First time closing and would appreciate some feedback

[agirard2003]

Hi everyone,
Just looking to get a little bit of feedback on first time closing the pool
Don't plan on closing for another couple weeks but just getting everything straightened out before then
And YES... this will get rebuilt in the spring and will look more professional

First off i'm in Southern Ontario, Canada so we do get our fair share of cold weather and usually a deep freeze in the January to March time frame
I have a double drain (local bylaw requirement), single skimmer and 2 jets, using an Aquarite T Cell Salt System and a pool light
Parts being used:- 2 Threaded O Ring Caps for Jets, 4 Rubber expanding Plugs, Ultra Blowout Gizmo, Marine RV Antifreeze

Plan of attack is:-
1. 24hrs before closing, clean pool, run pump & salt system and raise the chlorine level
2. Once pool is clean and levels are good, drain the pool to a yet to be determined level below jets
3. Backwash sandfilter and drain, remove eye sight and etc that has to do with sand filter, place filter in position to bypass sand
4. Attach compressor to pump and blowout jets, turn three way valve to block air from going to drain and skimmer
5. Pull drain plug from heater and allow to drain while jets get blown out, (Turn off power and gas before doing this)
6. Once blown for a few mins and no sign of water, cap the jets
7. Blowout out skimmer with gizmo in place and fill line with antifreeze once clear and sealed (3/4 of a 4L bottle?) fill bottom of skimmer with some antifreeze as well (Orange Arrow)
8. Set three way valve to main drain and blowout main drains (Green Arrow) and then turn valve back to skimmer (Orange Arrow)
9. Remove pump and plug pipes with rubber expanding plugs (Red Arrows at pump)
10. Remove T Cell and plug line with rubber expanding plugs (Red Arrow at T Cell)
11. Remove light from housing and let hang in water with a bag and few stones taped to cord
12. Cover pool with safety cover
13. Storing Pump and T Cell in the house for winter

Question:-
1.How far should i drop water level below jets? I have talked to a few people that go with 1-3" below jets to 1-2' below jets and their reasoning was because of rain and snow melt and if we do get a heavy snowfall the safety cover would sink into the water and if gets frozen would then get damaged... so a little guidance would be appreciated
2. Adding the rubber plugs, yes or no in my thinking process?
3. Should i do anything with the skimmer weir?
4. The Aquarite system has a flow monitor switch which connect to the main computer (Yellow Arrow)... was thinking of disconnecting from main board and then wrap the cord into a ziploc bag and tape it shut and place next to the flow monitor switch
5. If i've missed anything.. please let me know

Thanks for your time

 

[achenx75]

Just wrote a closing post too, hoping for help with the experts. I'm first time closer myself as well but I can answer some of your questions with the research I've done.

1.) Some people do it just below, some do it an inch and some like 6 inches. I also hear of some people not even draining below the skimmers and blowing out and closing it and some that fill the waters back up to below the skimmer after they blow returns out. So I think an inch will be alright.
3.) Many videos have people removing them. They were left in when I opened the pool this Spring but I'll remove them just to be safe I guess?

 

[Edge70]

Hello fellow Canadian Seems like you have a pretty good handle on things. A couple comments:

7. Blowout out skimmer with gizmo in place and fill line with antifreeze once clear and sealed (3/4 of a 4L bottle?) fill bottom of skimmer with some antifreeze as well (Orange Arrow)

I don't typically blow out the skimmer line with gizmo in place. I blow out the line from the pad end, ensure that the skimmer line is free of all water. I then pour directly into the skimmer about a gallon of RV antifreeze. Then I'll insert the gizmo and pour some more antifreeze around the bottom of the skimmer. For additional protection, I put a cut up pool noodle in my skimmer area to help with that ice expansion. I don't do anything at the pad end where you have that orange arrow other than ensure that they line is free of water.

6. Once blown for a few mins and no sign of water, cap the jets

After return jets are blown out, i use a funnel with a long tube and pour some antifreeze directly into the wall jets of the pool. Like you I only have 2 pool returns so I pour about 1/2 - 3/4 gallon into each of them. Then I cap them.

Set three way valve to main drain and blowout main drains (Green Arrow) and then turn valve back to skimmer (Orange Arrow)

Doing this "air locks" the main drain so it's important that once this is done, you don't move that valve handle again or it will fill up with water. Some go so far are removing the valve handle. I don't as I'm the only one who touches anything on our pool equipment but it's up to you.

1.How far should i drop water level below jets? I have talked to a few people that go with 1-3" below jets to 1-2' below jets and their reasoning was because of rain and snow melt and if we do get a heavy snowfall the safety cover would sink into the water and if gets frozen would then get damaged... so a little guidance would be appreciated

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here. Basically what you are doing is allowing some room for rain/snow melt. Snow in our area is pretty much a given so you know its going to happen. The worst is the wet heavy snow. It will make your safety cover sag down as it's very heavy. When that happens combined with a snap freeze, the cover can/will get frozen into the pool. Don't panic if this happens. It pretty much happens to mine every year. The cold dry snow isn't as much of an issue - it just blows across the cover. It's the wet heavy stuff that is the problem. I will try to keep this from happening but if it does, the cover is meant to stretch and expand - hence the springs. It normally just thaws out again at the next warm spell - I'll do my best to remove some of the heavy snow from it then. You might also have to put a sump pump under the cover to pump the water level down a bit if it gets too high.

3. Should i do anything with the skimmer weir?

I don't and have never had an issue. With the extra cut up pool noodle that I put in there plus some antifreeze, it seems to work out fine. Wouldn't hurt to remove the door if you can do it easily but I don't do it.

This is worth a read if you haven't looked at it yet: Closing an In Ground Pool

There is also a good video on the site that you can watch. Good Luck. I try to close just before Halloween time frame. Pool is nice and cool by then. Like you, I'm high 60's right now. Cheers,

 

[agirard2003]

Thank you very much to both of the responses... very much appreciated!
I will take a look for the video and read the link you provided!

 

[Edge70]

 

[agirard2003]

Well i closed the pool this past weekend..
took a few hrs as i was taking my time to make sure i was getting things done correctly.

A few observations and a concern for people's input
- 2 HP compressor worked for the most part, was able to get the main drain cleared (a plus), but jets and skimmer i would have to pressurize the lines and then release the pressure to clear the lines.
- I purchased the ultra gizmo with the blow hole so i had to cover the hole and pressurize the line and release to get the water to blow out.
- on the jets, i noticed that once i capped them closed after clearing the lines on one of the jets faceplate where the screws are i noticed one of the screws had tiny bubbles coming from it... should i be concerned?

- finished up with installing the cover over the weekend... for a first time i think it turned out alright