Broken laterals... did I not close correctly?

[gtnos]

Since my pool opened up with a sandfilter that is shooting sand into the pool from one or more broken laterals (intex sending me 6 new ones under warranty) I am wondering if that was caused from it freezing over the winter and if there is anything I could have done differently to prevent it? I unhooked all the pipes from the pool, capped the inlet and outlets, blew out the water from the pipes with an air compressor, drained the pump, closed the valve on the sandfilter. made sure there was no water in the cross pipe to the sandfilter.

thoughts?

 

[duraleigh]

Did you drain the filter?

 

[gtnos]

yes, but im wondering if I drained it enough.

 

[JasonLion]

The laterals are down near the bottom of the filter tank. If there was water down there over the winter, that would be enough to crack the laterals.

 

[JohnT]

It has been a long time since I had an Intex sand filter, but mine had to be stored inside during the winter.

 

[gtnos]

well, im wanting to chalk this one up as a learning experience before I pop $$$ on a real ABG pool with a far more expensive Hayward 250 lb sandfilter.

obviously I cant take a 250 lb filter indoors every winter. other than trying my best to drain all the water out of it, is there anything else I can do?

thanks!

 

[Smykowski]

I know nothing about Intex equipment, but I leave my Hayward filters out all winter, and just keep the drain plugs off.

 

[JasonLion]

I believe there is a drain cap that should be removed to drain the filter on the Intex sand filters. There certainly is on the larger filters. If you removed that cap it should have drained enough to prevent freeze damage. There is no reliable way to drain it completely enough other than removing the drain cap.