Closing an in ground pool
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Actually, it's my mistake since I misread your question. There is a separate Closing an In Ground Pool and also an Opening Your Winterized Above Ground Pool, but not a separate topic for opening an in-ground pool though the above-ground pool instructions should be close (or one could read the closing instructions of the in-ground topic and reverse the order of the steps).
Hi all,
I closed the pool last year for the first time following this thread, blowing the pipes, put some antifreez and lower the water level below skimmer. This year as i opened, I had to replace the liner cause it was wrinkly. My question, is there a possibility that I didn't do something right during closing that triggered the liner to wrinkle?
Thanks.
I closed the pool last year for the first time following this thread, blowing the pipes, put some antifreez and lower the water level below skimmer. This year as i opened, I had to replace the liner cause it was wrinkly. My question, is there a possibility that I didn't do something right during closing that triggered the liner to wrinkle?
Thanks.
jovian1998 said:
I had a similar issue when I decided to lower the water level below the skimmer. I found that its not recommended for my inground pool. It may be the same situation for yours. I just leave the water at half way up the skimmer and no issue.
Jovian, the pool company that constructed my pool recently explained that they also bring the water back up after they blow out and plug the lines because it's better for the vinyl and to add the extra weight against hydrostatic pressure in our location.
As much as I've been DIY in recovering the foreclosure swamp, this is why I'm still using them to close it, on the condition that I do the chemicals/or approve what goes in. That's where we don't see eye to eye exactly
But vinyl wrinkles can also be caused by chemical imbalance, specifically low ph (eg under 7, and sitting that way all winter...) or if you use tricolor pucks on closing, which are acidic, and one parks somewhere, or if you add but do not evenly distribute acid right before closing, etc.
This is one reason I agree with the bbb approach of bringing the water to shock value before closing with liquid chlorine, which is more ph neutral in approach.
So it may have been lack of water weight, but it may also be that the wrinkles were a response to acidic pockets. What was your ph on opening?
On our opening of the swamp, the ph was abysmally low, but we were lucky in that we got off with only a few minor wrinkles.
As much as I've been DIY in recovering the foreclosure swamp, this is why I'm still using them to close it, on the condition that I do the chemicals/or approve what goes in. That's where we don't see eye to eye exactly
But vinyl wrinkles can also be caused by chemical imbalance, specifically low ph (eg under 7, and sitting that way all winter...) or if you use tricolor pucks on closing, which are acidic, and one parks somewhere, or if you add but do not evenly distribute acid right before closing, etc.
This is one reason I agree with the bbb approach of bringing the water to shock value before closing with liquid chlorine, which is more ph neutral in approach.
So it may have been lack of water weight, but it may also be that the wrinkles were a response to acidic pockets. What was your ph on opening?
On our opening of the swamp, the ph was abysmally low, but we were lucky in that we got off with only a few minor wrinkles.
What is the consensus on taking off the Salt Cell in the off season. My PB left ours own last winter after install and no real use. I closed myself this year and just not sure what right approach is.
I also blew all lines with 10psi, sealed skimmers with Ultra Gizmos and used test plugs in the inlets. I blew bottom drains until they bubbled for many minutes, then shut valve. All seems appropriate, correct?
Another thing the PB did last year at close was loosened the inlet unions at the pad. Is that preferred?
Thanks!
I also blew all lines with 10psi, sealed skimmers with Ultra Gizmos and used test plugs in the inlets. I blew bottom drains until they bubbled for many minutes, then shut valve. All seems appropriate, correct?
Another thing the PB did last year at close was loosened the inlet unions at the pad. Is that preferred?
Thanks!
Where are you located? It makes a difference in whether you have to bring the cell in or if it's just nice to do so.
Loosening the unions isn't needed, and in fact may cause issues with them sealing back up next year. I'm sure they did it so that if any water got into the lines it'd drip out before it filled the pump basket up. The flaw with that is that the drain plugs should be removed from the pump so it can't hold water.
Loosening the unions isn't needed, and in fact may cause issues with them sealing back up next year. I'm sure they did it so that if any water got into the lines it'd drip out before it filled the pump basket up. The flaw with that is that the drain plugs should be removed from the pump so it can't hold water.
Bama - Located in Central PA. So let me know if cell should be in our out. Thanks!
