Here are some tips and steps to winterize your pool in our fine state of Connecticut

1. Remove skimmer baskets, wall fittings and ladders from your pool

Put all of your pool extras in a safe dry place during the winter months. Make sure all of your hoses are drained.

3. Balance the water pH

About 6 days before closing, adjust your pool chemistry (should have been #1). Your water balance within the ranges below:

• pH: 7.2-7.4
• Alkalinity: 80-120 ppm
• Calcium Hardness: 180-220 ppm

If you decide not to use your hot tub during the winter months because the tub is too far from the house, utility costs or perhaps it is in your vacation home.

Whatever the reason, if you do not want your hot tub operating this time of year & you live in a cold climate, you will need to winterize it or else the water will freeze and the expansion of the water as it turns into ice will destroy your tub.

Drain Your Hot Tub Water

Turn off all power to your hot tub at the breaker or, if it is a gfci plug in hot tub, unplug it from the outlet, coil up the power cord and wrap the gfci plug in plastic then place it inside the equipment compartment.

If your hot tub has a drain valve (all Freeflows do) simply open it up and drain all the water out of the spa. If not, use a submersible sump pump or siphon. Make sure you lower the drain hose at or below the lowest level of water in the hot tub to be sure it all drains out.  If you have a blower, this would be a good time to temporarily reconnect the power and turn it on for 20-30 seconds to blow out any water. When you are done draining your hot tub, leave the drain spout open.

When the sauna heater is working at its best, you can enjoy hours of great relaxation within the walls of your sauna.

However, there are times when the sauna heater may not be working efficiently, and your times of relaxation turn to times of frustration. If you have a home sauna and feel like the heater is not working like it should, there are some steps that you can take to diagnose it.  Then give us a call to work the problem to resolution - 860-618-2310.

HydroCare Pools & Spas provides an expert service associate for out-of-warranty sauna control systems and equipment, and is your source for quality aftermarket parts for most brands of infrared saunas.

If your sauna is outside it's warranty period, or is not being properly supported by the original manufacturer, we're here to help!

Ripped or Torn Vinyl Liners

Small tears, 1-2 inches in length can be easily patched with a vinyl liner patch kit.

Large tears, those of several inches to several feet, can also be patched using larger pieces of vinyl, but the long term success of the patch may be doubtful. Many people would also rather not have a patchwork quilt for a pool liner, and may prefer to replace, when budget allows. pool-liner-patch-kit

Patches tend to have the best success when they are small, and not in a corner, or too close to the bead, or any of the "cuts" to the vinyl – steps, returns, skimmers, lights. Vinyl repairs on the wall are usually successful, if the vinyl is not overly stretched and stressed in that area. If it's high on the wall, patch it dry, low wall or floor patches are usually patched wet, or underwater.

If the vinyl liner is very old, rips and tears will occur, seemingly on their own. Vinyl liners of a certain age, they become hard and brittle, and can easily 'snap', or tear horizontally, near the waterline, as shown in the top image.

There is likely no real need to replace the liner for just a small tear, or even a large one – but if the overall condition of the liner is leading to tears and rips, there will soon be many more, and at some point, it's time to plan for a pool liner replacement.

Leaking Pool Liners

Sometimes you can have a leak in a vinyl pool, which continues to leak after plugging the lines, so you know it's in the vinyl – but where?

Finding a hole in a vinyl liner can be a little like looking for a needle in a haystack. If the water stabilizes at one particular level, look for a small patch of debris stuck onto the vinyl, which has been sucked into the hole.

The best method to find a pool leak may be (If the water is warm enough), to use a diver's mask and snorkel to search the entire pool closely. You can use colored dye in a small bottle to dye test suspect areas, which should include the cutout areas around the steps, returns, skimmers and lights.

Most leaking pool liners are fixed, without need to replace. In cases where there are dozens of leaks, from ice or animal damage, or from kids using the pool pole to pole vault into the pool – you may need to buy a new pool liner.

Give us a call if you need an expert's eye and tool bag - 860-618-2310

Jetted Bathtubs are a wonderful relaxation pill after a hard days work.  You fill the tub and find the jets are not working. We repair all brands and do warranty work for many major manufacturers including Kohler, Mr. Steam, Jacuzzi, Jandy, and more.

If your jetted bathtub is still under warranty, give us a call.  Write down the model and serial number for us. We will take care of the paperwork for you. 

The key to jetted bathtub repair is access. 
The key to jetted bathtub repair is access.
The key to jetted bathtub repair is access. 

Your pool heater is a complicated piece of equipment.  It is usually powered by 220 volts of electricity or fueled by natural gas or propane.  Then it is integrated with multiple safety controls.  Many repairs can be completed without replacement parts.  Our pool heating repair experts can quickly identify the problem and often complete them while saving you money.

