Hey all. This is my first time closing my pool and could use some advice on whether what I have done is the right way and whether or not I'm going to damage something. This week it was finally forecasted that freezing temps would occur, so this past weekend I closed up.
This is what I did:
Dropped water level below the eyeball return. Disconnected union before pump. Literally blew out line from skimmer to union disconnect at pump. Drained out pump. Disconnected union between pump and sand filter. Removed small glass collection bottle. Drained sand filter and left off drain cap as per filter instructions. Disconnected union after filter. Disconnected union before eyeball return and literally blew out line from filter union to return union.
I live in Atlanta, so we don't get snow and have freezing temps here and there, but usually nothing significant.
Here are a couple questions I have:
- Do I need to remove the pressure gauge?
- Do I really need to leave off the filter drain plug all winter, as per the instructions? What about bugs getting in?
- I am alittle worried about rainwater coming in from the top of the skimmer cover and going down that pipe. The union is uphill from the skimmer, so water will collect in the pipe. If it freezes, will it damage the skimmer/pipe, or if it's open on both ends it won't damage, I'm unsure?
- Same issue with the return line disconnect and rainwater entering the union and collecting at the bottom of the pipe, b/c again, the union at the filter is uphill from the return line disconnect.
- I left the eyeball return open and was planning on using that for rainwater overflow. Is this OK?
- Also, concerning the skimmer, I don't have a plug and thought about it, but if I plugged it, then rainwater would still collect in the skimmer box and if that froze, would that damage the skimmer box?
Can someone educate me please?
Thanks for the help.
This is what I did:
Dropped water level below the eyeball return. Disconnected union before pump. Literally blew out line from skimmer to union disconnect at pump. Drained out pump. Disconnected union between pump and sand filter. Removed small glass collection bottle. Drained sand filter and left off drain cap as per filter instructions. Disconnected union after filter. Disconnected union before eyeball return and literally blew out line from filter union to return union.
I live in Atlanta, so we don't get snow and have freezing temps here and there, but usually nothing significant.
Here are a couple questions I have:
- Do I need to remove the pressure gauge?
- Do I really need to leave off the filter drain plug all winter, as per the instructions? What about bugs getting in?
- I am alittle worried about rainwater coming in from the top of the skimmer cover and going down that pipe. The union is uphill from the skimmer, so water will collect in the pipe. If it freezes, will it damage the skimmer/pipe, or if it's open on both ends it won't damage, I'm unsure?
- Same issue with the return line disconnect and rainwater entering the union and collecting at the bottom of the pipe, b/c again, the union at the filter is uphill from the return line disconnect.
- I left the eyeball return open and was planning on using that for rainwater overflow. Is this OK?
- Also, concerning the skimmer, I don't have a plug and thought about it, but if I plugged it, then rainwater would still collect in the skimmer box and if that froze, would that damage the skimmer box?
Can someone educate me please?
Thanks for the help.