Winter closing is a little like putting your pool to bed while a storm rattles the shutters. The water chemistry can be perfect, the cover can be new and taut, and still the whole job can be undone by one lazy detail: the steps and ladder. I have opened too many pools where a bent rail, a torn liner ring, or a sunken set of wedding‑cake steps turned an easy spring start‑up into a muttered‑under‑the‑breath repair session. Securing these pieces the right way protects liners, covers, and toes, and it makes a big difference in how your above ground pool weathers the freeze.
If you live somewhere with deep cold, like Winnipeg, your pool closing routine has a rhythm dictated by frost, wind, and snow load. Even if you search for a pool closing service near me and hand off the work, it pays to understand why a pro spends so much time on the ladder bracket and the step ballast. Small choices here are the difference between a clean April reveal and a sloshing mess.
Why steps and ladders are the troublemakers
Steps and ladders are the only moving parts that bridge the pool wall. They carry weight, they flex at the surface, and they act like sails when covered by a winter tarp. An unsecured ladder becomes a lever that chews vinyl or loosens cap rails. Step units, especially molded “wedding cake” styles, trap air. Once the water level drops for closing, they like to float, twist, and tug. I have seen them migrate a foot over winter, then rub a liner at a single contact point until it scuffs white. The fix is not complicated, it just requires attention and good habits.
In above ground pool closing, you also deal with narrow ledges, thin top rails, and flexible uprights. These parts were engineered to hold water in, not to anchor a 60‑pound ladder that wants to surf under a cover. That’s why the hardware and the sequence of removal matter.
Timing and weather: pick your window
The best day to secure or remove your entry system is the same day you drop water for winterization, after your chemistry is balanced and the plumbing is blown out. If you’re in a freeze zone like Winnipeg, aim for water in the 34 to 44 Fahrenheit range, after leaves have mostly stopped falling and before ice threatens. The colder the water, the stiffer vinyl gets. That stiffness makes a floating step more likely to rub a hard edge. Do your ladder work before your hands go numb, and when the sun is on the pool, not when wind is peeling shingles off the pool closing garage.
Which entry do you have?
Broadly you’ll see three categories. Each behaves differently, and your closing plan should match the style.
Single‑sided A‑frame ladder. The basic aluminum or resin ladder that hooks over the wall and drops into the water. Many have a removable outside climb to deter kids, and most secure with two hooks or a bracket to the top rail.
Staircase or “wedding cake” steps with handrails. These bulky molded steps sit inside the pool, often weighted with sand, gravel bags, or water‑filled ballast. Some bolt to a deck or hang from the top rail.
Deck‑mounted ladder. A two‑rail ladder with steps that bolts into a deck with anchors, often stainless. It drops into the water and relies on rubber bumpers or cups at the toe.
Each of these puts different forces on the pool when you add a winter cover and lower the water. The A‑frame wants to rattle and scrape. The wedding cake wants to float. The deck‑mounted ladder wants to pry against the rail sockets when ice moves. Your winter strategy might be removal, tie‑off, or hard anchoring, depending on which you own.
Removal is almost always the right move
I know the temptation. You think, I’ll just leave the steps in, they are heavy, and I’ll tie them to the rail. Then spring arrives with a mystery stain where the plastic met the liner, or a stretched bolt hole where the rail kept flexing for four months. If your ladder or stairs can come out, they should. The benefits aren’t theoretical.
You protect the liner from abrasion and point load. You reduce stress on the top rail and seats when a storm turns your winter cover into a flapping kite. You make it easier to tension the cover evenly without a big lump deforming the surface. And you reduce algae harborage because you are not leaving a hollow space shaded all winter.
There are exceptions, which I’ll get to, but treat removal as your default plan.
A practical sequence that works
Here is a simple checklist you can follow when closing and dealing with entry systems. It’s brief on purpose, because the devil is in the execution, not the length.
- Before removing anything, photograph how the ladder or steps are installed, including brackets and pins. That photo saves twenty minutes in spring. Clean and brush the ladder or steps in place. Dislodge biofilm now, not during the first warm day of May. Loosen hardware gently, supporting weight from below so you do not chip a top rail or crack a resin seat. Cap or pad any points where metal could touch vinyl during removal. A towel, a scrap of foam, or even a folded washcloth can save a scuff. As soon as the unit is out, inspect, rinse, and store it away from sun with hardware bagged and labeled.
