How to manage pool during freezes

[yardoasis]

I live in southeast Texas and we're supposed to have a night or two of below freezing temperatures. Do I turn the pump off overnight? Am I supposed to drain the pool a little? Any tips?

 

[Billrector]

I live in southeast Texas and we're supposed to have a night or two of below freezing temperatures. Do I turn the pump off overnight? Am I supposed to drain the pool a little? Any tips?

Temperatures near and/or around freezing for a few days should not cause any issues for you. If you did want to do anything with the pump, you would turn in ON to circulate the water. My advise.....relax.

 

[zea3]

The news this morning says the hard freeze warning is for those north of Harris County. Depending on which part of Houston you are in it probably won't be below freezing long enough for ice to form in your pipes, but if you want to play it safe you can run your pump all night. In our area the above ground pipes are the ones at risk, since our frost line is only 6" deep. Your in-ground plumbing will be well insulated by the dirt.

 

[Jabooh1]

I turn my on for the hours we are supposed to be at 32 or below. Freezing doesn't happen instantly either, think of how long it takes to make an ice cube in your freezer sitting well below 32*.

The danger is an ice plug that is significant enough it can cause a blockage and expand to where it bursts the pipe. I doubt the 3 hours we have below freezing would do that.

However for the $0.40 it will cost me to run my pump, I turn it on.

 

[JVTrain]

As has been said, best to circulate pump continuously whenever freezing conditions are present. There's very little risk in your situation for the pool surface to freeze but what you need to be concerned about are the low volume areas that are exposed directly to the outside such as skimmers, above ground lines at the pumping station and the components at the pumping station (pump, filter, valves, etc.).

 

[mas985]

The danger is an ice plug that is significant enough it can cause a blockage and expand to where it bursts the pipe. I doubt the 3 hours we have below freezing would do that.

It won't. Ice plugs generally do not form below about 20F and in most cases will not form until well below 15F. Even at 20F, it takes a 2" pipe 16 hours to freeze with a 15 MPH wind. Here are a few other freeze times:

http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/86914-The-Physics-of-Freezing-and-Freeze-Protection

Although somewhat warranted, most people are way too conservative when temperatures dip below freezing. It takes very extreme temperatures and/or very long freeze times before it becomes an issue. Exceptions are for smaller plumbing where shorter freeze times are possible.

 

[Jabooh1]

It won't. Ice plugs generally do not form below about 20F and in most cases will not form until well below 15F. Even at 20F, it takes a 2" pipe 16 hours to freeze with a 15 MPH wind. Here are a few other freeze times:

http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/86914-The-Physics-of-Freezing-and-Freeze-Protection

Although somewhat warranted, most people are way too conservative when temperatures dip below freezing. It takes very extreme temperatures and/or very long freeze times before it becomes an issue. Exceptions are for smaller plumbing where shorter freeze times are possible.

Agree, but for $0.40 I'll run the pump.

 

[dkbrat]

I see in your signature your pool was built last April. I would think that you have a freeze guard mode that kicks on depending what temp has been programmed. Ours kicks on at 35.