I did more research, and found out how to manually switch the Jandy valves, and kind of know how to blow out the Caretaker lines, but still dont know if it is ok to blow air through the DE filter ...

Id like to add an extremely important procedure for those with a sand filter. Just removing the drain plug will not sufficiently evacuate 90% of the water still in the sand filter. To remove the remainder is to use a high volume shopvac to blow the filter out through your backwash line. You place your dial to Rinse then place your vac hose on the line from the pump(leave you gauge and sight glass in while doing this). When blowing the air forces the water up and out. This procedure takes usually an extra 5-10 minutes but it will save your tank from freezing expanding then cracking.

Is this the 1st time this is suggested here on TFP? I don't recall seeing this anywhere?

I'm planning to close my in-ground pool this month forever. We're too old to care for it anymore and no one uses it. How do I close it completely and get ready to fill it in? Thanks.

Welcome to TFP!!

While I hate to see pools get closed permanently, if that's what you're determined to do, so be it

As you plan on filling the pool in next spring, you don't have to do anything. You might want to drain the equipment and sell anything still usable on E-BAY to help defray the cost of the fill material.

A proper closing is performed to protect the pool and it's equipment from the freezing temps and also make opening in the spring easier - you're not gonna use the pool again, nor open it, so why waste the time and effort?

If you want to start a new post on preparing the pool to be filled in, I'll provide some input for you

Ran sand filters on our pool from 1946 to to 2004 and never did this. Never had a crack. This is in Northern NJ at 7000 degree-day winters. I'm not buying it.

Hello all -

While we still have some swimming time here near Atlanta, GA the time approaches to shut things down. Since in the past I've never seen more than a thin skin of ice on the pool I don't see the need for a serious pool closing. My plan is this after the water temp drops to 60F:

1. Make sure the water is balanced. Shock with bleach.
2. Remove the ladder. Probably impossible, since years of SWG seem to have corroded the thing in place.
3. Install a mesh cover over the ladder, since I probably can't get it out.
4. Monitor water every week or so, running the filter 1 or 2 hours per day. I should be able to take a sample from the filter strainer basket.
5. If sustained cold weather is forecast, run the filter, and cover filter and pump with a big sheet of plastic. Run a 100 watt incandescent bulb under the plastic sheet. The filter is in a pool house, so dangerous temps inside should be unlikely.

Can anyone suggest anything else? Should I shock with bleach periodically? How about a good dose of polyquat, even though we've had no hint of algae since the new filter and liner?

I'm a little further south that you but not much and I plan on doing basically the same thing. My equipment is in an insulated shed so that's not a concern. I don't plan on shocking, I'm just going to raise the FC level a little once in a while. I figure since I'll have it covered with a solid cover the sun won't be burning off the FC and the colder temps will help too.

We had some really cold temps last year and I didn't even cover the pool and things were fine.

Good Evening All,

I am going to winterize for the first time this year. I did a sort of dry (wet) run and was able to blow out the returns and fountain with no problems. I hooked up my air compressor to the pump and blew them out that way. I attempted to do the skimmer and main drain and here is where I got a bit confused. I have a check valve that would prevent back flow to that area. I attached a pic showing my setup. In the pic is the main drain return and skimmer. How do I blow these lines out with the check valve in place?

Maybe you could thread an air fitting into the 90 degree elbow/elbows? I have not done it, but I have read somewhere that it is possible. If you go that route, I would suggest buying a scrap 90 and trying it first. I suggest the 90 because it is thicker than the pipe alone.
Let us know what you come up with.

From another thread or Pool School:" Two or three days before closing, I bring the pool up to shock level and hold it there until FC holds overnight (which it generally does right off on the first night). Then I let the chlorine level fall about half way back to Normal level, typically another day and a half."

What are the implications of not letting it "fall about half way back to Normal level"? The Polyquat won't behave ideally?

Minor time constaint, no big deal, I can wait, however, if I can proceed at a higher FC then that would help in this situation. But I'll do what is best.

