Have I been closing my IG pool all wrong? Draining too much, cinderblocks...

[MitchRyan912]

After opening this spring, we checked our ancient oversized tarp that had multiple holes in it, and decided to get a custom cover this fall, one that my wife (I thought) had already picked out. I was just told to call around for one, as Amazon reviews werenÂ’t so helpful. I decided IÂ’d handle it.

I just read the closing FAQ and I think what’s been done with the closing is all wrong. First off, the pool had always been drained to below the lowest line, so that means dumping about 36” of water to waste. Last year was the first year having someone else winterize the lines & equipment, and they said it was entirely too low. It was about 1’ off the bottom of the shallow end. I then filled it back up after closing the lines & skimmer, to a few inches above the highest line (adding about 12-16” inches back).

The tarp... weÂ’ve been using a massively oversized tarp thatÂ’s finally worn out, a tarp about 30x60 for a 20x40 pool. I see all these posts about water bags and I donÂ’t know what those are. WeÂ’ve been using cinderblocks to hold the tarp down so the wind doesnÂ’t blow it off.

Chemically speaking, I think weÂ’ve been good. A SLAM right before closing, with the water temp being close to 60 degrees and ph/TA being at Good levels.

Thoughts?

 

[Chemnut]

It's pretty standard to remove water to the bottom of the returns, the reason is you can be guaranteed all the water is out if you do it this way. You could use duck plugs but you will need to be sure all lines are clear of water. You will need to squeeze the duck lips to burp any other lines. 1' of water on top of the shallow end is a little low but is enough to hold the liner in place. Using cinder blocks is very risky because if the tarp pulls one of these in the pool you are risking liner damage. That's why people use those foolish water bags.

 

[swimcmp]

We don't drain any water. The only time we drain is if it is a concrete pool to get the water below the skimmers. Any other pool we either use a skimmer plug or a aquadoor lid. The returns we blow with liner vacuum and plug as we get air out of them. 35 plus years and no problems.

 

[Chemnut]

Tell me where the fall rain and snow build up goes?

 

[Catanzaro]

Draining water during any closing procedure if up to the homeowner. There is no right or wrong way to do it, at least in my opinion. I drain below the skimmer (1" max) and close the pool. Some below the returns, but afraid the wind that gets underneath the cover would do some damage. Within a few weeks, the water level on the cover is literally back up to mid way of the skimmers, which is the same as having the pool during the swim season.

Regarding cinderblocks, be extremely careful as the cover could pull them in, but it also depends on the strength of the cover and why it is being pulled in. If these were 6' away all the way around, maybe it would work, but water bags or aqua blocks, which are nicer looking and easier to dump water out work well. Last year, I used tie straps that can be removed and placed back on to hold the lids in place from the wind. They work great and can take a picture and send over if you want to see them, but use the internet to search.

 

[Chemnut]

Again, you are not in a hard freeze area with good snowfall. I've seen it, the snow added with fall rain causes the pool to overflow. That overflow can and does work it way into spots you do not want it to, I.E.: behind coping, under steps with that water washing away existing base materials. Pool companies are not removing any water, using duck plugs and skimmer plugs for one reason only, TIME savings. If you don't get deep freezes then it's a non issue but for those on the forum that live in those hard freeze areas I believe it's irresponsible to say it's ok for them.

 

[Swampwoman]

^The exception being for those in a high water table where the extra pressure against the walls is desirable AND ideally, who have an overflow valve plumbed

I'm in Michigan which some years gets lots of snow and even in the "year of the flood" did not overflow...presumably I have an overflow plumbed in the back of my skimmer?

 

[Chemnut]

Highly unlikely, it's rare for pb's to do that around my neck of the woods. If you have ever opened your pool with water up to 2" from the top then you had overflow. Was your water up to the skimmer? Remember that snow displaces the water. Why just look at how many pools have water half way up the skimmer when safety covers are removed, these are pools that were drained below the returns.

im just saying that in hard freeze areas imo it's irresponsible to tell ppl it's ok to not remove any water. Overflow does and will cause damage.

 

[MitchRyan912]

The coping of our pool is a minimum of 2” above the concrete deck, so paver blocks rest up against the coping and haven’t fallen in (between me and the previous owners of the house, it’s never happened in 27 years).

As such, is it possible to get a mesh cover for leaves that attaches to the coping instead of the concrete? I hate the tarps because we’ve NEVER been able to pull the tarp off while keeping the dirt on it from falling into the pool. So many springs where I’ve pulled a corner off and can see pristine, crystal clear water and a clean pool floor, only to have to vacuum it after the dirt from the tarp clouds up my water.

My returns are at 1) the midpoint of the wall in the 48” shallow end, and 2) at the same elevation but in the deep end. There’s a low wall suction line that’s barely over 1 foot above the bottom of the shallow end level, but it’s located in the deep end (8’). There’s also an emergency suction pipe below the skimmer, with a float valve thing in the skimmer to utilize it if the water ever falls below the skimmer level.

I assume the closing crew can handle the draining of the lines, even with a mostly full pool, but what I’m wondering is how far below the skimmer the water should be? I’m not sure about our water table, but I do know I had issues with a LOT of melting show in early March filling up water into the skimmer, and I had to use a pump during the warm day to drain the pool level (couldn’t run it at night as the temps dropped back below freezing).

 

[MitchRyan912]

The attached image is fairly typical of how the coping looks around the pool, except that half of the pool has rocks around it now.

It would be awesomesauce if a mesh leaf cover could clip onto the coping.

 

[Catanzaro]

I hate the tarps because we’ve NEVER been able to pull the tarp off while keeping the dirt on it from falling into the pool. So many springs where I’ve pulled a corner off and can see pristine, crystal clear water and a clean pool floor, only to have to vacuum it after the dirt from the tarp clouds up my water

What I do to prevent this. I take my Red Maxx blower and push all the dirt and water to one side (deep end). The water will eventually settle back to the shallow end and the dirt, leaves, etc. will be left in the deep end. