The two arrivals: preparing your pool for winter

There are two ways to arrive at your villa after a winter away. In the first, you drop your bags, open the shutters and find a pool the colour of pea soup, leaves in the skimmer and a garden hose tangled across the terrace. The first day of your holiday disappears with a net in your hand. In the second, you pour a drink, step outside and the water is clear enough to read the tiles. The difference between them is almost always what happened to the pool in October.

On the Costa del Sol the pool never really sleeps. Winters are mild, the sun still shines most days, and algae keeps growing long after the swimming season ends. Simply switching the pump off and pulling a cover over the top is how most owners end up with the first arrival.

Start with a proper clean. Brush the walls and floor, empty the skimmer and pump baskets and vacuum out the debris. Anything organic left in the water over winter becomes food for algae.

Then balance the water. Get the pH and chlorine right before the weather cools, and give the pool a shock treatment so it starts the winter clean. A winterising product helps keep the water stable through the quieter months.

Lower the level slightly and protect the equipment. Clean the filter, check the pump seals and make sure nothing is dripping or leaking. A small leak ignored in November is a large repair bill by March.

Keep the pump running on a shorter timer rather than switching it off. A few hours of circulation a day stops the water going stagnant, which matters more on the coast than a cold snap ever will.

Fit a good cover, and keep checking. Storms, falling leaves and a neighbour's palm tree all find their way in. Winter is when small problems grow quietly, because nobody is there to see them.

That last point is the one that catches overseas owners out. A pool prepared perfectly in October can still turn green by January if the pump trips or a cover blows loose. That's why our crews keep visiting through the winter, test the water, clear what the wind brings in, and send you photos of every visit straight to your Property Vault.

So when you land in Málaga, you get the second arrival. No net, no hose, no to-do list. Just the pool, exactly as you left it. If you'd like us to winterise your pool and keep an eye on it until you're back, talk to us.

The mistake that catches overseas owners out

A pool prepared perfectly in October can still turn green by January if the pump trips or a cover blows loose. That's why our crews keep visiting through the winter, test the water, clear what the wind brings in, and send you photos of every visit straight to your Property Vault.

What our pool maintenance visits include

Water testing and chemical balancing (pH, chlorine, stabiliser) · skimming, brushing and vacuuming · emptying skimmer and pump baskets · backwashing and filter checks · pump, seal and pipework inspection for early signs of leaks · cover checks before and after storms · a photo report of every visit, uploaded to your Property Vault.

Pool care across the Costa del Sol

We look after villa and holiday-home pools from Benalmádena to Sotogrande, including Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, San Pedro de Alcántara, Benahavís and Estepona.

No net, no hose, no to-do list

So when you land in Málaga, you get the second arrival. Just the pool, exactly as you left it. If you'd like us to winterise your pool and keep an eye on it until you're back, add year-round pool maintenance to your Home Care Package, and arrive to clear water next time.