Latest news, weather and high school sports for Albany and Southwest Georgia

Summer came to an end September 21^st, temperatures are dropping, and leaves are starting to fall off the trees.

This is the time of year Bobby Hinman, the owner of Backyard Concepts, says you should winterize your pool, “If you cover a pool that's dirty or full of leaves, the organic material will take and it will cause staining in the pool.”

When it comes to choosing a cover for your pool, Hinman says he would always recommend a safety cover which is bolted to the ground, it could mean the difference between life or death.

“Your children can walk on it, you don't need to worry about them drowning, where the other covers, that are held on by the water bags, could literally fall in if a child was to walk on in”, says Hinman.

Some pool owners opt to leave there pools uncovered throughout the winter. If you go with this option, be sure to keep the pump running.

Shutting if off can be a real safety hazard. That’s because the pool will turn green and If a child were to fall into it, you would have a hard time seeing them on the bottom of the pool.

It's also important to remember that in warmer regions, like Southwest Georgia, you should leave pool full to help protect the lining.

Pools won't remain closed too long; experts say March is when people start the re-opening process.