Thanks

High levels of chlorine and PolyQuat result in faster chlorine oxidation of the PolyQuat. This lowers the chlorine level and breaks up the PolyQuat into smaller pieces. These pieces can still be effective, but the loss in chlorine is wasteful. It's going to happen anyway, but at normal chlorine and PolyQuat levels it takes a lot longer (especially as the water gets colder).

I had a pool company close my pool in September 2010.
They told me not to shock the pool in advance. They used 2 types of chemicals - shock, algaecide + antifreeze (I'll update this post if I find out what they used).
They shocked the pool while they were blowing the bottom drain, so chemicals get mixed faster, then lowered the water below skimmer but above returns, blew all lines and plugged them. They added 1/2 gallon of antifreeze in each skimmer line, even with one of my skimmers being more then 30ft away from the filter and about 1/2 a gallon of antifreeze went into each skimmer (which I think was a waste because my cover had holes and skimmers were full of water before winter). Also, they re-attached all plugs back on the heater and told me it's better to keep everything plugged to avoid rust. I know all heater plugs were removed when I opened my pool in 2010.


Thanks.

Update (June 2011) - The pool looked great when I opened it. The water looked good, no green at all. I'm not sure if I'll attempt to close pool myself this year, but wonder what your thoughts are on heater plugs plugged in during winter? I haven't used heater in 2010 and not sure if I will in 2011, but I want to make sure it doesn't go bad on me
Thanks.

This thread has been sleeping for a few months so I thought I'd wake it up. I know it's a little early for this question but I have a lock and loop mesh cover and I know this will be letting in more light/debris then a solid cover. Would it benefit me to cover the lock and loop cover with a tarp to keep some of the extra light and debris out of the pool over the winter?

There are two grades of loop-loc, regular and micro mesh. The micro-mesh blocks enough light that there is no point in doing anything extra. With regular loop-loc mesh the normal attitude is to close late and open early and count on cold temperatures to prevent algae rather than hoping to block the light.

I have no idea which one mine is. It looks solid but if you mash your face into the cover you can see threw it and see into the pool. Sounds like mirco if I were to guess. I am planning on closing when the pool temp is around 50 degrees and openning in late march with the temps about the same. Looks like the tarp might be overkill!

We left our pool open the first year but want to close it this winter for the first time. I've read everything I can but still have a few questions,

1) I'm getting a new Loop Loc mesh in a few weeks, but we get a lot of rain/snow and the water level is going to raise back into the skimmers eventualy, do you just watch it and keep pumping it out to keep the water level down below the skimmers? Why plug the skimmers if the water level is kept below them?

2) Is the exposed dry plaster a problem when draining down below the returns? I keep hearing it has to stay wet or it can crack.

3) Is antifreeze really needed, how and where do you add it?

4) We have a big compressor and can get air to the main drain, but to seal it off do you just turn the hayward valve between 2 settings and leave it?

5) I guess the Polaris pump/line drains the same way....just blow it out?

Thanks,
Leasa

I've had my house and pool since 1995 (1996 was our first time closing it). Over time, I've streamlined it down to throw in the winterizing kit chemicals, remove the ladder and handrail, cover it and pull all the drains so the water can drain out.

Trying to blow the returns out is A) - difficult. B) and it won't stay that way very long. We don't get enough of a freeze to worry about the water lines.

My biggest issue is opening in the spring. Beings as I live in a forest, the usual cover collects water (rain/snow) and LEAVES - LOTS OF LEAVES. This of course leads to leaf tea. I have been using a pool cover pump to pump this out all winter, but I still typically have a real mess that inevitably ends up dumped into the pool , where it needs about 2-3 weeks of 24/7 pumping to clear out after I get the junk out.

Does anybody have any better way to empty water in the cover in the spring ? I've thought about hooking a pool pump (or something with comparable water moving) to empty it before I try to lift the cover out, and trying to "sweep" the leaves out.

It is simple. Probably takes me 10 minutes to do them all and the lines stay bone dry all winter.

is the the polyquat 60 I'm looking for???

Stupid thing better not be upside down again!!