First Winter - Questions About Closing

[dBsooner]

Hello fellow TFP members! The wife and I picked up a used Intex 18' Ultra XTR AGP back in July from someone in our neighborhood that was moving. I spent a fair amount of time cleaning it up. It was absolutely disgusting when we went to pick it up. There were literally tiny fish / tadpoles living in it. It looked like an old pond. They had even thrown in chlorine tabs and let them settle to the bottom causing some rough spots in the liner. Luckily, I am handy and I was able to patch the small pinholes all around the walls (about 4 or 5) that were discovered after we filled it up at our house. Next spring, if we keep this pool and don't go ahead and upgrade to a rigid side, I'll likely be placing larger patches on the bottom where those rough spots are. Thanks to you all here at TFP, I've only had to add Liquid Chlorine this year aside from a couple doses of Muriatic Acid to get my PH to come down some. So awesome to know this place exists to help us learn! No tablets for me! Just chlorine every day. Even got the idea to use the Flex Seal paint to coat the liner where it goes over the top rails due to the fiberglass getting in our skin. Love Oklahoma UV.

Anyway, too much info. LOL! Thank you all in advance for taking the time to read this post and help a newbie out!

We are now in the process of closing. We have the typical pump and sand filter that comes with the Intex 18' Ultra XTR AGP. We live in Northeast Oklahoma. Typically we will get a run in the winter where we will be below freezing for a week or two straight. But That's about it. We average 72 days where we drop below freezing at night. And less than 1 day a year below 0. But there are times (like last year) where we were below zero for a while. So first question: Should we close? We won't use it this winter, that's for sure. So I assume closing just makes it easier.

Then if we do close, here are my other questions:
1) Where's the best place to get a cover? Brand? Is there instructions on how to install it? I assume I need that twine or whatever to go around it to make it tight to the sides of the pool. Should I use pillows? If so, how many?
2) Do you lower the water level below the pool outlets (pump inlets), then disconnect all the hosing, pumps etc and store for winter?
3) What all do I need to add to the water to keep it good until we open in the spring with as quick of an open as possible?
4) Do I need to check levels (water level, chemistry, etc) throughout the winter?

Thank you all again and I really look forward to learning more on this site!

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! We have lots of members who will be happy to help with some of your specific questions. In the meantime, take a look at the link below to get started, and be sure to bookmark our Pool Care Basics page for future reference. Both of those links will be quite valuable. Enjoy the forum.

Closing (Winterizing) Your Above Ground Pool

Closing an above ground pool at season’s end should be a fast and worry-free process. Learn the basics of above ground pool winterization in easy steps.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[dBsooner]

Welcome to TFP! We have lots of members who will be happy to help with some of your specific questions. In the meantime, take a look at the link below to get started, and be sure to bookmark our Pool Care Basics page for future reference. Both of those links will be quite valuable. Enjoy the forum.

Closing (Winterizing) Your Above Ground Pool

Closing an above ground pool at season’s end should be a fast and worry-free process. Learn the basics of above ground pool winterization in easy steps.

www.troublefreepool.com

Awesome! I had already read that and had planned on following most of those instructions. It definitely answers a couple of my questions and I had forgotten about it. Like lowering below the pump inlets. Thank you!

 

[Newdude]

Hey dB and belated Welcome !!!

There are many choices for closing, and while everybody has 'their way', nobody is wrong. You can spend on a quality cover and hope to get a few years from it, or use the cheapest tarp you can find and consider it disposable.

With no overhead debris, you don't even have to cover it. That's the biggest hang up for people to get over because everybody has covered for ages. I had a heavily treed yard and needed a cover. I moved to an open yard with an above ground and left it open. Then I built an inground and got a safety cover for the dogs, not the debris.

So clearly in your yard, you don't need to cover. The benefits here is you can test/add (once or twice a month) before the big freeze and after it thaws. Literally just a couple times for the off season and you'll 'open' blue with chlorine to spare. If some random leaves happen to blown in, you can scoop them whenever you are back there anyway.

Or you cover it at SLAM FC and walk away for a few months. If you'd like to cover, decide if you'd like to go cheap cover or nice cover. Then we'll go from there.

 

[dBsooner]

Hey dB and belated Welcome !!!

There are many choices for closing, and while everybody has 'their way', nobody is wrong. You can spend on a quality cover and hope to get a few years from it, or use the cheapest tarp you can find and consider it disposable.

With no overhead debris, you don't even have to cover it. That's the biggest hang up for people to get over because everybody has covered for ages. I had a heavily treed yard and needed a cover. I moved to an open yard with an above ground and left it open. Then I built an inground and got a safety cover for the dogs, not the debris.

So clearly in your yard, you don't need to cover. The benefits here is you can test/add (once or twice a month) before the big freeze and after it thaws. Literally just a couple times for the off season and you'll 'open' blue with chlorine to spare. If some random leaves happen to blown in, you can scoop them whenever you are back there anyway.

