Closing In-Ground Pool in Arizona

[iggy]

It is never to early to ask but do we have any folks out there from Arizona?

This is my first year with a pool in my new home and wondered do I need to do much in the winter time here in the desert?

I do plan on maintaining chlorine all winter long with my SWG and have a solar blanket that I may use just to keep as much of the dust and dirt out.
I do plan to reduce my timer to about 2 hrs as that will circulate 100% of the pool.
I may even shut down my SWG and just shock the pool.
What do you think or suggest?

Iggy in the cool part of the desert
8) :-D

 

[Rockcrawler]

Iggy

I am in El Paso, pretty much the same climate as you, I think you are on the right track, I do exactly what you said except I run my pool 4hrs, I leave the solar cover on and check my water about once a week, you might also take your cover off every couple of weeks to let the water "breath", more than likely you will have to buy a new cover next year, my expierences with leaving the cover on year round they just cannot handle the chemicals/sun.

Not sure if it freezes there, we get some 25 degree nights here, I have the freeze protection for the timer so it will kick the pump on when the temp goes below freezing.

Rob

 

[iggy]

Thanks Rob for information.

We have usually have mild winters here in Arizona.
If we do have a freeze it is short lived. May kill the flowers and young trees but I don't think enought to freeze pipes like I've seen other places.

Anyone else have any input for winters in the desert?

Iggy 8)

 

[Swimgirl]

Tucson area here. I've gotten some input from some "locals"; a lot of them do just leave the pool open, and run the pump when the weather gets below freezing to avoid the hoses or pipes icing up. And I remember that my aunt and uncle in Southern California didn't really do anything for their pool in the winter, but they usually did end up growing a little bit of algae. Not terrible, though.

 

[crabboy]

My pool stays open. SWG shuts itself off when the water is below 52. The freeze protection protects the pump. I also switch my pump to run at night so when it does freeze, the pump does not run all night and then again during the day as per the schedule.