Thanks for the information, I have an above ground pool 15 foot round and it takes me on my own about 2 hours to close it. All I do is a light vacuum, drop the water levels, about 6 inches below the skimmer and return, put a plug in the return, pad my in pool light, add a little liquid chlorine and muriatic acid, mix the water well, and check the pH of the water (should be around 7.2 - 7.6) then I put a non leak cover and tie it down. Next year the water is "perfect". The only other thing I do during the season is to add a little copper based algaecide and stabilizer. The pool sleeps from September to May
I winterized my inground pool last year, but i couldnt get my 6hp shop vac to blow out the main line where i could see air bubbles coming up from the bottom before i closed the valve. My pool guy came out last year with a mighty blower vac and was able to do it for me. This year i tried again with no success of seeing air bubbles while blowing the main intake line before i close the valve to create the air lock, so i poured 1 gallon of RV antifreeze down the pipe then repeated the process of blowing the main line and closing the valve without worrying about the seeing air bubbles. My question is should i worry about the main line because of no visible air bubbles, or should i purchase one of the mighty blower vacs for pools to blow out the main every year?
my pool is gunite/plaster 8feet deep end, built 1989, 35,000 gallons sand filter 1hp pump and i live in indianapolis, in
my pool is gunite/plaster 8feet deep end, built 1989, 35,000 gallons sand filter 1hp pump and i live in indianapolis, in
bump... Same problem here. I tried both a 5hp vac and a leaf blower. Put down a gallon of antifreeze for now. Last year my PB closed and all they had was an electric leaf blower??? No way they could have gotton bubbles out of the main. I had no issues with all other lines.
Mike
Mike
joconnor72 said:
Mike-are u closing or closed yourself this year? If so did u blow out main with shop vac? I'm not that concerned but the balboa mighty vac is 272 bucks and I watched my pool guy get bubbles out when he closed for me last year.
I did it all myself... used a 5hp shop vac that did great on all the lines but could not get bubbles on the main. Should I worry? How about a less costly option that will do the trick?
joconnor72 said:
Update: Borrowed an air compressor and it handled the main drain no problems! Finally 100% closed. ph at 7.5, good to go.
mschmidt33 said:
Hi All - Central PA question from above: Should Salt Cell left on, or removed and brought inside?
Is there anyone who is in South Carolina that can give me their protocol for closing their inground pool? I don't think Leslie's Pool recommended we blow out our lines last year...so we didn't...(don't even know how to do that so advice/instructions would be greatly appreciated) and we didn't have a problem. I'm guessing we should still do it just because we never know what our weather is going to be like.
Also, I don't know how much antifreeze to purchase. How do I know how many feet of pipe I have? And I feel really ignorant with my questions, but how do you add it to the pipes? Like do I put the antifreeze into the skimmer?
Lastly, I have no idea what "drain plugs" are. Can you describe them for me?
I lied. One more thing. I called Leslie's. They said their closing kit comes with chlorine, clarifier, algaecide, metal free and phosfree. Would it be easier to just use that? I'm on the BBB but I have to usually convince my husband to go the BBB route because he sees that the pool store methods are usually "easier." Any help would be appreciated here!
Also, I don't know how much antifreeze to purchase. How do I know how many feet of pipe I have? And I feel really ignorant with my questions, but how do you add it to the pipes? Like do I put the antifreeze into the skimmer?
Lastly, I have no idea what "drain plugs" are. Can you describe them for me?
I lied. One more thing. I called Leslie's. They said their closing kit comes with chlorine, clarifier, algaecide, metal free and phosfree. Would it be easier to just use that? I'm on the BBB but I have to usually convince my husband to go the BBB route because he sees that the pool store methods are usually "easier." Any help would be appreciated here!
- Jun 14, 2012
- 2,671
- Pool Size
- 13500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
No need for clarifier, metal free or phosphate remover, algaecide is likely copper based and not good long term. None of these are required.DanaSC said:I called Leslie's. They said their closing kit comes with chlorine, clarifier, algaecide, metal free and phosfree. Would it be easier to just use that? I'm on the BBB but I have to usually convince my husband to go the BBB route because he sees that the pool store methods are usually "easier." Any help would be appreciated here!
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Closing our pool ourselves for the first time and dumb question, does it matter what the multiport valve is set to ?
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