That’s the first of only two lists you will see in this piece, and it’s the only one that deserves the bullet treatment. Everything else we can talk through like adults.
Handling A‑frame ladders without swearing
Most A‑frames hook over the wall and pin to a bracket. The awkward moment is when you lift and the inside legs catch on the liner track or top rail. Cushion that edge first. I like a beach towel folded twice, draped over the rail where the ladder crosses. For resin rails, that towel reduces compressive dents on a cold day. For metal rails, it prevents fine scratches that rust later.
If the outside climb is removable, take it off first. It makes the inside half lighter and avoids dragging two sets of feet across the track. If your ladder has suction cup feet and they feel stuck, do not yank. Roll the cups to break the seal, then lift. A knuckle‑busting pull on a cold cup snaps rubber and tears vinyl if the foot adheres to a wrinkle.
Once the unit is out, rinse it. Winter storage is hard on metal oxidation and chlorine residue. A simple hose‑down and a mild vinegar wipe removes scale. Check bolts, treads, and the anti‑entrapment barrier if yours has one. Bag the hardware with a note, because spring you will not remember which side took the longer bolt.
If you cannot remove the inside half due to a deck, plan a secure tie. Strap the exposed rail tight to deck posts, not to top rails. Top rails are not structural, they are cosmetic covers over seats and ledges. If you have only the pool wall, spread the load by tying to two uprights, never one, and sleeve the strap with foam where it touches vinyl.
Wrestling wedding‑cake steps the smart way
Some folks close pools with step units in place. I only recommend that if two conditions are met. The steps are mechanically anchored to a deck in a way that prevents lift, and the winter cover is a tight safety‑style cover that does not rest on the steps. If you use a floating tarp with water bags, that tarp will press down on the steps all winter and the unit will work on the liner like a pestle in a mortar.
For most above ground pool closing jobs, removal is smarter. The awkward part is the ballast. Many of these steps use sand or pea gravel in cream‑colored jugs that slide into cavities. Others rely on sandbags or water tubes tied behind the risers. Whatever the method, do not try to he‑man the steps out full. You will twist, you will slip, and you will either crack a tread or crease a wall.
Take out the ballast first while the water is still at operating height. Lift each weight straight up and let the water support your arms. Use a plastic bin floating nearby so you are not walking dripping bags across the deck. If your unit has handrails that bolt to deck posts, unbolt the rails last so the steps do not drift while you’re loading out weights.
When the steps are empty, they will want to float. Tie a short lead from the step frame to a stable point at deck level. Lower the water only after you have a tether set. As the water drops for winterization, watch the tether. It should prevent the steps from drifting into the wall or liner track. Once the water is at closing height, break the suction at the feet by gently rocking the unit. A glazing putty knife or a plastic spatula helps if rubber pads are stuck without risking a cut.
Carry the steps out with a second person. The frames catch on top rails, and one bad move will chip resin. Pad the rail with that folded towel as before, and set the unit on a dolly as soon as you clear the pool so you are not dragging treads on pavers.
Inspect the step shells for hairline cracks. The corners at the riser junctions often craze after a few seasons. Fill small cracks with a plastic‑safe epoxy to get one more season, or plan a replacement so you are not improvising in April.
Deck‑mounted ladders and the trap of frozen anchors
Stainless ladders set into deck sockets feel permanent, but they come out with patience. The anchor wedge bolts often seize from splash corrosion. Spray a penetrating oil a day before you plan to pull them. Back the wedge bolts off, then wiggle the rails while lifting evenly. Do not pry with a 2x4 against a coping or top rail, that lever will dent resin or deform aluminum.
Once out, cap the deck anchors. Anchors left open collect water, then ice. Expanding ice cracks concrete around the sleeve or deforms the anchor. There are cheap winter caps for this, or you can tape a foam plug. Take five minutes to coat the ladder rails with a thin film of paste wax, especially where they disappear into the anchors next year. It makes spring removal kinder.
If your deck ladder must stay because of a hard plumbed gate or cage, raise the ladder an inch and wedge rubber shims under the toe cups so the cups are not pressing on cold vinyl. Tie the ladder to a deck post, not the pool frame, and give the strap just a whisper of slack to absorb wind without making a hard point.
