Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB Used

[Shaf77]

Thanks to TFP, we had an awesome summer in terms of pool maintenance and water clarity. I am grateful for all the help everyone always provides here.

We had our PB include a closing and opening into the pool we just had built over the summer.

They are coming to close the pool on October 11th. I have told them that I want to do it with them so that I can do It myself going forward.

From reading on this site, here is what I think they need to do. Please can you review so that in case they don't do something, I can point it out and ask. I would like to be armed with all the info I can before they come.

Prep
The PB has delivered a fibreglass step cover and pool cover.
Balance - bring PH to 7.4 and 7.6 and make sure TA is not out of line.
Shock - Do I need to shock or will PB? I will check with them today.
PolyQuat - Will check if PB will add or if I need to provide.
Clean and vacuum the pool.
Store equipment - ladder
Backwash the sand filter
Drain pool - Will check with PB if I need to drain or they will. Where should I drain to below the lights or below the returns? Since I have a sand filter, I can just drain to waste using a hose (by closing the skimmer and using just the main drain), right?
Remove fittings - skimmer basket and return eyeballs (4)

Blow out lines
We have a waterfall, 2 returns at the step (connected to each other) and 2 other returns (connected to each other). I assume these are all blown from the pad and then plug them?
The skimmer and main drain both come to the pad and have a valve. How are these blown out? I have attached pictures for reference.
Drain plugs - I need them to remove the drain plugs on the pump, filter and heater.

Misc
Since my equipment is not covered, I plan to take the SWCG cell, SWCG Panel and the Pump indoors. Is this ok? I will only leave the sand filter and heater outdoors.
Apply some grease to exposed threads on pump and heater
Set the sand filter to Winter setting.
Anti-freeze - will check if PB will add.
Seal the pipes - will check to see how PB does them. Also check to see if they will use a gizzmo.
Cover - the cover we will be using will go into the upper track of the coping.
Over the winter check for leaves and buildup on cover and use leaf blower to clear.
Wash and store the solar cover and roller.

Have I missed anything?
What else should I ask the PB?

Added pics below of equipment and relevant areas. The yellow shutoff valve is for the waterfall. The other two red valves are for the step returns and pool returns.

Waterfall

 

[BoDarville]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Review Please

Shaf77:

Nice pool & yard you have there.

Before you begin, make sure the water temp is below 60F or 15C.

Balance - bring PH to 7.4 and 7.6 and make sure TA is not out of line.

Yes.

Shock - Do I need to shock or will PB?

Either one of you should. Two or three days before closing, bring the pool up to shock (a.k.a., SLAM) level and hold it there until FC holds overnight (which it generally does right off on the first night). Then let the chlorine level fall about half way back to normal levels, typically another day and a half.

PolyQuat - Will check if PB will add or if I need to provide.

Ideally, you would do this after the chlorine comes down from SLAM level to about half way back to normal levels. Turn pump on to mix for about a hour or so before draining.

Clean and vacuum the pool.
Store equipment - ladder
Backwash the sand filter

Yes to all of these.

Drain pool - Will check with PB if I need to drain or they will. Where should I drain to below the lights or below the returns?

Drain the water down until it is about four inches below the bottom of the returns.

Remove fittings - skimmer basket and return eyeballs (4)

Yes.

Blow out the lines - Can be done using a large shop vac or blower. If you have more than one skimmer/return this should be done one at a time. Blow air into the skimmer pipe until nothing but a very fine mist is coming out of the return. At this point, you can let the blower run longer if you want to.

Drain plugs - I need them to remove the drain plugs on the pump, filter and heater.

Correct, they s/b removed.

Apply some grease to exposed threads on pump and heater
Set the sand filter to Winter setting.
Anti-freeze - will check if PB will add.
Seal the pipes - will check to see how PB does them. Also check to see if they will use a gizzmo.
Cover - the cover we will be using will go into the upper track of the coping.
Over the winter check for leaves and buildup on cover and use leaf blower to clear.
Wash and store the solar cover and roller.

Yes to all. On the anti-freeze, just be sure to use pool/RV anti-freeze (not automotive!).

