Winter water level in in ground pool

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Andrew Howard said:
We've been having a lot of rain lately and this is my first winter with pool. Do I need to maintain the water level below the skimmer and returns if they are all plugged? Or is it ok to return the water to summer levels.
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I do, I let it gradually fill back up then pump it way back down letting the water level vary over the max 18" the cover recommends as lowest level. That way the water level line doesn't leave a "ring" from being in the same place all winter that can be a b#tch to clean.
 
I keep mine below the bottom of the skimmer mouth. I use the garden hose as a siphon and lower the water. It's slow but gets the job done. I don't want water in my skimmers that will dilute my antifreeze and be prone to freezing .
 
You can let the water accumulate. When my pool was closed they didn't drain it down. I was really nervous at first but if it's closed properly you won't have any issues. That being said it won't hurt to keep it at the lower closing level. Also I have a vinyl liner pool. From what I'm told it's fine to do with a tile waterline border too but doesn't the freezing put pressure on the tile? The skimmer needs an empty bottle or gizmo to absorb the freezing water pressure so that's fine. But what do people think about the tile?
 
I wouldn't think the tile would be an issue but could be wrong.

I do know that forgetting to put an empty milk jug slightly filled with rocks in a skimmer can definitely crack the skimmer
during a deep freeze (20F or lower for days on end) if the water is at summer level.

I saw a someone's skimmer cracked for that exact reason...fortunately for them at the time the pool was over
filled from rain water (at coping level) and the skimmer cracked 90% around but it was so high and above
the summer level it has not been a problem.
 
I am wondering the same thing. I have a saftey cover, I drained the pool to below the returns so I could blow them out and cap them. I new we have had some wet weather recently but I was shocked to check the skimmer today and find the pool had filled to the point that it filled up the skimmer with water and there was no sign of the RV antifreeze left (water in skimmer was clear). I have been pumping it out with a small submersible pump most of the day and I have it about 2" below the skimmer again. So I vac'd the water out of the skimmer and re-filed with antifreeze. I have a gizmo, ad a partially crushed empty gallon jug in there as well. Is it normal to have it fill back up with water and then freeze? Is the gizmo enough to prevent cracking the skimmer? Should I worry about he water level being too high? We are expecting a quick drop in temps tonight and a very fridged week coming up so I am not able to get the water level much lower at this point. I expect most things will finally freeze up for the rest of the winter this week. It has been abnormally warm so far this winter.

This is my first winter with an IGP as well, so this is all new to me. I do know that ICE is bad when contained.....

-Ryan
 
I do try to drain my IGP when the water gets really high. As long as it's closed properly, no water will get into the system. I use a gizmo in skimmer, but also use pieces of an old pool noodle, @and stuff the skimmer. The water freezes in the skimmer, but the noodles give enough to prevent cracking. Not sure how much snow you get,but if your water level is really low it will put extra stress on the safety cover. When the pool freezes, it pretty much supports the snow, especially with water at normal or higher than summer water levels.
 
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