Freeze Preparations (TX, LA, GA, AL, FL, etc)

[Scotland]

After draining, there should not be enough residual water to cause any real problems. If you want to wrap/cover it just to be safe you can. You should be good.

Thank you!

 

[SaltyBHouston]

I am planning on relying on wrapping exposed pipes / covering the equipment pad and freeze protection. I will drain components if I lose power.

Quesiton, should I preemptively drain the booster pump for the pressure side cleaner? It currently only runs 1.5 hrs, 1x per day.

 

[Texas Splash]

Quesiton, should I preemptively drain the booster pump for the pressure side cleaner? It currently only runs 1.5 hrs, 1x per day.

Lots of booster pumps took a hit in Feb '21, primarily due to loss of power & water flow. Booster pumps are designed to "boost" water already being supplied from the main pump, so unless you have a separate valve to isolate the booster pump, you can't just disconnect or drain it. Water will always be running through it when the main pump is on.

 

[SaltyBHouston]

I would chose to drain it and ensure it has no power until after this cold blast. You might even consider unscrewing hose ends in case water tries to freeze inside the line as well. Lots of booster pumps took a hit in Feb '21.

I suspected as much. Thank for the great advice!

 

[Martinhd28]

I have a concern about the heater coming on in such cold temps. Perhaps @ajw22 can confirm if you should bypass it altogether.

I would not turn on my heater unless you plan to heat the whole pool to 70 degrees or higher and maintain it. If you want that then start now while water temperature is higher - don't wait to near freezing. There are warnings in the Heater manuals to not operate the heater below 70 degrees (limit varies by mfg). It can cause condensation in the heating system and is detrimental to it. Just circulate water through the heater and all your pipes should keep it from freezing.

FWIW I have a Jandy JXI heater. I did speak with Jandy customer service. They advised to either keep the heater off and the pump running in freeze protection, or heat to 70° or more. I am just a little timid about trusting that just running the pump is going to be OK when its belo zero and windchills 20-30 below. Is there a rule of thumb for how cold is too cold for a running pump to not freeze? If we were talking temps in the 20s for a few days I wouldn’t be worried about it at all but there has to be a point where it’s simply too cold. I just don’t know what that point is as this is the first year I have decided to not winterize my pool.

At this point I am leaning toward heating it up. My back yard is going to look like a cold day in Yellowstone! LOL

 

[Newdude]

I am just a little timid about trusting that just running the pump is going to be OK when its belo zero and windchills 20-30 below.

Wind chill is funny. It feels awful, but only because you loose the warmth coming off of your body which would otherwise help slow your body's cooling. So it's dangerous because it can make you (or your pool / exposed plumbing) cool to the ambient temperature much quicker, but only to the ambient temperature. The wetlather people don't help going on about '10 below freezing' knowing everyone will hear that as 10 below zero. That would be 42 below freezing.

The colder it gets, the faster the water needs to be moving to avoid freezing. Niagara Falls froze once in recorded history, and only because the river got damed upstream which slowed the flow.

Temperatures near freezing will be fine with low RPMs but if it's going to blast into the low 20s (or less) then you'll want high RPMs. This was where we saved and also hurt everyone last time. Their water temps were in the low 20s when the power went out. The really cold water froze in minutes instead of hours or days.

Areas with less moment, like the mid point of the pool, may freeze even if it's running, buy the immediate area aorund the skimmer and returns will be fine with lots of movent, as will all the plumbing. Don't forget about any water features because they need to run or be drained also.

 

[Martinhd28]

Newdude -I hear ya about the weathermen freaking people out. However it is going to be -3 here where I am. Which is truly 35 below freezing….

 

[Newdude]

Welp. Strongly consider being proactive and shutting it down and draining plumbing on your terms, not the power grid deciding that 2AM during the worst of it is a PERFECT time.

I'd rather do it all days before when it's much more pleasant. If it didn't end up being as bad as they said, or the power stayed on, I'd be ok with my waste of time/effort.

It's kinda too late now, but this summer, get blow through gizmos and make PVC 'L's for the returns. Figure out how to blow the system with a large shop vac (I'm talking the big one) and you can add antifreeze to the 'L's above water and the blow through gizmos, also above water. That way you don't have to drain the pool to empty and protect the plumbing. It only takes a few minutes to do and you could easily do/undo it multiple times if it was a bad winter.