Have I missed anything?

I might consider leaving an automatic cover pump on the cover for as long as it is above freezing overnight to pump off any excess water that may accumulate.

 

[Shaf77]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Review Please

Thank you BoDarville.

I will document how the PB gets the pool closed on Friday. I hope they don't take any shortcuts.

As for the automatic cover pump, please can you recommend one that I can buy?

 

[Shaf77]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Review Please

Just wanted to update.

Pool was closed today by PB. I had backwashed, rinsed and drained last night to 3" below returns.

Two guys came and they took just 45mins to get it all done! They did not shock or add chlorine. They said that since it's a new liner and the water was sparkling, they don't want to shock and possibly fade the liner. I didn't really care since the liner is being changed in the spring when we open. Just wanted to learn the whole process so that I can do it myself going forward. They charge $450 for a closing!!

I have documented it all. I did most of the stuff before. The only things they did, were blowing the lines, plugging, algaecide and the cover.

Want to save the instructions for use next year. All blowing was done only through the skimmer.

Added pics too...

Please let me know if I should modify or change anything for next year.

Thanks!!

POOL CLOSING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Photos are in same folder as this document
2. Before you begin, make sure the water temp is below 60F or 15C.
3. Test pool water and balance if needed
4. Wash and put away all pool furniture and pool beds
5. Shock the pool - Two or three days before closing, bring the pool up to shock (a.k.a., SLAM) level and hold it there until FC holds overnight (which it generally does right off on the first night). Then let the chlorine level fall about half way back to normal levels, typically another day and a half.
6. Add Polyquat - ideally, you would do this after the chlorine comes down from SLAM level to about half way back to normal levels. Turn pump on to mix for about an hour or so before draining
7. Wash and put away solar cover and roller
8. Vacuum the pool
9. Clean skimmer
10. Clean steps
11. Clean pool robot filter
12. Put away pool robot
13. Connect pool drain hose to swale
14. Backwash for 5 minutes
15. Rinse for 1-2 minutes
16. Close the skimmer valve (drain only from main)
17. Change filter valve to waste and drain pool 3” below the returns (takes about 1.5hrs)
18. Remove step at deep end.
19. Remove pads from bottom of step to drain.
20. Wash steps and store in basement.
21. Place step cover at shallow end.
22. Close main drain and blow out water using pump for a few seconds to dry the area.
23. Keep main and skimmer lines open.
24. Remove skimmer basket.
25. Plug blower into the skimmer. Bremner used this - Cyclone Liner Vac 3 HP 120 Volt http://www.inyopools.com/Products/00401 ... viewPage=1
26. Close step jets and waterfall valves. Keep main jet return valve open.
27. Turn on blower and let lines start blowing out. Let the lines keep blowing water until starting to mist.
28. Starting with the line closest to the pump pad (deep end), remove eyeball and socket and plug the line. Used #10 Rubber Plugs. The remaining one return on that line will keep blowing out.
29. Now open the step jet valves at the pad. 3 jets should be blowing water. When the remaining main jet is misting, plug it. Water will now be coming out only at the step jets.
30. Once step jets start misting, open the valve at the pad for the waterfall.
31. When the step jest start misting, remove eyeball for first step jet (south side) and plug.
32. Next remove eyeball from second step jet and plug.
33. The only place water will now be coming out of is the waterfall.
34. Open valve to now have both main and skimmer open.
35. Water will also now be bubbling at main drain in deep end.
36. Once water at waterfall is misting, plug the return (use plumbers tape on the threads).
37. Let main drain continue to bubble.
38. Remove two drain valves on the heater – one is inside (access is from the south side removing plug cover). Second one is on opposite side under the inlet pipes of the heater
39. Open heater and turn off gas inside.
40. Remove drain plug from the filter (above the sight glass)
41. Remove sight glass and gasket from the filter
42. Remove the pressure gauge from the filter
43. Remove the drain valve from bottom of the filter
44. Remove drain plug from the pump
45. Remove pump basket and store
46. Change filter valve to Winter setting (move it through some of the settings to drain it and leave it at the Winter setting)
47. Continue to blow until all the water from filter, heater and pump is out.
48. Continue to blow until the main drain is only bubbling.
49. Shut off blower.
50. Pour gallon of algaecide in the pool.
51. Using same bottle plug the skimmer inlet (pool side)
52. Plug the skimmer with foam (tight, so that it doesn’t float out)
53. Put skimmer cover on
54. Put pool cover one and snap into coping track
55. Use clips at intervals to hold in place
56. Blow off leaves periodically from the cover
57. Drain water that collects on cover periodically
Once closed:
1. All valves at the pad are open
2. Filter is set at Winter
3. Gas inside the heater is shut off
4. 2 plugs on heater are removed
5. 1 plug on pump is removed
6. Plug at bottom of filter is removed
7. Viewing glass (and gasket) on filter is removed
8. Plug at top of filter is removed
9. All devices are unplugged

