Closing Intex 18x48 above ground prism frame pool

[Dawng]

Any suggestions for closing? I have a close kit and a cover. Didn’t buy pillows as heard conflicting info about if use or not? I live in Chicago and it gets cold, snows and freezes but I have a MIL in hospice here and can’t take it all down! I’ve heard people do it? I have that cheap skimmer from Intex, so I’m not sure when people say take water below skimmer (our skimmer floats pretty close to the water level), unless they are talking about the hole the hose goes into for the skimmer? Clearly, the water has to be below all the holes (4) for the pump hardware (inlet hose with dual suction outlet holes, and an outlet hose, and a skimmer hose), or the water will pour out when I take the pump and hardware off to store. Please be specific as this is my first year with a pool and I don’t know squat! If you recommend pillows or floats ....which, how many, and how big? And how much water do I remove? My pool has no blow up features and the frame is metal legs outside vinyl liner that slip through the vinyl belt.

 

[Texas Splash]

These pages tend to answer most questions. Let us know if there's something else we need to address.
Pool School - Closing (Winterizing) Your Above Ground Pool
Pool School - Closing an In Ground Pool

 

[domct203]

More Intex info here.

Intex owners: did you leave yours up over the winter?

Here’s mine:

 

[Dawng]

I’m thanks. I’m still not sure if I should use pillows or not? Some say yes others say no? The cover doesn’t say anything about pillows..just lay so sits on top water? Any suvgestions or what pillows to get? Some say use floats?

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Also curious about how you get water or snow off the top of there is a pillow which creates a trench all the way around edge of pool ...like the pic that was posted of the Intex pool covered with a green cover with a pillow under.

 

[domct203]

I use a pool cover pump. Once it’s all frozen there’s not much to do.

 

[Dawng]

How do you stop draining process once done (partial drain), of Intex pool? I believe the drain plugs have a piece on the inside of pool also? A bit cold to get in pool to close it back up! Or should you drain it another way?

 

[domct203]

I use the pump to get me below the skimmer and return, but above my other suction port. I can do this because when I added the thru wall skimmer I retained the original suction port.

An inexpensive sump pump would work well for you.

I use the pillows so the ice doesn’t expand only towards the walls.