing once the water is cold keeps the pool cleaner through winter and makes spring easier. If you have a heater and like to swim into the fall, you can push closing later. We help you pick a date that fits the weather and how you use the pool.
A closing starts with balanced water and a good dose of chlorine, so the pool goes to sleep clean. We brush and vacuum the pool, then clean or backwash the filter. For a full closing, we lower the water below the skimmers and returns, blow the water out of the lines and plug them. We drain the pump, filter and heater and store their plugs where you can find them. Then we set the winter cover and secure it. You get notes on anything we saw that needs repair before spring.
Still water in pipes is what cracks plumbing on a freezing night. During a full closing, we use compressed air to blow water out of each line, then plug the lines at the pool. In lines that cannot be cleared fully, we add antifreeze made for pools. Never use automotive antifreeze, because it is toxic. Skimmers get an expansion device or plug, so ice cannot crack them. This step takes care, and it is the single most important part of protecting your plumbing.
Every piece of equipment holds water, and every piece can crack in a hard freeze. We remove the drain plugs from the pump and filter and let them empty. Sand filters get drained, while cartridges come out for cleaning and storage. The heater gets drained too, with its gas supply shut off. Salt cells drain the same way, and some owners store them indoors. Breakers for equipment that will not run over winter get switched off. Before we leave, we put all the plugs in one place, so spring startup goes smoothly.
Winter covers keep leaves and debris out, which makes spring much easier. Most are anchored to the deck with springs or straps, and those need checking now and then, since loose spots let debris in. A standard winter cover is not a barrier, and standing water on a solid cover can be a drowning hazard for small children and pets, so it should be pumped off. Safety covers built to ASTM standards are designed to keep people out. Strong chemicals can also damage some covers, so we follow the cover maker's guidance.
For a full closing on a plaster pool, we lower the water below the skimmers and returns. That is as far as it should go. A closed pool should never be drained empty, because groundwater can push up on an empty shell and damage it. Vinyl liner pools need extra care, since a liner left without enough water can shift or shrink. Middle Tennessee's wet winters and springs can raise the water table, so a full pool is the safest pool. We set the level based on your pool type.
Many Nashville owners keep the pool open all winter. The pump runs on freezing nights to keep water moving through every pipe, and moving water rarely freezes. An automation system or a pump with freeze protection can start it automatically when the air nears freezing. Chlorine demand drops in cold water, so chemistry care is light, but it still needs checking. The weak spot is power. If the power goes out on a freezing night, the pipes are at risk, so we talk about a backup plan before winter.
Pool lights need care at closing too. When the water is lowered below a wet niche light, the fixture can be lifted out and set on the pool floor, where it stays under water. The light stays switched off until spring. Attached spas share the pool's plumbing, so their lines and jets are blown out and plugged along with the rest. If you keep the spa running for winter soaks, we set up the plumbing and freeze protection so the spa can run safely while the pool rests.
A closed pool still needs a look now and then. After heavy rain or snow, pump standing water off the cover. Check that springs and straps are tight and that no debris is getting under the edges. On a mild winter day, you can test the water and add chlorine if needed. If you see the water level drop fast or notice a cracked fitting, call us early. A few minutes of attention through the winter makes the spring opening faster and cleaner.
How it works
1
Call (629) 247-6255 or send the form with your pool type, equipment and preferred date.
2
We talk through opening, closing or freeze protection and give you a free, no-pressure quote.
3
We open or close the pool on schedule and leave notes on anything that needs attention.
FAQ
Still have a question? Call or text (629) 247-6255.
It depends on the pool's size, cover type, equipment and how it was closed. We look at your pool and give you a free, no-obligation quote. Call (629) 247-6255 to set it up.
When daytime highs stay in the 70s, usually mid-April to early May. Opening a little early is better than late, because a warm pool under a cover can turn green fast.
When the water stays below about 60°F, usually late October into November. Closing while the water is still warm gives algae time to grow under the cover.
Balance and chlorinate the water, clean the pool and filter, lower the water below the skimmers, blow out and plug the lines, drain the equipment and set the cover.
Pump water off the cover and remove it, take out the winter plugs, restart and prime the pump, check for leaks, clean the filter, then test, balance and shock the water.
Both work in Middle Tennessee. Running all winter needs reliable freeze protection and power. Closing protects the plumbing if the pump will be off. We help you pick based on your equipment.
A cover alone does not protect the plumbing. If the pump will be off, the lines and equipment need to be drained and protected. If the pump keeps running, a cover can work with freeze protection.
Keep the pump running through the night if the pool is open, so water moves through every line, including the spa and features. Check that freeze protection is on and the power is steady.
Yes. Moving water rarely freezes in pipes, which is why freeze protection runs the pump. The bigger risk is the pump stopping, from a power outage or a tripped breaker, on a freezing night.
If the pump is off and the water sits still, a hard freeze can crack pipes, pumps, filters and heaters. Proper winterizing or steady freeze protection prevents that damage.
A set day every week: water balanced, walls brushed, baskets emptied and equipment checked.
Pump, heater, valves and lights on one app, installed, programmed and repaired.
Stained or scaled plaster washed in sections, neutralized and refilled with balanced water.
Free quote
Tell us about your pool and when you want it opened or closed, and we will give you a free, no-pressure quote. Prefer to talk? Call (629) 247-6255.
Call or text
Based in
Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Serving Greater Nashville
Hours
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Takes less than a minute. Tell us about your in-ground pool and we'll reach out fast with a free, no-pressure quote.
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Where we work
Based in Murfreesboro and caring for pools across Middle Tennessee. Find your county to see the cities we cover.
Call (629) 247-6255 and we'll check availability for your address.
