Much bigger pool this year - still ok to leave to freeze?

[Macboy]

Well first off I should thank TroubleFreePool for a trouble free year. I had one algae bloom early on but it was quickly managed by a SLAM and I had great chemistry success all summer since.

So this pool is MUCH larger than the old one. and to "drain below the fittings" only means draining off about 8" of water which leaves a whole lot of water to freeze up over the winter. A whole lot. Has anyone in a northern climate ever frozen down one of these larger rectangular metal frame type pools? Ours is 13X22.

 

[dereksanders]

I reckon you can invite McDavid over and use it for a pick-up hockey game.

 

[Newdude]

Has anyone in a northern climate ever frozen down one of these larger rectangular metal frame type pools?

It doesn't matter if it's 12' around, or 33' around.

drain below the fittings

If I had an above ground pool, I'd cap all the openings instead. Yours will be a solid ice rink in no time, but before that, water/snow on top of the cover can push down forcing the not yet frozen pool water out.

Forgive the crude drawing but you'll get the idea of the pool water riding up the wall and out the return/skimmer.

 

[Macboy]

I've seen that suggestion a few times now but can't visualize how to cap the fittings. All I have is a return jet and the skimmer and can't quite wrap my head around how I'd cap it.

 

[Newdude]

Use a threaded Plug if the return is such, use an expandable rubber Plug if not. (I guessed 1.5 inch, confirm before purchase).

Any pool store has the threaded plug and any home or hardware store has the rubber plugs. (Or amazon for both)

For the skimmer, they make faceplate plugs. Aquadoor was one brand. Stuff the skimmer full of cut up pool noodles as insurance in case the faceplate leaks.

 

[johnnydot]

Use a threaded Plug if the return is such, use an expandable rubber Plug if not. (I guessed 1.5 inch, confirm before purchase).

Any pool store has the threaded plug and any home or hardware store has the rubber plugs. (Or amazon for both)

For the skimmer, they make faceplate plugs. Aquadoor was one brand. Stuff the skimmer full of cut up pool noodles as insurance in case the faceplate leaks.

I leave the skimmer open and put in the "gizmo" which is the brand name of a sealed plastic device which screws into the bottom of the skimmer and compresses when ice forms in the skimmer. I drain the water that accumalates on top of the cover before it turns to ice. I try to keep on top of it and drain the cover water as best as I can when the ice melts when we get a winter thaw here in the northeast.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

For years I used a skimmer plate that closes off the skimmer. You take some screws out, put the plate onto the skimmer with the gasket and put the screws back. My new skimmer is a wide skimmer and plates are not readily available so I had the pool installers put an Aquidor face plate on it. It works like a Tupperware (won't be able to use this as a reference soon!) lid to seal the skimmer. As far as the return, you take off the return eyeball and put the screw in plug into it to seal that. You need to make sure water doesn't get into anything, expands as it freezes and destroys things.

As far as the cover, and I know you didn't ask this, you want it to be as straight down the insides as you can make it so water level matters. Most covers come with a 4 foot overhang to help accomplish this.

 

[Newdude]

I leave the skimmer open and put in the "gizmo"

Totally acceptable.

screws into the bottom of the skimmer and compresses when ice forms in the skimmer

True. But if ice has a hold of the inside of the skimmer, it may buckle the wall when the ice rink shifts as it melts. (For you and OP with above ground pools). We've had some real mild winters here lately with only a couple inches of ice, but maybe this year is the year the real winter comes back and the ice 6 to 12 inches thick. OP is in Edmonton and will likely see thick ice.

Stuff the skimmer full of pool noodles pieces for insurance.

I try to keep on top of it and drain the cover water as best as I can when the ice melts when we get a winter thaw here in the northeast.

Definitely a good practice. You want just enough water on the cover to keep it from blowing around but not enough that it can displace the pool water like the above diagram.