Just want to know what others in northern CA are doing to keep the pool equipment from getting frozen. I was running the pool pump from 4:00 am to 8:00 am but now I wonder if that is enough. This cold spell drops the temperature to the 20's for a few hours at night and it is going to continue for a few more nights. The weather report says it will be 32 degrees tonight by 8:00 pm. Should I run the pool pump as soon as the temperature goes down to 32 degrees? That means that it will run for at least 12 hours since the temperature will stay below 32 degrees until the following morning. What about the waterfall? Do I have to leave them on at the same time also? Thanks.
Below freezing temps in northern CA
- Thread starter kal2002
- Start date
I would start everything and let them run from like 9pm on all night. just to be safe. Seems like the cold snap is everywhere. We are at -15 this morning here in ND so 32 to us would be spring! Just saying!
- May 3, 2007
- 16,830
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I practice what I preach and for the past 8 years and being in Northern CA since I have owned the pool, I have not used any freeze protection at all and we get down to the low 20s at night but usually not for more than a few hours. But it does depend on where you are in Northern California. Tahoe/Shasta would certainly be different.
Assuming you are in the SF Bay Area/Sacramento, the typical weather here really isn't cold enough long enough to freeze anything but the smallest hoses. The only thing to be concerned with at this point is any above ground small cleaner lines/hoses like those used for a pressure cleaner. Those should probably be drained.
If the temperature were ever to get below 20, I would drain the pad equipment instead of running freeze protection. In California, the extra run time is cost prohibitive. Plus I don't like to rely upon automatic freeze protection.
Assuming you are in the SF Bay Area/Sacramento, the typical weather here really isn't cold enough long enough to freeze anything but the smallest hoses. The only thing to be concerned with at this point is any above ground small cleaner lines/hoses like those used for a pressure cleaner. Those should probably be drained.
If the temperature were ever to get below 20, I would drain the pad equipment instead of running freeze protection. In California, the extra run time is cost prohibitive. Plus I don't like to rely upon automatic freeze protection.
Thanks. We live by Elk Grove. The weather has never been this cold since we moved to this house; definitely not in the 20's and for about a week. Hopefully it won't get worse. By the way, how do you drain pad equipment? For now, I will run the pump for 12 hours if necessary for my peace of mind if nothing else.
- May 3, 2007
- 16,830
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
To easily drain the equipment and assuming your equipment is above water level, you only need to open the pump lid and the filter air bleeder valve. Gravity does the rest. Any small amount of water left in the pump should be ok but you can also open the drain plugs to allow the remaining water to leave if that is a concern.
Pool Clown
In The Industry
The freeze attacks mostly the above ground plumbing, so if you have little above ground plumbing, you have little risk? I have a customer about 140 mi south of S.F. and just has a filter pump, filter, and cleaner booster. He had a total plumbing loss the other night (18 degrees). What i was telling any customer asking, that could not run the pump, was to cover the equipment with either a bed sheet, or blanket, and put a drop light (incandescent bulbs only) under the cover. Since every plumbing configuration is different, i wouldn't trust just draining out filter and pump. Only because once you tell a customer to do that, he could hold you liable for damage, and don't think he won't... or can't!
If you have a programmable timer you might try running it for something like 30 minutes out of every 2 hours during the night.
Ike
Ike
arin
0
We are in Lincoln CA., our pool equipment is located in the garage so the freeze protection doesn't start but we experience a thin layer of ice over entire pool if we don't run the pump to circulate the water.
The posts debating different methods of freeze protection have been moved to a new thread. Freeze protection debate