North TX - Unfreezing Pool Plan

[JJ_Tex]

As we come off of this hopefully once in a lifetime event, my pool is still very frozen but we peeked above freezing for the first time in a week and are starting to see signs of returning to normal.

Since I have never done this before, I'm sharing my plans in case I have bad logic and in hopes that they may help others turn their pools back on.

This weekend (Friday 2/19) - Things are probably going to be frozen/partially frozen this weekend even though we will be back in the 40's and 50's. Today I can still walk on the tanning ledge, but I can see the ice separating from the walls. I did clean dog poop off the pool, so that was removed and I need to keep a good eye on him this weekend and will probably break up the ice a bit around the edges since stays far away from the water usually. Outside of that I ordered a tube of pool lube from amazon and will be waiting on mother nature.

Next week (Mon-Fri) - Weather will be sunny and 60+ so it will be tempting to mess with the pool. I would like to wait until the ice is fully melted before I mess with it. I may remove the tarp from the equipment and do a quick visual inspection to make sure nothing is obviously broken. I will probably start testing the water again next week when most of the ice is gone. I'll add some liquid chlorine and stir it around with the brush and/or run the robot.

Next Weekend (Fri 2/26) - Weather still in the 50's/60's. I'm thinking by now all ice will have thawed from the pool, equipment pad, etc. I'll lube up the plugs, put them back in, add some water to the pump basket, flip the breaker and cross my fingers everything works well. If it doesnt work, I'll troubleshoot and probably ask for TFP help.

Does that sound reasonable? Anyone else have a better plan?

 

[Newdude]

Does that sound reasonable? Anyone else have a better plan

It sound like a great plan. I worry alot about the first few inches of any underground run. The grass is out, the pool is melted and everything looks back to normal. Except that last ice plug 5 inches down which has been insulated by the ground. It might only be golf ball sized then, it might still be a 2 inch wide mortar shell. Its gonna hit like a mortar shell either way. If the highs are in the 50s/60s all week the pool water won't get much above the mid 40s and you won't even need any chlorine (but adapt as necessary) No need to rush it next weekend if it isn't hot-hot all week. Slightly warm will feel hot-hot after all you went through. But its not.