 

[X-PertPool]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

$450 and they can't even give you a gizzmo for you skimmer? Styrofoam floats which doesn't help with expansion unless it was jammed into place.

 

[Shaf77]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

$450 and they can't even give you a gizzmo for you skimmer? Styrofoam floats which doesn't help with expansion unless it was jammed into place.

Exactly! They only used a gallon of algacide! That was all they spent and were there only 45mins.

They did jam it into place.

It that ok, they way they did it?

Please could someone also explain how the strofoam works? Should I remove the styofoam and put a gizzmo? I looked up a gizzmo and it says that the gizzmo is screwed into the skimmer. In this case, is there anything screwed into the skimmer?

 

[FamilyGuy]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

Not sure about the styrofoams intended use but a gizmos the way to go for sure

 

[Shaf77]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

Spoke to PB and he claims that the foam is better than a Gizzmo.

Looked at Pool School and it says:

"The skimmer also gets most of a gallon of anti-freeze on top of the plug and some torn up pool noodle foam to protect the skimmer (which will also be covered by the main cover). Some people use a gizzmo in the skimmer but I prefer the rubber plug and pool noodle material as I feel more confident that the rubber plug won't come out."

Question: The PB put an empty bottle of the algacide into the weir / door of the skimmer keeping it open. Is that ok?

 

[samt]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

I think there are many ways to do it. I plug the skimmers with just the white plugs with o ring gaskets , I haven't had those things leak yet.

Then I pour about 3/4 gal anti freeze in the skimmer pot, then I take the gallon jug with a 1/4 of antifreeze left and drop the jug in the skimmer pot.

Works great, no leaks, displaces water in the pot and above all cheap and simple.

My Leakey gizzmos went in the garbage.

 

[X-PertPool]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

Gizzmos are usually the way to go. as they are a plug, take ice expansion, and don't float as they screwed into place.
Some skimmers have shallow or no threads so in that case a rubber plug must be used. Rubber plugs can pop out since they are just compression. Gizzmos and white plugs (sp1022c) have threads which means they can't pop out (opposite of what that PB said).
When using a rubber plug or sp1022c (white plug) expansion should be used. I prefer a jug of antifreeze filled mostly with pea gravel so it's not buoyant and also contains antifreeze and some air at the top since liquids can't be compressed.

 

[Shaf77]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

Thank you all for the help.

I think that maybe I wasn't clear. They used a rubber plug for the skimmer (as they did for all the returns). They then stuffed the skimmer with foam. From what I have read this should be okay in place of a gizzmo.

The question I have is that they put an empty bottle of algacide in through the skimmer door from the pool side. This is keeping the door of the skimmer open. Is this ok?

Also, since the skimmer cover has a vent hole, won't water get in from rain?

 

[Shaf77]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

Bumping to get help for my questions please.

 

[X-PertPool]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

the bottle in skimmer is okay, and yes you may get water in there from rain, but that's why they put that foam in there.

 

[Shaf77]

Re: Pool Closing in Toronto - Updated Pics and Procedure PB

the bottle in skimmer is okay, and yes you may get water in there from rain, but that's why they put that foam in there.

Thanks!