How do you close a pool in this crazy Texas weather?

[canjones]

I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. If you are familiar, then you know that we may not have a single freezing day or we may have a week of ice! You just never know. Last year, people were out swimming on Christmas day and we had a deadly tornado the day after Christmas and we didn't use a single "bad weather" day. So, how do I close this pool? I have a tarp cover that the previous owners left behind but it just seems like a hassle to put up. My pool is surrounded by leaves so that has been a disaster to clean up every other day. I really don't understand all of the things that are on the TFP list for closing an above ground pool - like removing the skimmer and dealing with hoses. I mean I am doing this all on my own and I can't find a pool guy who is willing to deal with an above ground/recessed pool.

The only thing I understand is to run the pool 1 hour for every 10 degrees of temperature (70 degree weather = 7 hours of running the pool) and to keep the pool running if we have freezing temps.

Please give me your suggestions.

 

[woodyp]

No particular reason to close one in our zone. I live dead East of you and haven't closed mine in going on 8 years now. Just this year finally going to put a leaf net over it to ease my leaf issues pains. If it's gonna go below freezing and stay there a good while, just run the pump. We've only had one year since I've had mine that temps dipped into the upper 20's and stayed there for like 4 days without breaking 32 degrees------which was a total weather outlier for us. I keep a small generator on hand if we should lose power 2 or 3 days or so under those conditions.

Foam tape any pvc pipes above ground and cover your pad with a tarp. I've also ran a 100 watt bulb drop light under the tarp. STILL keep that FC and PH checked though, even though FC loss will drop like a rock.

 

[pooldv]

+1 I've never closed either. I did get some ice on the surface one time, probably the same time Woody is talking about. I just add 4 or 5 ppm of bleach every time FC drops to 8 or 9. Test the PH when FC is below 10 ppm. Leaves are a pain for a month or so but after that it is easy.

 

[canjones]

Thanks to you both. I think I will try to get a leaf net next year. This has been crazy with the leaves. Freezing Temps tomorrow night though.