What am I doing?

[Thinkly]

This is my first year in our new home and thus the first Fall pool closing season. First the info:

1) 11,000 gallons
2) DE Filter
3) IG Pool
4) Fiberglass
5) 3/4 hp pump unknown flowrate

Now the questions...

I have read continually and been told locally that the wisest thing to do is to leave the pool open as long as possible. So earlier in the Fall i looked at some temperature average data, and concluded that Oct. 30th would be a good time to close since we can still get a lot of warm weather up to and even past that point. So I called the pool company and scheduled a close for Oct. 30th.

Conversely, as I was reminded of this weekend, we can also get winter weather temps in Oct. as well. I had to run my pump almost all weekend because temps were flirting with freezing. Additionally, there will be many more freezing nights and again, like this past weekend...freezing days.

So I keep asking myself what am I doing? Why didn't i close the pool already and quit wasting electricity and the minor amount of Synergy Chlorine that I am still using? On top of that I am worried about the stress and or potential damage to the pool equipment. Is it really worth it to spare a possible 8000 gallons of water? (after lowering below returns.)

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I honestly think with these temps and how many days are left in October - it's unikely that even with a stretch of 80 degree days that the water temp will rise that much, so I'd go ahead and close.

P.S. next year save yourself a lot of money and ditch the Synergy and simply use BBB.

 

[cubbybeave08]

What is your water temperature right now. If it is in the 60's Even if you had three or four days fo 80 degree temerature I don't think you would get much algae growth...If you close with pool at shock level, it will fight what ever algae might grow in that time providing you cover. Last year I closed the pool in mid September, and we had plenty of warm days left...This year I waited until the first weekend in October to close, and it was a little too long to wait. But since I had a solar heater, we were able to swim well into the middle of september.

 

[Thinkly]

I can't close till Oct. 30th since that is my scheduled date with the pool company. I didn't want to do it myself this time since i am new and the consequences for failure are fairly high. My water temp has been varying depending on conditions, but yesterday it was right around 50F.

I guess my theory is that having someone show me how to properly open and close the pool the first season is worth the investment. I will DIY from that point hopefully. The question that keeps running through my head is..."why do I have this pool still full of water (not winterized) when it is freezing outside?" I guess the answer is that I probably should already.

Then again, next year in Kansas my water temp could probably easily be 65 F at this time. You just never know what you are going to get.

 

[Butterfly]

Hi Thinkly and welcome to the forum

Your theory is good. Having someone open/close for you the first season can show you the ropes and you can DIY in the future.
Also, any questions you have, you can post here and get lots of help.

Then, next year, you can close when you choose :-D

All of us (new pool owners) have a learning curve that we have to conquer. TFP helps us do that.

Some folks video the closing so that they don't forget anything. Let us know how the closing goes.

 

[PaulR]

If your water temp is around 50 then a couple nights where the air temp bottoms out around 30 aren't going to cause any problems. If you're like me, the wife makes you run the pump all night anyway. And maybe the heater. Even though she was a physics major. But then she grew up in LA and has no clue about living where it freezes outside, and what the practical difference is between a balmy 30F and the more nippy 20F. (I grew up in Massachusetts.)

Yes, everybody knows water freezes at 32. Really what that means is that liquid water cools off until it reaches 32, then starts cooling off by transforming into a solid. But that transformation gives off a lot of heat, meaning it takes a lot of cooling to make it happen, and your pool does not instantly transform into a 20,000-gallon block of ice if the overnight air temp dips to 31F.

However, there are much smaller (and more exposed) bits of water in other parts of the plumbing, so running the pump on frosty nights is cheap insurance to keep those bits moving freely.
--paulr

 

[Crimson]

This is probably not the right thread to complain that its hotter than heck here in central FL and my water temp is still like bath water..

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Oh sure... rub it in.

 

[beaumatt]

Welcome Thinkly!

I am outside of Kansas City and still have not closed my pool either...planning on it in the next few days though. I have not had any ill effects from our recent cold snap, so I would imagine you will be fine as well. I heard on the news this morning that it will be in the mid 70's next week! Anyway, my water has just finally dipped below 60 this past week, so I am ready to close her up for the winter....my least favorite time of the year!

 

[cubbybeave08]

Thinkly, you are right...having someone walk you through it the first year is a great help...make sure you take good notes or photos or video...it helps to remember what they did next year...last year I had the greatest helper come out and show me the ropes...This year was easy...only had to call her once


Thanks poolmom for being my pool closing buddy!!! You're a great teacher!!!

And so as we bring another pool season to a close...don't forget...there is only 197 days until May 1st

 

[rcy]

Thinkly, I wondered the same thing myself (having closed on October 20) and suffered through 5 or 6 nights of 0 to 2 celsius temps. Was it worth the hydro to run the pool? Don't know, but I'd rather look at water in my back yard than a big blue pool cover.

The only saving grace for me is I have a Jandy Aqualink system and the pump comes on automatically for freeze protection at whatever temperature I set it to. This saved me from having to run the pump all night. Also,with the colder daytime temps, I reduced the run time of the pump during the day, also saving some electricity.

By the way, I go through the same thing in the spring (I open the first week of April usually). I've actually had nights of light snow in the spring, with the pool open and beckoning. The solar heat helps, but still don't usually swim till sometime in May. I just like looking at open water.