We don't close our 15,000 gallon in-ground pool in Central North Carolina. We don't have any place for anchors around the full perimeter of the pool, and a cover would destroy the aesthetics of our small yard that backs onto woods. We normally don't experience extreme freezing weather. Extending pump run times and a few other precautions have mostly protected against freeze damage. At most we get a thin coating of ice on the pool.
We do, however, usually lose some tiles over the winter, presumably because of freeze-thaw behind the tiles. This happens mostly on the tighter curves. It's not a huge deal for me to repair the tiles each spring, but a definite PITA. (Note - I have used both E-Z Patch thinset+grout and E-Z Patch silicone rubber adhesive/grout, with similar results. E-Z Patch no longer sells the silicone product.)
I'm thinking of plugging the skimmers with a threaded plug and lowering the water in the pool to about an inch below the tiles. I could do this for the month or two when freezing weather is possible or only when freezing is an immediate threat.
There are complications, however. One of the skimmer valves won't close fully. (Replacing the valve would require major surgery.) The pump and filter are 3 feet above the pool. I don't see a way to fill the skimmer lines with antifreeze or to blow them dry and keep them dry while leaving the rest of the system functioning.
One idea I had was to fill the bottom of the plugged skimmers with antifreeze and trust/hope that the layer of antifreeze combined with the skimmer and skimmer lines being below ground will keep the lines from freezing. I'm not the original owner, however, so I can't be sure how far underground the return lines are buried. Presumably they are at least as deep as the skimmers with an elbow on the bottom. The water in those pipes would not be moving, however.
Another off-the-wall idea would be to screw in a threaded fitting to the skimmer (instead of a plug) and then use some 1.5-inch flex PVC to drop the intake for the "skimmer" into the lowered pool.
I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions that you might have on how to skin this particular cat. I've only maintained pools in California and North Carolina, so maybe some folks from colder climes will have some ideas or can validate/obliterate my ideas. The ultimate goal is to not have tiles coming loose, however that can be accomplished.
Thanks.
We do, however, usually lose some tiles over the winter, presumably because of freeze-thaw behind the tiles. This happens mostly on the tighter curves. It's not a huge deal for me to repair the tiles each spring, but a definite PITA. (Note - I have used both E-Z Patch thinset+grout and E-Z Patch silicone rubber adhesive/grout, with similar results. E-Z Patch no longer sells the silicone product.)
I'm thinking of plugging the skimmers with a threaded plug and lowering the water in the pool to about an inch below the tiles. I could do this for the month or two when freezing weather is possible or only when freezing is an immediate threat.
There are complications, however. One of the skimmer valves won't close fully. (Replacing the valve would require major surgery.) The pump and filter are 3 feet above the pool. I don't see a way to fill the skimmer lines with antifreeze or to blow them dry and keep them dry while leaving the rest of the system functioning.
One idea I had was to fill the bottom of the plugged skimmers with antifreeze and trust/hope that the layer of antifreeze combined with the skimmer and skimmer lines being below ground will keep the lines from freezing. I'm not the original owner, however, so I can't be sure how far underground the return lines are buried. Presumably they are at least as deep as the skimmers with an elbow on the bottom. The water in those pipes would not be moving, however.
Another off-the-wall idea would be to screw in a threaded fitting to the skimmer (instead of a plug) and then use some 1.5-inch flex PVC to drop the intake for the "skimmer" into the lowered pool.
I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions that you might have on how to skin this particular cat. I've only maintained pools in California and North Carolina, so maybe some folks from colder climes will have some ideas or can validate/obliterate my ideas. The ultimate goal is to not have tiles coming loose, however that can be accomplished.
Thanks.