 

[marcgr]

Here’s my preparation in Central Texas. This worked through Snowmageddon a couple of years ago, even when losing power for most of a day.

My pool equipment is below the water line so it can’t be drained.

Basically it’s mover’s plastic, many layers, and the outer piping what is in contact with the plastic has bubble wrap or other packing separating it from the outer wrap layer. Mulch is used to close gaps at the bottom.

 

[RedScare]

Thank you to everyone who has contributed their expertise to this thread. I have one set of pipes that usually does not move water, specifically, my cleaning pipe that has been capped off since I use a robot. Last year the inline filter froze and cracked, so I am concerned about it doing so again. I had planned to wrap the exposed pipe and filter with a moving blanket, but it occurred to me that I could remove the remove the plug in the pool outlet and this would allow moving water to flow through this pipe.

Which method would you recommend?

 

[ajw22]

Thank you to everyone who has contributed their expertise to this thread. I have one set of pipes that usually does not move water, specifically, my cleaning pipe that has been capped off since I use a robot. Last year the inline filter froze and cracked, so I am concerned about it doing so again. I had planned to wrap the exposed pipe and filter with a moving blanket, but it occurred to me that I could remove the remove the plug in the pool outlet and this would allow moving water to flow through this pipe.

Which method would you recommend?

Do both.

 

[Morency pool]

Good morning in Atlanta area and thinking about the big freeze like every other person.

Because I have a auto cover I have my freeze protection configured for normal freezing conditions of 40+ during day and 30 or so at night. Meaning I don’t have my spillover (on main pump spa to pool) or water bowls with auxiliary pump on freeze protection because my 2” PVC plumbing just won’t freeze.

Welcome to the weather starting tomorrow with the swings expected 12 to 20 for several days. I doubt we will lose power but I can drain everything if needed.

Plan A
I can open the cover and run the spillway into the pool which keeps water moving across the main pump and through the spa and pool plumbing. And I can turn on the water bowls for the next several days

OR drain that Auxiliary pump? Will that drain the PVC to/from the pool that is above ground

Plan B
Tarp the pad loosely and put a chicken/poultry heater light under it to keep the unused plumbing warm and run freeze protection as usual which switches back and forth spa to pool. (Seems a lot of wear and tear for an extended period). So could run spillway as above with cover partially open

Any thoughts on the tarp with heat light plan?

 

[Texas Splash]

Options are good. Sounds like either option would work, consistent power being the common denominator. The good thing about covering the pad is that it might buy you some time with residual warmth if power does go out, giving you time to go out there and drain equipment if power goes out for an extended period of time. Stay warm and good luck!

 

[Texas Splash]

REMINDER - AUTOFILL LINES! I was speaking to a coworker who experienced a line breakage last year during the Feb '21 TX freeze. The scenario - autofill. For those of you with autofills, remember that any exposed autofill line will NOT have water actively moving through it. Water only moves when it's filling the pool. If possible, shut that autofill line and purge some water from it if possible to prevent expansion in the line. At the very least be sure to wrap any exposed autofill lines really well.

 

[Silva1181]

Well, in additional to all the wrapping I did with the pipes and followed TexasSplash and used foil insulation to wrap the filter housing. I already have all the pipes wrapped with pipe insulation and everything is covered moving blankets, a heavy duty car cover, and two tarps. Hoping for the best.

I also removed the on/off trips from the pump dial to keep the pump going non stop during the next few days. For the polaris dial, the on trip head is broken, and I am unable to remove it. If i pull the dial out slightly will this prevent it from engaging and turning on? If not, then I guess the polaris will run the two hours in the afternoon as timed. I also placed an arlo camera in the wooden fenced in area where my equipment is located so I can check periodically throughout each night. Here's hoping this all works.

 

[SaltyBHouston]

I would chose to drain it and ensure it has no power until after this cold blast. You might even consider unscrewing hose ends in case water tries to freeze inside the line as well. Lots of booster pumps took a hit in Feb '21.

I pulled the drain plugs on the booster pump while the main pump was off and a small amount of water drained as expected. Once I turned the main pump back on, water was continuously draining from the booster pump. Does that mean I have flow through the booster even when its off?

I now recall that whenever I take the pressure cleaner out of the pool, it has a continuous return of water even when the cleaner / booster pump are off. Thoughts?

 

[MoogMan]

Hi all,

I have a new 10,000 gallon in ground fibreglass pool here in Charlotte.