Repairing pool heaters, and replacing pool heating parts and equipment is our specialty. Pool heater repairs and troubleshooting can be a very daunting task. Repairing pool heaters is, typically, not a do-it-yourself project. It is often much more economical to trust someone who is professionally qualified to repair pool heaters, as well as an expert in the pool heating repair business.

Besides heater repair, we can give you a pool heater maintenance check.

• Check Compressor
• Check Temperature Input and Outflow
• Check & Clean Condenser Coil
• Check & Clean Contactor
• Check & Clean Capacitor(s)
• Check & Clean Fan Motor
• System Efficiency Test
• Check Freon Pressures

Hydrocare can help if you need broken pool tiles.

Eventually the tiles in your inground pool will begin to loosen, and fall off one-by-one.

We can help with damaged tiles, loosening grouting and if the mudding is coming undone.

Hydrocare can repair your tile and coping.  We can also replace and refurbish all types of concrete and fiberglass pools.

How Did The Simming Pool Tile Damage Occur?

Cracked or missing tiles in swimming pools and spas usually indicates a problem.  Tiles can of course fall off because of age, but it may be due to:

• Inadequate drainage
• The original bond beam not having been properly prepped to accept the trim
• Expansive soil conditions
• Ground movement
• Degraded adhesion and bon from moisture between the grout and concrete
• Cracked decking

Before repairing, reattaching or replacing broken pool or spa tiles, it's important to determine why the damage occurred in the first place. If there's a serious underlying problem that needs to be addressed, repairing the tiles won't fix it. You will want to contact us and use our years of experience to quickly find the problem.

Swimming pool heaters are the most complicated type of pool equipment.

Here is a list of common symptoms for your Torrington heater and some questions:

• Why do I need to frequently relight my pilot?
• I hear "clicking" or "sparking," but my heater will not ignite.
• The heater is leaking water.
• The heater appears to leak only when the burner is lit.....
• Heater top blackened and/or emitting dark exhaust?
• The heater has damage due to excessive heat. Why?
• I have rust returning into my pool?
• My heater makes a whistling noise.
• What should my heater be installed on?
• My heater will not ignite.
• The pilot won't light?
• Heater won't reach the desired temperature?
• The heater cycles on and off before it reaches the desired temperature?
• How much fuel does my heater use?
• How can I save on my heating costs?

Heating your pool keeps it available to your family and friends early in the season and a bit longer in the fall.  Swimming Pool and Spa heaters  are the most complicated piece of equipment. The device is a number of moving parts with gas or electricity as the heat source. Treat it as you would a home heating system with regular maintenance and checkups.
Repairs to pool heaters must be performed by qualified personnel. Gas, solar, electric or oil - Hydrocare repairs any and all types of heaters.

From simple small component repair to complete energy efficient system changes and upgrades, contact Hydrocare - servicing all of Connecticut.

Winterizing a hot tub involves preparing it for a period of non-use, especially during freezing conditions. Properly winterizing your hot tub can prevent damage to the tub and its components. Here's a step-by-step guide to winterizing a hot tub:

1. Turn Off the Power

• Make sure to turn off the power at the circuit breaker to ensure safety.

2. Drain the Hot Tub

So after this cold Winter, you can expect to spend in the range of only $175-$300 - Contact us (use our Get a Quote form).

Call HydroCare Pools of Torrington CT and we can help open your pool.

1) Remove the Winter Cover. Make sure there isn't dirt or debris on the pool cover. Drain the water sleeves and remove them. Once the water sleeves are clear, untie and remove the tie-downs, then the cover itself.

HydroCare Pools & Spas serves all of the Torrington CT area with these services:

• Inground pool heaters & repairs
• Inground pool vinyl liner replacements
• Tile repairs on inground pools and surrounding deck area
• General pool maintenance and repair work
• Pool reassembly in the Spring (schedule now)
• weekly pool cleanings

Office Location:

45 Lovers Lane
Torrington, CT 06790

Keep your investment liquid (pun intended) and be sure your pool, spa, and sauna are always ready for family time.


Home of HydroCare Pools & Spas, Torrington is nestled in the Litchfield Hills, a countryside noted for its scenic beauty. The City is the largest in Litchfield County and has been the industrial and commercial hub of northwestern Connecticut for over a century.

Your home in Torrington can be improved immediately with a new Hot Tub or Pool from HydroCare.  If you live in or around Torrington, you have notice the face changed forever in 1955, when a catastrophic flood significantly altered the city, tearing up Main Street and washing numerous buildings away.

Presently, Torrington is a mix of manufacturing, retail, and tourist attractions. The downtown area is being preserved as a thriving cultural center, boasting the Warner Theatre and the renowned Nutmeg Conservatory. Its eclectic mix of antique dealers, art houses, art deco architecture and small specialty shops makes Torrington an appealing choice for residents and tourists alike.