I read the replys to the Southern closers. However this is my 1st time having a pool in the winter and I live in just south of Dallas. Since this is my 1st pool I am clueless on what to do for this area? I noticed some keep them open and some close. My questions relate more to when should you look to close a pool if you do close it? If you keep it open do you add less chlorine or keep it the same and should you lower the pump on working hours if you have a VS pump?
North Texas Closing?
- Thread starter tkutch
- Start date
Probably my post you read! I'm over in Longview......first year with a pool, and we're leaving it open. Most folks say to wait until pool temp is in the 60's and dose it up to shock level after cleaning it first with your levels balanced. My chlorine usage has already dropped like a rock. Doesn't look like it will take even a gallon of bleach a week to maintain FC levels at minimum. Probably gonna run my pump 6 hours a day which will turn my water over twice and keep it skimmed. We'll run as necessary when the ice man cometh. Was at a Texas/OU party yesterday..........3 ABG pool owners there............and none of them "close and cover" for the winter here. One of those has been up for 15 years.
Thanks for the reply. I wanted to keep it open and double checked to see if my pool has automatic freeze turn on, which it does. My pool is brand new and has automatic chlorine injector. Should I turn this level way down? To be honest not once this summer did I even have to chock my pool, so I have never done that as well. I kept my chlorine injector at 2 and everything went extremely well all year. I just have a lot to learn because the last thing I want is to do this wrong and it become extremely expensive to fix when I just bought this pool.
Just north of you and I don't close either. Freeze guard is the main thing that you need here and you have indicated that you have that. Your chlorine demand will decrease as temperatures fall, but you still need chlorine. Keep a check on it every now and then through the cold months. I typically have to add a little every month in December, January, and February.
Should I just keep feeling the chlorine injector and let it run its course? Lower the amount from level 2 to 1.5 or something? Or switch to bleech during the winter?
Make sure I understand this clear...we should shock the pool when it gets to the 60's or just keep running it like normal?
Also what about my VS pump. Should I run it less or lower speeds? Right now I ruin it on level 1 when the pool cleaner is not running and it goes to level 3 when the pool cleaner is running.
Make sure I understand this clear...we should shock the pool when it gets to the 60's or just keep running it like normal?
Also what about my VS pump. Should I run it less or lower speeds? Right now I ruin it on level 1 when the pool cleaner is not running and it goes to level 3 when the pool cleaner is running.
tkutch said:
I think personally that it would be easier to switch to bleach. That's just me though. If you want to dial back your chlorinator a bit and just watch things, that would be okay too. Just don't let your chlorine go to zero.
No need to shock the pool unless you have algae or other contaminant, you are losing more than 1 of FC overnight, or your CC is > 0.5.
Run your pump enough to turn the water over once per day.
tkutch said:
I suggest that you get a good test kit and then you will KNOW how much chlorine you need to use. And you will know whether you are OK to use the chlorine tabs that add CYA or whether you ought to switch to some other source of chlorine for awhile.
Read pool school to learn about the different sources of chlorine. It may be that your pool and usage patterns are fine to use trichlor tabs all the time. Typically, that will mean some serious water replacement at some point. Sometimes that happens naturally with rain over the winter, or you may do that during swim season with lots of cannonballs and refilling, or with an intentional drain and fill.
But it is wise to know what you are doing and why. Testing is the path to that knowledge.
For my pool, here just north of Houston, I switch between sources as needed to keep parameters balanced. Trichlor tabs when CYA is low enough, bleach if it is too high. Cal-hypo when CH is not too high or when bleach is hard to store in the excessive heat.
I am in Dallas and do not close my pool, however after last years pretty harsh winter I have been entertaining the idea. I think you said you have a in line 320 puck chlorinator, I would agree to stop using this. Not only for the obvious fact that the BBB method is the way to go but because this is a high point of failure in the winter months. I took mine completely out after finding this site.
I went through two of the 320s last winter. When they get cold the seal on the check valve and dial spring leaks. Before you know it the pool is below skimmer level and your freeze guard does you no good. Speaking from experience on this one; After I repaired the leak I turned on the water to fill the pool back up that dark and cold night (it was 3 am) and over slept my alarm. Woke up at 6 am to a knock on the door by the neighbor telling me I had froze the street.
One other thing to consider. I know you can kind of roll the dice if we are going to have a cold winter here in Texas but if it happens your freeze guard can potentially run for days if not weeks.
I went through two of the 320s last winter. When they get cold the seal on the check valve and dial spring leaks. Before you know it the pool is below skimmer level and your freeze guard does you no good. Speaking from experience on this one; After I repaired the leak I turned on the water to fill the pool back up that dark and cold night (it was 3 am) and over slept my alarm. Woke up at 6 am to a knock on the door by the neighbor telling me I had froze the street.
One other thing to consider. I know you can kind of roll the dice if we are going to have a cold winter here in Texas but if it happens your freeze guard can potentially run for days if not weeks.
AV8TOR
0
I have been in Fort Worth for three winters and our pool is just covered in the winter. I do change my pump times to late evening early morning filtration because that is the time freeze guard most likely will run so why waste electricity during the day. I also stop the boost pump and robot.
My question to others in the south with a chance of freeze is your filter open to the environment or enclosed? I have been toying with the idea of making a enclosure for the winter with insulated sheathing.
My question to others in the south with a chance of freeze is your filter open to the environment or enclosed? I have been toying with the idea of making a enclosure for the winter with insulated sheathing.
AV8TOR said:
Thought about the same thing as mine sits out in the weather. Haven't had any problems as of yet.
I've only been a pool owner for 1 year... but that was one nasty winter!
The equipment is in the open, with a freeze switch. The pool stayed open. Pump ran a lot from time to time... an extra few dollars in eletricity, but no equipment issues.
The equipment is in the open, with a freeze switch. The pool stayed open. Pump ran a lot from time to time... an extra few dollars in eletricity, but no equipment issues.