Well...I finally closed the pool. However, I did drain it to about 6" below the return jet. This seems like alot!..Is this correct? Seems like alot of wall unsupported by water. What have others with AGP done? What level of water is safe? We are in MN so...the water will freeze solid...any suggestions would be appreciated.
Level to lower water in Above Ground Pool
- Thread starter ddpool
- Start date
I know I shouldn't guess here but when I used to drain we did 2-3 inches. Do you cover?
No cover....I was reading that when you have that much vinyl exposed to the air...that you run the risk of it drying out and wearing faster...true?
I'm in NC, so freeze concerns are much different here, but I always just lower to the bottom of the skimmer and leave the skimmer line disconnected so any excess water spills out. With the skimmer empty and the return plugged, you can disconnect and drain all your equipment and all the water is contained within the walls.
I'm sure no expert but my logic is that if you expect deep ice, draining 6 inches below the return just gives you more protection against expansion and ice motion over the return. If thick ice isn't likely then I'd lean more towards keeping the liner wet (advocated by some liner manufacturers) by plugging the return and using one of those skimmer plates with the snap-on cover.
Thanks everyone! How much does frozen pool water expand? Is it ok to lower it to right below the skimmer and return? Or will I run the risk of the frozen water expanding up and ruining the return and skimmer? I am worried that 6" below return and skimmer is too much...I don't want liner to dry out. Thanks.
ddpool said:
I have 54 inch sides so I could not see draining down 6 inches...that would have put me down almost a foot from normal water level if not more...I went 3 inches below my return. The thing that I did wrong was I got a 24 foot winter cover that did not take into effect the 54 inch walls. It is more for the 48 to 50 inch sides. So even with 3 inches below the return...the cover barly fits...I had to do some special rigging. See my post in the same forum about the 54 inch walls...and my milk jugs. Anyway...I guess it would depend on how much below your normal water level 6 inches is and how that effects your winter cover fit...next year I am getting a cover for a 27 foot pool so I have better fit and over hang.
ddpool said:
I drain mine to 6" below the skimmer.When it freezes the ice will rise 5". I also have a 24ft winter cover so the sides fit against the side of the pool.
gtm
LifeTime Supporter
ddpool said:
When fresh water freezes it takes up about 9% more volume as ice than it did as water. So if you freeze 1 foot of water you get 12 inches x 1.09, or about 13 inches, of ice.
So a good rule of thumb is that you get about 1 additional inch of height per foot of water that you freeze. For example, if you freeze 5 feet of water, then the ice will stand 5 inches higher than the water did.
Thanks again...great input! I am trying the no cover option so we'll see how it goes.
I'm in SE MN, I only drain to right below the return. All my hoses are off, so when ice forms if it raises the level in the pool the excess will just run out of the return, I never have a problem with the return freezing up. Same thing with any weight that gets on the pool cover, it will push some of the water out the return. I usually try to make sure all water/leaves are off the cover before the snow flies. Once the snow gets on the cover it will weigh it down enough so it doesn't blow off.
Cubby, the heighth of the pool doesn't have any effect on the cover size, you buy a cover to fit the width, so a 24 ft cover fits a 24ft pool no matter the height. They are not made to come down the sides of the pool, they will fit just over the railing. The cover also is not made to go down the inside sides of the pool, you let it droop in the center so it is just sitting on top of the water. So you have like a concave look to it. But I too would like a little bigger one, so next one will be a larger size. I also hang bleach bottles and broken up patio blocks/rocks to the cover gromets, as I can get some good wind in the winter.
Cubby, the heighth of the pool doesn't have any effect on the cover size, you buy a cover to fit the width, so a 24 ft cover fits a 24ft pool no matter the height. They are not made to come down the sides of the pool, they will fit just over the railing. The cover also is not made to go down the inside sides of the pool, you let it droop in the center so it is just sitting on top of the water. So you have like a concave look to it. But I too would like a little bigger one, so next one will be a larger size. I also hang bleach bottles and broken up patio blocks/rocks to the cover gromets, as I can get some good wind in the winter.
Mona said:
Mona,
I don't hang the bottles from the cover outside the pool...I put them on the cover. I have 16 sections where I have a safety fence around the pool...I have 9 half filled bleach or milk jugs tied to the fence brackets and laying on the cover. We had 50 mph winds this past weekend and the cover barely blew at all. When the snow flies, I will drain off water if I can...However, I only have about two inches of water on there anyway right not...it is for balast...
Check this post...I have done the exact same thing only I have a little more water on the cover for balast. But the just are exactly what I have done with my pool...and as I said we withstood 50 mph winds...without the water jugs...the pool cover would blow from the side of the pool the wind was coming from and then all the balast water would go to the other side of the pool. With the jugs in place it keeps the cover from puffing up on one side and moving the water to the other.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/does-this-winter-cover-look-okay-t9830.html
http://www.troublefreepool.com/does-this-winter-cover-look-okay-t9830.html
We got those nasty winds also. Little ones would have been flying through the air!!
Mona, you can get what's called a skirted cover that comes down further on the outside of the pool wall. I bought one this year, and I like it so far. I especially liked not having to struggle to get it under the rail to cinch it tight.
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I'm with Mona on how the water moves out the openings. We do drain 6" below the return but usually get enough rain and/or wet snow that there is more than that in there when it actually freezes and of course it is more when the melt starts with the snow melt. The water goes UP when it freezes.
Our cover hangs down to the water level and lays on it. We are lucky enough to have the pool in a very protected spot so wind is not always a big deal for us.
Our cover hangs down to the water level and lays on it. We are lucky enough to have the pool in a very protected spot so wind is not always a big deal for us.