Prepare Your Water Feature for the Cold Winter Months
As the Christmas season approaches and with it the cold winter months, here at UK Water Features we’re already thinking about taking the important steps to protecting our water features and ponds for the upcoming season. As we know, the British weather is so unpredictable so here at UK Water Features we think it is always better to be prepared!
Let’s take a look at ponds first. If you keep fish in your pond they will survive the winter outdoors if your pond has a section that is deeper than 3 feet. Remove all the vegetation and fallen leaves from the pond though, as more fish die from toxic gases produced by rotting vegetation than from freezing. Once the pond is clean, set up a small pump to bubble at the water surface. It has to run constantly to maintain an ice-free area. If you have a shallow pond, it is best to move your fish into an indoor aquarium for the winter period.
Over the winter it is also a good idea to remove all pumps, fountain heads and filters. Clean them thoroughly and store indoors where they can be protected from the elements and won’t freeze. Some manufacturers recommend that you put pumps into a bucket of water over the winter months to keep seals lubricated and extend the life of the pump, so you may want to try this.
It is also recommended that any pond spitters and ornaments are stored indoors too to be protected from harsh weather in the months to come. If you don’t have this option and have to leave them out, be sure to clean the figures, dry them thoroughly, place in an area that is elevated out of the water or wet soil and wrap it in plastic or feature cover to keep it dry.
Now onto your Outdoor Water Features. All features should be empty and pumps stored indoors as mentioned above. If the fountain is light enough to move, dry it completely and store it inside out of the weather. If again this is not possible, follow the steps above for statues etc. to keep it dry and protected. Here at UK Water Features we have a range of great quality fountain protection covers that will keep your feature in top condition and protected from the elements until next spring. This includes a range of sizes just like our Medium Fountain Cover and our Large Feature Cover, that are very easy to use with drawstrings to tighten around the base of your feature!
We hope this short blog will have given you a few tips to start preparing your water features and ponds for the winter months, to help you care for it the best you can. There will be nothing worse than next spring getting out your beloved feature to find a crack in it or a broken pump or pipework! These steps may take some time but will be well worth it in the long run when your feature last years and years!
Don’t forget to check out all our fantastic Water Feature Care & Maintenance Products on our UK Water Features website.
