New Pool Owner, Tallman pools install, and if I should winterize or not?

[jeffxyan]

This is my first pool ever. Growing up we always had the navy to provide swimming venues for almost free. Those that are worried about Tallman Pools, I can tell you they do care about what they do. They can really do it all. But you can save money and source out your own pricing for certain things. I was impressed with what they did. It did cost a little more than I was hoping but sometimes those things do.

Well we got a blem pool, but our blem was that it was just a year or 2 older model. Cause the new model was slightly different. We went with the Montego Bay, 16 x 36, we are running the autopilot swg system and we got the 3 lights led system too.

Cash price with the assisted install, 23k

We dig hole, bring rock base, source our own electrical and concrete.

we did our best to shave the price anywhere we could.

My boss owned a mini- tractor, and dug hole for me, since I was a 19 year veteran for him, I am very greatful for that. No charge
I dug my own ditch, for wiring back to the house and provided wiring for this, cost of wire and boxes, gfci s, $500 and hired an electrician, he did it for $220 labor
Rock which was mostly 89 clean stone and some 57 for the sides. $1500
And concrete which was only 3 ft around the pool was $2200


I am sure there are some other miscellaneous stuff.

But overall we are happy and the SWG is the stuff. Almost seems maintenance free. Now we are just east of Atlanta. I have a timer, but without the freeze protection on it.
We are going to throw on a cheap cover this year and get something nicer next year. Should we shut down and winterize or should we run it only when it's freezing temps and overnight? The people at Tallman have discussed this with us. Just seeing what everyone else in Atlanta is doing.
Here some pictures:
http://s362.photobucket.com/user/f8d2blk_photo/library/Tallman%20Pool

 

[Alwayswantedapool]

I am a bit north of you but pretty similar weather, and I am not planning on closing the pool. If you search for freezing pipes there are quite a few posts on the topic. I found this one particularly interesting. http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/86914-The-Physics-of-Freezing-and-Freeze-Protection

 

[jeffxyan]

So your using the heating wire tape method? What times of day do you run your pump? and for how long?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I'm near Augusta and we don't close the pool down. The automatic cover keeps things clean. We just turn down the pump to about 4-6 hours a day in the winter but if its going to freeze we always run the pump during the night. During bad freezing weather Skippy tosses tarps over the the pool equipment and hangs a car light underneath in hopes of keeping things a bit warmer.

 

[Alwayswantedapool]

I am currently running the pump 4 hours total, 2 in the am and 2 in the pm. As to what I am going to do for the winter, haven't made a final decision but here is what I am thinking. My pad is surrounded on 3 sides with brick walls. No top. So my thought is to take the some insulating board and cover the top and the back side where there is no brick. Hang a shop light in there with a 100 watt bulb and then tarp it all down. I will also put a remote thermometer in there and monitor and see how it performs. Based on results I will figure out if I also need to run the pump for freeze protection. That's what I am thinking now anyway. Typical winter here is mostly nights in the low 30s and high twentys. Occasionally hit the teens but that is rare and only a couple of nights. Rarely do we ever have a day that doesn't get above freezing.