Weighting strategies that do not rot or stain
A lot of people default to sandbags. I understand why, they are cheap. They also burst, wick water, and leach rusty grit that likes to settle in a crescent under the lower step. When storing or using ballast, think sealed, smooth, and inert. Sealed plastic jugs filled with pea gravel work better than sand. Water makes sense for ballast you only use in summer, but for closing, remove the ballast completely so it does not freeze and expand.
If you must leave steps in with weights, double‑bag the sand in contractor bags and then slide them into a smooth vinyl sleeve. Tie the sleeves to the step frame, not to uprights, so they do not swing and chafe. Check that your winter cover will not press the bags against the liner.
Protecting the liner at contact points
Where a ladder meets a liner, tiny movements add up. In Winnipeg pool closing calls, I often see liners with a faint white arc where a cup rubbed all winter on a cold morning. It does not always leak, but it ages the vinyl. You can prevent that with simple pads. There are purpose‑made vinyl ladder mats. Buy one size bigger than you think you need, and place it on a smooth, debris‑free floor before the ladder goes in during the season. For closing, if a ladder must stay, slide an extra pad under the contact points after you lower the water a few inches. Wet the mat so it suctions to the floor, then set the feet. It will not migrate as winter water moves under your cover.
On top rails, use rubber‑lined clamps or straps. Bare ratchet strap hooks can shave resin when tightened in the cold. If your A‑frame hooks hang on a thin resin cap, add a stainless strap from the ladder frame to a deck joist rather than over‑tightening the hook screws into brittle plastic.
When steps cannot come out
There are real situations where removal is not feasible. Some big molded steps are captured under a built‑in bench, or the deck traps the handrails. I have a client with a custom fence that requires three hours of disassembly to free the ladder. In these cases, you can still winterize without gambling on liner damage.
Tie the steps or ladder to fixed, non‑pool structure. Deck posts work, as do buried anchors set in concrete behind the deck skirt. Tie in two directions to stop twist, not just lift. Add flotation control. A handful of sealed, partially air‑filled jugs tied to the step frame at mid‑depth can counter a cover pressing down by keeping the steps neutrally buoyant. Do not overdo the float, or the steps will lift. You are aiming for steady, not bobbing.
Add sacrificial padding at rub points. A thick, smooth mat under the feet and foam pipe insulation on any sharp inside corner is cheap insurance. If a corner makes contact all winter, you would rather it rubs foam to dust than polishes your liner.
Lower water only as far as your skimmer plug and return line require. The more water above the steps, the less likely they are to float. A high water level under a solid cover also reduces wind pumping that inflates and deflates the cover like a lung.
Above ground pool closing versus inground: the small differences that bite
Ladder logic changes between above ground and inground pools. In inground pool closing, the rails anchor into a rigid deck, and the shell can handle localized pressure. A safety cover spans on stout anchors. You still remove ladders for safety and cleanliness, but you are not protecting a thin wall system. In above ground pool closing, everything is lighter and more flexible. The wall is a rolled sheet, the top rails are decorative caps, and the floor can dish under point loads. Treat every strap and weight as if it could distort that system, because it can.
If you’re using an inground pool closing service, they will usually include ladder removal and anchor capping as a matter of course. Many above ground pool closing service packages list it as an winnipeg pool closing add‑on. Ask. The extra charge is cheaper than a new liner or a cracked cap rail. If you live in a heavy‑snow area and type pool closing near me in October, call early. The reputable crews in your area book up quickly once the first frost hits.
Chemistry and metals: a quiet saboteur
Ladders and steps sit in chlorinated water all season. In the last two weeks before you close, you probably raise chlorine, add algaecide, and maybe add a stain inhibitor. Those steps and ladder feet absorb all of it. If you pull them and store them without a rinse, the residue bakes on and etches metal or dries plastic brittle. Rinse and dry now. For stainless ladders that show tea‑colored streaks, a gentle pass with a non‑abrasive cleaner and a Scotch‑Brite pad followed by a rinse will halt tea staining.
If you have a salt system, inspect for crevice corrosion at welds on stainless rails. Salt concentrate can sit inside anchor sockets. Removing ladders during winter protects those welds from concentrated brine and trapped moisture.
Covers, wind, and why your tie‑offs matter
A winter cover becomes a sail, a trampoline, and occasionally a bathtub. If it is a floating tarp with water tubes, it will rest on your ladder or steps as water collects. The cover will pump in wind, pushing down and relaxing on repeat. Each push transfers load into whatever is under it. If you left a ladder in and only tied it to the top rail, that pulsing load can loosen the rail seats. Better to tie to deck structure, or better yet, to remove the ladder entirely so the cover lies cleanly.
