I'm a first time pool owner in Fiddletown, California. The pool was competed in June 2016, and I've benefited a lot from discussions on the TFP site. I'm now trying to figure out if I need to winterize my pool. It's a 15 x 30 in ground, plaster pool with a SWG that is controlled by an Pentair Intellichem/Intellichlor system which is supposed to automatically control the pH and chlorine/ORP. This works pretty well, except that I've had to consistently add acid. But the pool has remained clear and sparkling. The pool has an automatic Save-T3 pool cover by Cover Pools. I'm at about 2000 feet in the Sierra Foothills. Winter weather is generally fairly mild - temperatures can be freezing at night, but almost always warm up during the day. Still, there have been a few years when I've had frozen, busted PVC irrigation pipes, so I do winterize my above ground pipes/risers in the late fall. I know I need to keep the water off my pool cover, and am using a sump pump supplied by the pool company. Should I leave the pool open or winterize - which sounds like a major hassle. Thanks for any advice.
PS, I get from the TFP site that all this equipment might not be necessary, might even be more trouble than it's worth - live and learn!
PS, I get from the TFP site that all this equipment might not be necessary, might even be more trouble than it's worth - live and learn!
I was stationed at Beale AFB for a while and can relate to the chilly winters. While there are freeze occasions, generally pool plumbing underground, and the few feet of pipe above ground to your equipment, should remain fine. When you have those freeze warnings, you can help by leaving the water flowing as it would be very difficult for moving water to freeze unless there was a hard freeze over a significant length of time. By leaving everything open (running) in the winter, you will be able to remove debris when needed and periodically check chemical levels just to ensure that new pool's pH doesn't get to high on you. FC consumption will really slow down. You might even be able to turn-off your SWG at some point or really back-off of the run time for a while when the water temps get real low. All of this should make for a much easier spring opening as well. 
Nice to have you with us.