Winterizing Pools Against Crystals (w/ Rob Romano and Bill Drakeley)

The Cold Hard Truth About Winter Pool Plastering

When winter's icy grip tightens around your pool, newly plastered surfaces face a hidden enemy: crystalline scale formation. For pool professionals working in cold climates, the timing of plaster installation and proper winterization can make the difference between a pristine spring opening and costly repairs.

In a recent episode of the Rule Your Pool Podcast, two industry veterans with nearly four decades of experience each shared their hard-earned wisdom about managing plaster installations as temperatures drop. Rob Romano from David Cook Plastering Company and Bill Drakeley, co-founder of Watershape University, brought their Northeast expertise to bear on one of the most challenging aspects of pool construction and maintenance.

The Temperature Tightrope: When Cold Weather Becomes Your Enemy

The fundamental challenge of late-season plastering comes down to a simple but critical factor: temperature. As Rob Romano explains, the stakes get higher as autumn progresses:

The later in the season you plaster pool and or the closer to the closing season, the greater chance you have of creating scale. Now, Eric and I, for years and going back and forth on on the winter scale with with how to how to manage cold water, especially on a new finish.

— Rob Romano, Rule Your Pool Podcast

The industry professionals emphasize that successful cold-weather plastering requires vigilant temperature monitoring. Romano's team uses a firm cutoff point: if average temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, plastering operations cease entirely. This isn't just about worker comfort—it's about ensuring proper chemical bonding between the plaster and the pool shell.

The science behind this temperature sensitivity lies in the curing process. Cold concrete doesn't provide the optimal surface for plaster adhesion, and when combined with cold fill water and reduced chemical activity, the risk of installation failure increases dramatically.

The 60-Day Rule: Patience as Prevention

One of the most valuable insights shared by Romano involves timing expectations for late-season installations. His recommendation is clear and non-negotiable:

I try to get them to run it for at least 60 days.

— Rob Romano, Rule Your Pool Podcast

This 60-day minimum operation period serves multiple critical functions. First, it allows the plaster to properly cure while water circulation maintains consistent chemical distribution. Second, it prevents the formation of winter scale that can occur when pools are closed too soon after plastering.

The mathematics of this timeline often puts contractors in difficult positions. A pool plastered on October 1st needs to run until December 1st—well into the traditional closing season for northern climates. This reality forces builders to make tough decisions about whether late-season projects are viable.

Romano shared a recent example where he had to turn down work just after Thanksgiving, despite the builder's eagerness to proceed. The combination of cold temperatures, shortened operational windows, and installation quality concerns made the project too risky to undertake.

The Chemistry Challenge: What Happens When Circulation Stops

Bill Drakeley highlighted a fundamental difference between cold-climate and warm-climate pool management that many professionals don't fully appreciate:

Here in the Northeast, we drop the water. Well, some of the plaster is exposed. It's not circulating any of that stuff. So the chemistry is going to change.

— Bill Drakeley, Rule Your Pool Podcast

This observation reveals the core challenge of winter pool chemistry in cold climates. Unlike warmer regions where pools can maintain circulation year-round, northeastern pools face a unique set of circumstances when winterized:

• Water levels are dropped below the skimmer line
• Portions of the plaster surface become exposed to air
• Chemical circulation ceases completely
• Temperature fluctuations affect remaining water chemistry
• Scale formation becomes more likely on new finishes

The exposed plaster presents particular challenges because it's no longer benefiting from the buffering effects of circulated, chemically balanced water. Instead, it's subject to condensation, temperature swings, and chemical precipitation that can permanently damage the surface.

Heating: The Game-Changing Strategy

While pool heating during winter might seem counterintuitive from a cost perspective, both experts emphasized its critical importance for chemical efficacy. The reasoning is straightforward but often overlooked:

But do you have a, so we've talked about this in our construction school and our renovation class... chemicals tend to work better when the water's warmer. Sometimes they just don't work when it's under 70, 65, 78 degrees.

— Rob Romano, Rule Your Pool Podcast

This insight challenges the common assumption that winter pools can simply be left to their own devices once properly balanced. Chemical reactions slow dramatically in cold water, meaning sanitizers, pH adjusters, and scale preventers become less effective just when they're needed most.

The recommendation isn't to heat pools to swimming temperature, but rather to maintain enough warmth to keep chemical systems functioning. Even modest heating—bringing water temperature from the 40s into the 50s or 60s—can dramatically improve chemical activity and prevent costly scale formation.

Professional Wisdom: Decades of Hard-Earned Experience

What makes this advice particularly valuable is the source. Both Romano and Drakeley represent multi-generational pool industry families with decades of hands-on experience. As Drakeley noted about their shared background:

I think we have a similar book warrant. Somewhat born into the industry with, you know, your uncle and my father.

— Bill Drakeley, Rule Your Pool Podcast

This generational knowledge base provides insights that can't be learned from textbooks or obtained through short-term experience. Their recommendations come from witnessing countless successes and failures, understanding the real-world consequences of various approaches, and developing reliable systems that work consistently across different conditions.

Their emphasis on professionalization and knowledge sharing reflects a broader industry need. As Drakeley explained, the goal is to elevate pool construction and maintenance to the level of other major trades, creating clear career paths and professional standards that attract and retain skilled workers.

Practical Implementation: Making It Work in the Real World

For pool professionals working in cold climates, implementing these strategies requires careful planning and clear communication with clients. Key considerations include:

• Project Timing: Schedule plaster installations to allow for the full 60-day operational period before freezing weather arrives
• Temperature Monitoring: Use reliable weather forecasting and surface temperature measurement to determine safe installation windows
• Client Education: Explain the costs and benefits of extended operation and heating to prevent scale formation
• Equipment Preparation: Ensure heating systems are operational and properly sized for extended cold-weather use
• Chemical Management: Develop winterization protocols that account for reduced circulation and chemical activity

The financial implications of these practices must be weighed against the costs of scale removal, surface damage, and customer dissatisfaction that can result from improper winterization. While extended operation and heating increase short-term costs, they typically provide significant long-term value through improved surface longevity and customer satisfaction.

The Bottom Line: Patience Pays in Pool Plastering

The insights shared by Romano and Drakeley underscore a fundamental truth about professional pool management: shortcuts in cold weather almost always lead to expensive problems later. Their combined 70-plus years of experience consistently point toward the same conclusion—proper timing, adequate heating, and extended operation periods are non-negotiable elements of successful winter pool management.

For pool owners in cold climates, understanding these professional standards can help set appropriate expectations and make informed decisions about late-season work. The 60-day rule isn't arbitrary—it's based on decades of real-world experience and represents the minimum time needed to ensure proper plaster curing and scale prevention.

As winter approaches and temperatures drop, remember that successful pool management requires the same attention to detail and professional standards as any other major trade. The investment in proper winterization procedures pays dividends in spring opening ease, surface longevity, and customer satisfaction. In the pool industry, as in many others, there's simply no substitute for doing things right the first time.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Northeast Show Promotion
• 05:30 Industry Experience and Background
• 12:00 Temperature Requirements for Plastering
• 18:45 The 60-Day Minimum Operation Rule
• 25:20 Winter Chemistry Challenges in Cold Climates
• 32:10 Heating Strategies for Chemical Effectiveness
• 38:50 Professional Standards and Industry Evolution