Solid safety covers on inground pools spread load across many anchors. For an above ground pool with a safety‑style cover and a deck, anchoring points are usually the deck joists. Ensure any ladder tie‑offs do not share the same joists as cover anchors that will see uplift in a storm. Opposing forces on the same structural member can loosen fasteners over winter.
A word for Winnipeg and other hard‑freeze regions
If Winnipeg is in your weather app, plan for ice thickness measured in inches, not a skim. Ice grabs anything that touches it. If steps or a ladder bridge the surface as ice forms, the freeze will lock the piece, and mid‑winter expansion can pull or twist. Lower ladders fully below the eventual ice line or remove them. When I say fully, give yourself at least four inches of clearance. Early cold snaps can freeze the top inch, then thaw, then refreeze thicker. The first skin of ice can trap a ladder just enough for the second freeze to finish the job.
Wind in prairie winters is no joke. Gusts rip covers and stress any structure that is not anchored smartly. Tie ladders and steps so they cannot rattle in the wind. Use weather‑resistant straps instead of cotton rope that will freeze and slacken.
Storage that avoids spring regret
Dry before you store. A ladder tossed wet into a shed is a mold factory. Crack the treads apart if your model allows, and wipe down. Bag hardware. Label it with painter’s tape. Store away from UV, because winter sun through a shed window can chalk resin. Do not stack heavy boxes on plastic steps. They will sag and set crooked, then wobble on reinstallation. If you use sand‑filled jugs for ballast, store them where mice cannot chew the caps or where a freeze will not split them. Gravel‑filled jugs are happier in unheated spaces.
What a good service visit looks like
If you hire a pool closing service, here is the standard I hold my techs to. They show up with padding for rails, a dolly for steps, and caps for deck anchors. They do not yank on suctioned feet, they break the seal first. They photograph the install before touching bolts. They clean the ladder or steps before storing. They tie to deck structure if anything must stay in, and they use foam sleeves on straps where they contact the pool. They confirm that the winter cover clears the entry system cleanly and adjust water level to support the cover without pressing on a step.
For inground pool closing service, I expect ladders and handrails removed, anchors capped, and rails waxed. For above ground pool closing service, I expect the same care with more attention to not loading the top rail. If you are in a region where crews hustle to beat weather, the best ones still slow down for this part. Ask how they handle steps before you book.
Troubleshooting, because things happen
You drop a bolt into the pool during removal. Fish it with a telescoping magnet. If it is stainless and not magnetic, use a hand skimmer and patience. Do not drain lower to go get a bolt, that trade rarely pays.
A rubber cup tears leaving a flap glued to the liner. Do not scrape with metal. Warm the area by splashing with a bucket of warm (not hot) water, then roll the rubber off with your thumb. Replace the cup before spring.
You find a hairline crack in a step. If it does not flex under finger pressure, clean and fill with a two‑part plastic epoxy for the winter, then budget for a new unit. If it does flex, do not leave the step in under a winter cover. Take it out before the crack spreads in cold.
Ice forms earlier than expected, and a ladder is still in. Resist the urge to break ice aggressively around the rails. Patience and a few warmer days do less damage than a pry bar.
A final, short checklist for spring‑you
You have done the hard work now. Leave a note for yourself. Tape it to the inside of the skimmer lid, because that is the first place you look in spring. List the stored hardware location, the number of ballast jugs, and any repairs you noticed. Take ten seconds to add the date and the water level you closed at. Those tiny notes save head scratching and unnecessary purchases later.
- Hardware bag is in the labeled bin on the left shelf. Deck anchor caps in same bin. Four ballast jugs drained and in the shed. Ladder cups inspected, one needs replacement. Water level closed at 2 inches below return.
That is it. The second and last list. Everything else was a conversation and some judgment calls.
Good pool closing is a thousand unglamorous decisions. Securing steps and ladders is where many owners rush, because the water is cold and the sky looks like snow. Taking fifteen extra minutes here preserves liners, protects rails, keeps covers happy, and spares your spring patience. Whether you do it yourself or book a Winnipeg pool closing crew, keep an eye on these details. Above ground pool closing has its quirks, but if you treat the entry gear with the same respect you give your pump and your chemistry, winter becomes a quiet pause instead of a gamble.