Running Pool Through Winter Help

[kikiganz]

We have been pool owners for 2 years now and have always shut down our pool for the winter. However, we recently did a major landscape renovation and don't want to look out our kitchen window and see a dirty, leaf filled pool or a pool cover. Therefore, this year we are going to run it through winter. We are in Georgia so there are only a couple of days through the winter that we need to worry about freeze and run the pump through the night. Other than that what do we need to know? Chemicals? Hours per day filtering (when it isn't near freezing)?

TIA!
Kristina

 

[triptyx]

As the water temp drops and the sun becomes less strong, you'll see chlorine demand drop significantly. You can adjust your filtering time downwards (I think I drop from 6hrs/day to about 4/hrs, with the pump scheduled to run from about 3a to 7a to deal with the coldest part of the night). Since you have an SWG - it won't work with cold water, so you'll want to test and add bleach every three or four days (or so - you'll learn pretty fast how often you need to add - I tend to boost up about 6-8ppm per addition which lasts me a while). You'll also want to watch your CSI - colder water will cause it to plummet, and the pH/TA you maintain in the summer might not be good for your plaster in the winter.

It's not hard at all to keep it open in a warmer climate. Pay attention to it pretty religiously for the first month or two and you'll quickly see what activity levels you'll need to maintain it.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I'm here in Georgia also and don't close my pool. We have an autocover so the pool is closed/open at will during the cold months. I prefer to look at water over cover.

I use liquid bleach to add FC when necessary and just turn the SWG off since it won't work in cold water. Adding bleach is only needed once every few weeks. Now that we have a robot "Sheldon" we'll run him now and then and let him do any brushing necessary.

In the coldest times, when there is a risk of a freeze, Skippy will toss a tarp over the equipment pad and hang an auto light under the tarp. We'll run the pump all night long then. Once he's tossed that tarp over the equipment pad it seems to stay on till spring, just out of laziness. Its out of view so out of mind also.

Maddie

 

[borjis]

I'm in a similar climate. I too like to look at the open pool water.

However, last year we had a sustained deep freeze for 2 weeks.
Stupid me did not drain the equipment in time, well that is the
pump and filter were drained but not the heater. This spring
it leaked bad, had to replace it as the old one was on its last days.
And I did put an empty milk jug in the skimmer so that was ok.

Just for safety what I'm doing this year is draining the heater, pump
and filter on thanksgiving weekend. They will be empty of water until march
or the water gets to 55 degrees.

I will jug the skimmer again too. I have a sump pump this year to drain
down for the heavy rain days to keep the fill level proper.

This year is predicted to be the same as last with a sustained deep freeze.

My water is almost 50 degrees already. At that low of a temp there is
no cause for concern in algae starting and growing.