This is my first winter and we are about to have 3/4 day cold snap, with night temps dipping into teens and even a day sub 32° temps.

After speaking to other pool owners here I was advised that closing and winterizing here is not needed, so I have been running my pump on low RPMs overnight. My omnilogic system and pump also have freeze protection which kicks in at 37° anyway.

But now we have this cold snap coming I am getting a little worried. I was going to tarp my equipment and add a work light just to keep the temps up, but maybe I should drain my equipment in case of power outage?

I have a simple set up - no drains or valves just a skimmer and 2 returns. Water in from the skimmer (right pipe on pics) and out from the heater/SWG (left pipe) to returns. I have a Hayward VSP pump, Hayward cartridge filter and Hayward heater (not in use). Should I drain these to be on the safe side?

I must admit I’m not familiar with how to do this but am researching as we speak. Thanks!

 

[BowserB]

For those who typically do NOT close their pool, it is inevitable that harsh winter weather conditions will hit your area at some point. So what do you do? Below are some key points to help you prepare for a cold winter blast and hard freezes over a few days.

1. Keep the water moving! Moving water is extremely difficult to freeze. If your system has freeze protection, watch to ensure it is operating properly. If in doubt, turn it off and manually let the system run 24/7 until the sub-freezing temps subside.

2. HAVE A BACKUP PLAN FOR POWER OUTAGES! Power outages are our worst enemy. As such, you must have backup plans should you loose power for an extended period of time. Consider the following:

a. Know how to drain your equipment quickly if power does not return. Look for drain plugs on your pump pot, filter, and heater if applicable.
b. With the exception of the pump motor itself, consider wrapping exposed plumbing and equipment with insulation materials. There are a variety of materials available to help protect exposed items from the freeze. Protecting these items can buy you enough time until power returns or allows you to drain equipment.
c. Place a tarp or heavy blanket over the pad. Some people might even place a small light under the covering for warmth.
d. If you have accessories you cannot keep running (i.e. waterfall, spill-overs, etc), consider closing those in advance. If you can gain access to the outlet area of that feature, try to vacuum out some water close to the ground’s surface or plumbing exit. Perhaps add some RV antifreeze to the plumbing at that exit area for insurance.
e. Watch for standing water. This could be a factor for waterfalls as the water may slip into cracks and grout areas then later expend and cause damage. Remove standing water and/or consider covering the area with a tarp if possible if you have concerns.
f. Have a couple pieces of cut-up pool noodle or an empty plastic jug to place in the skimmer(s) should power not return for a long time. Also consider placing a cover over the skimmer lid to prevent it from freezing stuck in-place.

These are just a few examples. Your pool set-up and location may dictate other requirements.

Re antifreeze. I don't know what RV antifreeze is, but if it's propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol, that's the way to go. The former is nontoxic while the latter--used in cars for a hundred years--is poison for most animals (and birds too, I've been told.)

 

[BowserB]

I have a waterfall pump that is separate from the main system (it does get controlled by the Aqualinks panel in my house) but I have noticed when freeze protection kicks on the main pump for the pool runs but not the waterfall pump. Should I drain the waterfall pump and leave it off or run it manually 24/7 until the freeze is over?

I'm in San Antonio, Texas.

Thank you in advance.

I have the same situation. The water feature pump does not have freeze protection, so choice is leave running or shut off and drain. I chose the latter. The Pentair Whisperflow will drain down only slightly with power off and the pot lid open, so it is necessary to open the drain plug. On the Pentair it is on the left side near/at the bottom of the pot. Mine also has a faucet above the pump on the pressure side, so I opened that to prevent a vacuum from retaining water. Someone else here warned about Eaton breakers, as if I didn't have enough worries. Mine (combination arc fault/ground fault) are over four years old. Fingers crossed.

Thing that got us last time was not knowing about the Whisperflo not being on freeze protection. Our area lost power, and while we have a standby generator and were OK, our Internet provide, Comcast-Xfinity, apparently does NOT have backup power. By the time I realized the Whisperflo wasn't running, I couldn't control it via the app and Intelliconnect--because control of the things on automation depend on connection to Pentair's servers!!! Long story short, Whisperflow volute froze and split open.

 

[mknauss]

Should I drain these to be on the safe side?

Review Preparing Pool for Cooler Months - Further Reading.

You can keep the system running with a plan for draining if a power outage occurs.