This fall will be the first time I’ve ever closed a pool. I have a
few questions for the learned folks here if you wouldn’t mind. I have
a 12 x 28 Doughboy above ground. My filter and heater are located
inside my garage and the plumbing runs underground between the pool
and the garage. Prior to putting the cover on for the winter,
1. Should I drain the water level down below the skimmer?
2. I’ve seen advertisements for a device you place inside your
skimmer to absorb the pressure of the ice and supposedly keep your
skimmer from cracking in the freezing weather. If I drain the water
level down below the skimmer, is this still a concern?
3. Should I try to blow the water out of the supply lines or use pool
anti-freeze?
4. I’ve also seen advertisements for cover clips. Anyone have
experience with these? Are they effective? Do they take the place of
a cable strung through the eyelets of your cover?
5. Does anyone use an alternative to empty plastic milk bottles
filled with water to hold down the winter cover?
6. Does anyone use one of those giant air bladders to raise the cover
in the middle to facilitate water and debris run off?
7. Any extra large doses of chemicals required prior to closing?
8. Ok to leave the media (Zeobrite) in my sand filter as long as I
drain the water from the filter and heater via their respective drain
plugs?
Lots of questions I know but hopefully the answers will benefit
others as well.
Pool Closing Questions
January 7th, 2007 · 1 Comment
Tags: chemicals
1 response so far ↓
1 Ward Marna // Jan 8, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Answer to your questions.
1. yes
2. no
3. I blow the water out. I don’t know about antifreeze as I have never
used it.
4. Cover clips are much easier than the cable. I also use weights as the
wind can be tough on my cover if I don’t hold it down. For weights I use
old 5 lb window frame weights that came out of the house we live in when
we replaced the old wood windows.
5. See question #4
6. I used a bladder/pillow for one year, found it to be a hassle (just
my opinion)
7. Yes, but I don’t know what they are as we do nothing because we
empty the pool in the spring and don’t care what condition the water is in.
8. Yes, it is ok to leave your filter media in the filter as long as
the plug is removed at the bottom. Also remove the plug at the base of
the leaf basket that is next to your filter tank. We also remove the lid
to that leaf basket just to save the O-ring from the freezing temps.
Amelia
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