1st time closing in New Orleans, Louisiana. Few questions I’m going back and forth with.

[Natnem]

Hello y’all! So I have been reading the pool School and forum about winterizing the pool. It my first time. Along with the 2020 challenges I’m dealing with a brand new pump making A loud humming noise and then if I turn it off it clicks when I put it on high. I need to bring it to Leslies but I want to close first since my installers hard plumbed everything and I need to cut the pipe to bring it in. Any ideas of what makes the pump sound like that are welcomed.
To winterize here in south Louisiana I’m not sure when my water will hit 60 degrees so I’m going to Start today so I can get the pump serviced.
I understand balancing the water. I don’t know what to buy that will not have copper. In the beginning of opening our pool o dealt with that and now I’m paranoid about chemicals. I see Leslies has kits. I don’t know if I need that or just the 1 other chemical I have read about. (I can’t remember the name something 60)
Since I have a sand filter I believe I need to remove the pressure gauge and clear glass to view water when backwashing and turn to winterize. I’m confusing myself with reading so much. Do I drain the filter? Will the sand come out if I take the drain cover off? Anything else?
When I lower the water level I can use the vacuum hose in the skimmer to get it below and run a trickle from the hose in the skimmer to assure the pump remains air free, right?
I think that is it!
Thanks in advance for y’all time!!

 

[mknauss]

I would doubt you close a pool in New Orleans. Weather is much like Houston, etc. You simply test and add liquid chlorine, as necessary, throughout the winter. Run your pump as necessary to keep the water clean and skimmed.

 

[Natnem]

You know after read some of the questions out of the Texas area that was another think messing with my mind. I don’t know anyone that I am friends with that don’t close it and I kind of want to do something like closing it mainly because I have had to scoop out squirrels that I’ve found in the morning! So any suggestions?

 

[mknauss]

I doubt your water temperature will stay low enough long enough to warrant trying closing. You can cover it. But still circulate and maintain the chemistry.

 

[Natnem]

Ok I see so go ahead and cover it do t lower water level. So I don’t need to add any additional chemicals to help keep it from turning green? Or help it to stay clean longer? Would I then do a slam and not bring it up 1/2 the amount do it as I would if I needed to slam it? I don’t want to mess up the liner!
Any thoughts about what could be causing the pump to hum and click? Just curious. Thank you for the info!! That really makes me feel better!

 

[mknauss]

As I stated above, you would continue to test and add liquid chlorine, etc to maintain your pool water chemistry. You would need to circulate the pool water when the chemicals are added and most likely for few hours every day. You are not closing the pool. You will need to monitor if freezing temperatures are expected and run the pump to keep surface lines from freezing.

Preparing Pool for Cooler Months - Further Reading

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