What do you do with your pump & filter when you close?

[Guest]

When I bought this house, the former owner had covered the filter and pump with a tarp. Last year, my first closing, the pool guys removed the pump and we put it in the shed. The filter was left in it's normal spot; I bought a small grill cover to cover it.

This year, the pool guys said that they'd prefer not to remove pump or filter, that they'd had better luck leaving the pumps where they are all summer, uncovered. They blew out the lines and did a lot of work to close but I wasn't sure what to do about the pump.

 

[rodrigo]

We live in central Illinois, and get some pretty cold weather (think Chicago) over winter. For the first four seasons after installing our pool, the pool guys just left all the equipment in place. Everything was fine. A year or two ago, the startup capacitor on our pump motor went bad. I took it to an electric motor shop for a fix, and the tech there asked me if I brought the pump in over the winter. When I told him I didn't, he jumped on me a little, and said that I should. I figured it couldn't hurt, so it's come into the garage ever since. I also started bringing in the SWG control unit and cell, though that is probably overkill.

 

[MikeInTN]

I store my filter, pump, and SWCG in my attic. Of course I have a cartridge filter so I don't have a buttload of sand to worry about dumping, so that might influence your decision about storing the filter. I was told when I first got my pool that it would extend the life of the components, and I'm all about extending life and being thrifty in general.

 

[Durk]

I store pump and DE filter in my basement. I don't have a heater or SWG, so the only thing left on my pad is the electrical box, timer and a few pipes coming out of the ground. Freeze/thaw cycles are not good for plastics or electric motors, I am positive this adds years to life expectancy of pump and filter. Don't leave the vac hose out, either.

 

[Guest]

I store my filter, pump, and SWCG in my attic. Of course I have a cartridge filter so I don't have a buttload of sand to worry about dumping, so that might influence your decision about storing the filter. I was told when I first got my pool that it would extend the life of the components, and I'm all about extending life and being thrifty in general.

Not an issue for me. I have a DE filter with the fingers. Already acid washed them, rinsed them and put them back on the filter. The pool guys were sort of disappointed when I said that I'd do it....

Last year, my first year of owning the pool, I had them open and close because I had no clue about what to do. This year, I opened myself and only had them close. Plan to do the same for next year.

 

[gt6racer]

I have a "Sand Dollar" sand filter in southern Michigan which I left outside for three winters. This year at opening it had a crack in the bottom and had to be replaced. I think the issue is that the drain is not at the bottom, so some water remains. If to be left outside, I'd suggest adding some anti-freeze as I will this year.

 

[mickey4paws]

We never covered our equipment and always left it outside. Lines were blown out and anti-freeze added. However, this year we have a new heater, a SWG and new sand filter. Sand filter too big to do anything with so I'm thinking maybe it would be good to cover with a tarp? I want to bring in the SWG cell. The SWG control panel is mounted on the wall of the house, underneath a large overhang on our back porch, so that should be okay.

As to the heater, I checked out the covers made specifically for heaters. But then I started thinking maybe I could make my own from an air conditioner cover and I could line it with a flannel sheet.

We've never taken the pump inside but it sounds like that might be a good idea.

 

[gnewport]

Mine is in my basement so its always out of the elements! Plumbing goes through the foundation into the pool. Its the weirdest set up I've heard of....