Closing pool without dropping water level

[Marty D]

I was talking to lopo. Guy who made my winter cover. He stop over as I was closing my pool. He said not to drop the water level. Does anyone try this? It's a in ground pool. He told me to but indoor outdoor carpet all around the bricks of the pool since I drop the water levels. Now that the water is one foot lower then the top bricks, if ice and snow sit on cover and the cover goes down the bricks may rip the cover. I when and put 3 x 20 indoor out door carpet all around the pool. Made sense. Next year if I don't drop the water I don't need the carpet

 

[Marty D]

Carpet at edge of pool

 

[Chemnut]

The carpet isn't needed unless you have a cheaply made safety cover without sewn in plastic protectors. You need to remember the water will rise as fall rains accumulate. If your pool freezes up, the resulting ice provides support for a snow laden cover.

 

[Perpetual summer]

I didn’t read if the cover was solid or mesh? If it’s solid I don’t think I would drain to much, As chemnut said water/ice level would keep cover from pulling in. Mesh cover would allow water to filter through, so dropping water level might not hurt. I have a mesh cover, last year I didn’t drain any and I had to go out several times to empty water from pool to keep from overflowing.

 

[Marty D]

sewn in plastic protectors? I don't remember seeing any. This cove was $4500.000. At the time we were using a pool service and they ordered this cover. It's made by loop lock.

 

[pookiesunshine]

i used to drop water level about an inch below the lower edge of skimmer face plate but have not lowered it at all the past five years after a local pool guy (who replaced my liner) said it wasnt necessary. no problems with overflowing either. i do use a gizmo in the skimmer, add a/f to it, and force a partially squashed empty a/f bottle into the skimmer port.

 

[Chemnut]

yiu should have plastic protectors sewn into the straps around the perimeter of the pool. Their job is to protect the straps from any rough coping.

 

[1Sammy]

If the water isn’t dropped will the skimmer not be always full of water ? I can handle the blowing and capping off the line from the skimmer to the pump, no problem. Also from the filter to the returns, no problem. But, I do not feel good to have the skimmer full of water and depending on a jug of air and foam to absorb the freezing. This is year 40 for me in closing but like the idea of keeping the water level above the skimmer mouth and not to worry about melting snow and rain raising the levels and having to pump off over the winter.
Can someone please go into detail as to what they add to the skimmer so it does not break .Thanks much.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Welcome to TFP 1Sammy

I drain below the jets, blow the lines, use some antifreeze, gizmos and also a gallon milk jug if it fits.

 

[borjis]

Ya don't forget an empty milk jug in the skimmer if you keep it full over winter.
You don't want to find a cracked skimmer body.

 

[Chemnut]

One extra reason I like to lower below the jets, it lessens the chance of water overflowing and working its way in back if the coping.

 

[qdylan]

So technically speaking, would this work?
Instead of lowering the water below the return jets and blowing the lines, you don't lower the water at all but just plug the return lines and the skimmer, and then use a shop vac to suck the water out from the pump/lines to the filter? :O

 

[Chemnut]

You won't be able to suction out much water that way I'm afraid.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

If you plug the return lines there isn't any way you're going to suck the water out of those lines. They will freeze and crack.

 

[pookiesunshine]

So technically speaking, would this work?
Instead of lowering the water below the return jets and blowing the lines, you don't lower the water at all but just plug the return lines and the skimmer, and then use a shop vac to suck the water out from the pump/lines to the filter? :O

you dont have to lower water below jets to blow them out. just plug them while blowing them out. if you dont like that, you can add an extension to the jet outlets using an elbow and short piece of pipe (long enough to get above water level) so you can plug that instead of the jet opening. you can suck or blow them out that way. add a/f if you want. when plugged, just turn the elbow extension down into the water so you can cover the pool.