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

[ajw22]

It was 44 degrees and raining in NJ at 1PM and is now 27F at 4PM. Went through a bit of snow before the precipitation stopped.

When the rain stopped and when the temp was about 35 degrees I went out and cleaned debris off the solid pool cover, pumped off any remaining water, and moved the pumps off the cover so they did not get locked onto the cover.

All set for the big chill this weekend.

 

[Silva1181]

I bought new noodles and cut them to size to place in the skimmers but for some reason in one skimmer the noodle pieces keep popping out. I tried a 1/2 gallon filled half way as well and it keeps popping out. Since we have a lot wind, I am getting tons of pine needles in the pool skimmer and having to keep going out to empty since I removed the skimmer baskets. I have no trees in my backyard so it's blowing them in from surrounding homes. I hope the winds die down soon . I also noticed my polaris is on but it's not working properly, not sure if the freezing water affected it but it was doing fine before the freeze. it's moving very slow and on it's side, werid.

 

[Texas Splash]

You shouldn't have to remove the skimmer basket. You don't want to develop a plugged skimmer line with all that debris flying around and landing on the water. Maybe tie a weight to the pool noodle(s) and the weight will sit in the skimmer basket as well to keep it seated?

 

[ajw22]

Cut the pool noodles long enough so you bend it in a circle and the friction against the inside of the skimmer should hold it in place.

 

[dailygenesis]

Went thru the Texas freeze Feb '21 and had ice then, but this is bizarre. I am pointing my phone camera west (north is to the right) wind from the north all night. Pump running under freeze protection 1850 rpm with maybe 10-15% through the spa. This formation is entirely from the spillover water and wind. There's been no rain or sprinkler run in four days. No one has touched it. A few birds have been drinking at the spillover since the birdbath is frozen. If I had a video, it might show how this ice grew, then fell, then continued growing.

That looks a lot like what we got on our spa spillover. Our spillover faces to the west-southwest. I assumed the top part was what formed in the spillover itself and then the rest was splash and especially splash enhanced by the strong winds. Ours also broke free today as well when the sun came out. I had put some warm water in there periodically though so keep the spillover channel clear (ours is a lot more narrow than yours).

 

[dailygenesis]

This morning I was scooping leaves out of the pool. In the few seconds it took to flip the netting upside down to remove the leaves, the netting would stiffen and try to freeze.

Same. I set my net down on top of the diving board for a second and had to pry it off. Stuff is freezing fast out there!

 

[Silva1181]

Thanks Texas Splash. I had read in a different thread on the the forum to remove the skimmer basket in order to avoid it freezing and cracking in to pieces and being sucked in. It's good to know I can place the baskets back in the skimmers. I just tried placing the baskets and noodles in the skimmer but it floats out as seen in photo. I know this isn't rocket science but it's not working for me. I don't have any weights of sort to use as anchors. The only way I was able to keep the basket down was with this 2x4. I just removed the basket and forced the noddle's back down. The 2nd photo shows them tucked in w/out the basket. Hopefully they'll stay down.

ajw22 - that's exactly what I did. I cut one long enough to bend in to a circle but for some reason it keeps popping out. then i cut to force in as shown in the photo.

I am going to just leave as-is and hope for the best. the winds seem to have died down.

 

[PfTXPoolDad]

Anyone have guidance on what to do to winterize my autofill? I have the autofill valve shut off with my other inline valves quarter open and the relief valves (set screws) open 100%. Advice?

Thanks for all the help - so good to see us watching out for one another.

Happy Holidays!

 

[Texas Splash]

I had read in a different thread on the the forum to remove the skimmer basket in order to avoid it freezing and cracking in to pieces and being sucked in. It's good to know I can place the baskets back in the skimmers.

I'm sorry Marciano (@Silva1181), I have to correct my earlier comment. I was thinking of pools with water still in motion puling water, then I got side-tracked with the pine needles comment. The comment about skimmer baskets not being in the skimmer is correct because normally the pump is off, so there is no threat of pulling debris into the suction line. My apologies. Nothing you want to hear more right about now in freezing temps than to have to pull the basket out. Very sorry about all that.

Do your best to cut the noodle long enough to where it remains in the skimmer. If you can't seem to get it that way. place something with a little weight on the noodles.

Pool noodle in skimmer

I like the idea of using a pool noodle in the skimmer to prevent freeze/cracking. However how do you keep the pool noodle from floating on the water surface and therefore offering little protection?

www.troublefreepool.com

Pool Noodle Instead of Gizmo?

Not sure where I got this idea...probably here. I closed 2 weeks ago, screwing Gizmos into the bottom of the skimmers. It seems to me that a noodle, properly "curled" into the skimmer, would displace a lot of water that might otherwise pour in, as well as protect against ice expansion. Instead...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Texas Splash]

Anyone have guidance on what to do to winterize my autofill?

Not sure there is much else you can do at this point. You sure do seem to have that area insulated well.

 

[Silva1181]

I'm sorry Marciano (@Silva1181), I have to correct my earlier comment. I was thinking of pools with water still in motion puling water, then I got side-tracked with the pine needles comment. The comment about skimmer baskets not being in the skimmer is correct because normally the pump is off, so there is no threat of pulling debris into the suction line. My apologies. Nothing you want to hear more right about now in freezing temps than to have to pull the basket out. Very sorry about all that.