Or you cover it at SLAM FC and walk away for a few months. If you'd like to cover, decide if you'd like to go cheap cover or nice cover. Then we'll go from there.

Thank you for the detailed reply! I kind of like the idea of not covering at all. But if I don't cover, how do I keep the water from getting out of whack and growing algae? I assume even if I don't cover, I'd still want to remove the pump, filter and connections to prevent ice and ruptures. I know the chlorine would be what would keep the algae from starting, but didn't know if it's safe to add chlorine without circulation going on...

You're right, we don't have any trees. The only things we get are the flowers from the larger bushes in the neighbors yard and then LOTS of bugs. I mean bugs absolutely love our pool. More than I can even begin to count.

 

[Newdude]

But if I don't cover, how do I keep the water from getting out of whack and growing algae?

It will be chlorinated to start (SLAM FC) and with the lesser UV demand of the off season, it will last much longer than you're used to. Daily tests turn into weekly tests and then into monthly. You brush the chlorone around for a few minutes and are good until the next time.

assume even if I don't cover, I'd still want to remove the pump, filter and connections to prevent ice and ruptures.

Yes. bring them inside. You can lower the water and leave the ports open, or plug them and leave it how it is, draining with a submersible when it reaches the top. (before it freezes)

 

[dBsooner]

It will be chlorinated to start (SLAM FC) and with the lesser UV demand of the off season, it will last much longer than you're used to. Daily tests turn into weekly tests and then into monthly. You brush the chlorone around for a few minutes and are good until the next time.

Yes. bring them inside. You can lower the water and leave the ports open, or plug them and leave it how it is, draining with a submersible when it reaches the top. (before it freezes)

Awesome! So just SLAM FC for 24 hours (keeping the pump running continuously for the 24 hours?), then stop, drain to below pump inlets, remove tubing, filter and pump.. then just go with it? LOL.. Sounds WAY too simple.

 

[Newdude]

Bring to SLAM

pass Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to prove there's nothing brewing

Drain

Pull and empty equipment

Monitor water and adjust as necessary. Again, you should already be seeing your FC last longer than it was. It will continue that trend and at some point it doesn't move much at all. Then, after it thaws, the daily loss will slooooooooowly increase until the season starts.

 

[Newdude]

Oooooooh. I'd also load the skimmer and mouth with a cut up pool noodle.

And place a stepping stone where the skimmer water will overflow so it doesn't wash out the pool corner.

 

[dBsooner]

Bring to SLAM

pass Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to prove there's nothing brewing

Drain

Pull and empty equipment

Monitor water and adjust as necessary. Again, you should already be seeing your FC last longer than it was. It will continue that trend and at some point it doesn't move much at all. Then, after it thaws, the daily loss will slooooooooowly increase until the season starts.

Easy enough. You did mention something about the times when it might have a hard freeze.. Usually we get at least a couple days straight of below freezing temps. Do I need to raise to SLAM again during that time or something to try to keep it from freezing over?

Oooooooh. I'd also load the skimmer and mouth with a cut up pool noodle.

And place a stepping stone where the skimmer water will overflow so it doesn't wash out the pool corner.

No Skimmer. No corners. ... However, next year I might do the Hayward skimmer hack, OR, the clip on skimmer by Intex.

 

[Newdude]

Usually we get at least a couple days straight of below freezing temps. Do I need to raise to SLAM again during that time or something to try to keep it from freezing over?

You can't stop it from freezing, cover or no cover. You want to make one last water height and chemical adjustment if you know it's coming. Then you'll be good for the duration if the cold sticks around that time.

If you cover, you have to drain that, so you will be draining one way or the other. Your choice if over/under.

No Skimmer. No corners.

Then it's even easier. Do you have the intex plugs for the holes ?

**also. Regardless of pool style, it's a fluid work in progress. You'll like some aspects of closing/opening, and tweak some others. Maybe you absolutely hate it without a cover and we get one next year. Then at least you know it's worth the hassle every year going forward.

Pillows is a big debate for under the cover. But once folks get lazy or mad and skip the pillows (year 3 everytime ) they realize that the world kept spinning and almost nobody ever goes back.

 

[otherguy]

came here looking for winterizing questions too.

Last year I removed the pump and hose and brought them inside, then just let the water drain down to the return hole.
I did not cover the pool as we don't have much leaves around either.

The only mistake I made was still testing and adding chlorine to the pool after I removed the pump, I didn't do anything. So when spring came around I had a lot of work to do to get the pool clear again. I finally got it, but it took a lot of pump running, vacuuming, and constant checking of the chlorine level, but it eventually made it.

This year, I will do the same thing, but add chlorine when needed and just stir it around with a the brush and handle to mix it in, hopefully that goes better come spring time.

 

[Newdude]

just stir it around with a the brush and handle to mix it in,

It's heavier than water and some will likely puddle up on the floor with no circulation. So brush well because it only takes 5 minutes to get the whole thing 3 times.