After the 2021 Deep Freeze, is anyone else considering closing for the first time?

[PaigeMark]

Hoping to avoid some of the mental anguish and damage to pool equipment we faced this past winter. Considering two options:

A) Winterizing the pool for the first time
or
B) Leaving the pool open until it looks like the Arctic is going to return to Tulsa and planning to drain everything then.

Last year, we tried to keep everything going by keeping the equipment pad heated and all of the pumps running. Fear of a power failure kept us up for days on end just checking to see if pumps were still running on the hour and on day 9 or 10 everything started to freeze up anyway so we lost that battle. We were able to drain all of the equipment and put pool noodles in the skimmer before everything froze solid but we did get cracked above ground pipes and a valve. Just wondering what the consensus is on the best plan for this winter. To close or not to close? By the way, we are moving across town and the new pool doesn’t have an attached raised spa so draining all of those above ground pipes will be easier. Don’t own a pool cover, though.

 

[Fpppool]

Hoping to avoid some of the mental anguish and damage to pool equipment we faced this past winter. Considering two options:

A) Winterizing the pool for the first time
or
B) Leaving the pool open until it looks like the Arctic is going to return to Tulsa and planning to drain everything then.

Last year, we tried to keep everything going by keeping the equipment pad heated and all of the pumps running. Fear of a power failure kept us up for days on end just checking to see if pumps were still running on the hour and on day 9 or 10 everything started to freeze up anyway so we lost that battle. We were able to drain all of the equipment and put pool noodles in the skimmer before everything froze solid but we did get cracked above ground pipes and a valve. Just wondering what the consensus is on the best plan for this winter. To close or not to close? By the way, we are moving across town and the new pool doesn’t have an attached raised spa so draining all of those above ground pipes will be easier. Don’t own a pool cover, though.

+1

 

[duckcmmndr]

Last year was my first winter with the new IG pool. I had no intention of closing it and didn't. We had 20" of snow that lasted for over a week and several days of below freezing weather. Completely out of the ordinary for Southwest Arkansas. I was very luck to never have lost power. I had a plan to drain/blow out lines if it came to it...but honestly I was not really prepared for that fire drill having never done it before. My pump pad is below the water level...so I don't think normal drain/blowout would work without some tweaking. Not sure what you do when your pad plumbing is lower than the water level in the pool.

I have a generator that should run my pool pump...but I never tested it running things in the house as well as my pool equipment. For this winter I am still not planning on closing my pool...but I do plan on testing my generator out and make sure it can run what I am expecting it to run including my pool pump. I may also try to figure out how to get water out of my pad plumbing...I know how to drain the filter and pump, but the pipes that stub up out of the ground are going to present a challenge.

 

[Newdude]

I may also try to figure out how to get water out of my pad plumbing...I know how to drain the filter and pump, but the pipes that stub up out of the ground are going to present a challenge.

It’s like a fire drill. Get down the basics when it’s easy and there is no emergency rush. So you waste an hour on a beautiful day. Have another margarita and learn from it. When it counts for real, it’s second nature.

 

[duckcmmndr]

It’s like a fire drill. Get down the basics when it’s easy and there is no emergency rush. So you waste an hour on a beautiful day. Have another margarita and learn from it. When it counts for real, it’s second nature.

That's the plan