Do your best to cut the noodle long enough to where it remains in the skimmer. If you can't seem to get it that way. place something with a little weight on the noodles.

Pool noodle in skimmer

I like the idea of using a pool noodle in the skimmer to prevent freeze/cracking. However how do you keep the pool noodle from floating on the water surface and therefore offering little protection?

www.troublefreepool.com

Pool Noodle Instead of Gizmo?

Not sure where I got this idea...probably here. I closed 2 weeks ago, screwing Gizmos into the bottom of the skimmers. It seems to me that a noodle, properly "curled" into the skimmer, would displace a lot of water that might otherwise pour in, as well as protect against ice expansion. Instead...

www.troublefreepool.com

Texas-splash no worries at all. I appreciate all the help with my questions. I think i am misunderstanding something.

I have my pump running 24/7 so water is flowing. Do I need to put noodles in the skimmers if my pump is running? Is doing this a backup measure in the event I lose power and water starts to freeze?

Or is placing noodles in the skimmer done only if pool is shut down.

 

[Texas Splash]

Do I need to put noodles in the skimmers if my pump is running?

No worries, then we were both confused. Ha. No noodles required with pump on. Skimmer basket in the skimmer. But if power goes out long enough to be worried about freezing water, pull the basket and stuff the skimmer with those noodles.

 

[Silva1181]

Ah! Got it. Going back out now to remove noodles and place skimmer back in, LOL. Those Dang noodles keep popping out anyway. I am still learning. Thanks again

 

[dailygenesis]

Hello there. An ice sheet formed overnight and covered part of the deep end of the pool. The ice extends through the skimmer weir door but hasn't covered the inside of the skimmer. Pump is still running and water flowing ok under the ice and into and down the skimmer.

I can't tell if there any damage to the entrance of the skimmer where that ice formed. Would this typically cause damage or is there not too much pressure there since the ice still has room to move?

Also, I have a water bottle half full of antifreeze in the skimmer. Is that sufficient in case the ice moves all the way in? I doubt it will as long as the water is still moving but just want to be prepared.

I'm a newbie so any help and reassurance is appreciated!

Sun is supposed to be out today with highs getting close to 32 so I'm hoping that will melt some of this and raise the water temp a bit. The water temp is holding right around 32.

 

[ajw22]

At this point all you can do is wait out the thaw and then assess how things did.

 

[FNG]

Follow up. 5F here outside. Water is sitting between 30F and 35F based on my in pool thermometer and laser thermometer. For the first time, ice is barely starting to form around the circumference of the pool and the ladder. Pump still running. Thank God. However, TVA is announcing rolling blackouts again. My pump and pipes are still covered with reflective bubble wrap and a heat lamp. I just hope this works out. Another day or so and hopefully the worry will be gone. It's suppose to gradually warm up over the next few days with outside temps being in the 50s on Thurs/Fri. In the meantime, going through this, we decided to buy a generator for future events since we have no control over the power company.

 

[dailygenesis]

At this point all you can do is wait out the thaw and then assess how things did.

Is it worth trying to run some warm water by the skimmer to thaw out the ice going in there?

 

[ajw22]

Is it worth trying to run some warm water by the skimmer to thaw out the ice going in there?

Only if you enjoy the cold and have nothing better to do.

 

[heffnejp]

Not sure there is much else you can do at this point. You sure do seem to have that area insulated well.

Hey guys, power went out this morning, pump had been running, switching every 30 minutes from pool to spa. I couldn’t get my generator going fast enough and the pump wouldn’t come on when power was restored to the box. I removed drain from heater, pump and filter, water drained out of the pump and heater, but only trickled out of sand filter? My equipment has been covered with a light burning inside my little fortress. One thing I haven’t seen in this thread after reading all nine pages is the main drain to the spa. I went ahead and removed the actuator and opened the valve for it as well. I did put half empty water bottles in my skimmers as well. At this point will the openings in the 3 pieces of equipment allow for expansion? Should water have been pouring out of my sand filter? Any thing else I need to do at this point? If there is damage from this, will home insurance typically cover it due to this being an acute event?

 

[HeyEng]

Hey guys, power went out this morning, pump had been running, switching every 30 minutes from pool to spa. I couldn’t get my generator going fast enough and the pump wouldn’t come on when power was restored to the box. I removed drain from heater, pump and filter, water drained out of the pump and heater, but only trickled out of sand filter? My equipment has been covered with a light burning inside my little fortress. One thing I haven’t seen in this thread after reading all nine pages is the main drain to the spa. I went ahead and removed the actuator and opened the valve for it as well. I did put half empty water bottles in my skimmers as well. At this point will the openings in the 3 pieces of equipment allow for expansion? Should water have been pouring out of my sand filter? Any thing else I need to do at this point? If there is damage from this, will home insurance typically cover it due to this being an acute event?

The sand filter will take a little while to drain. Open any valves that you can to allow for the expansion. Not much else you can do but wait. The consensus after last year's freeze event is that very few (if any) insurers will cover damage to equipment due to ice. Of course, YMMV but I know USAA (who has pretty good coverage) will not cover ice damage to pools and/or pool equipment due to ice damage.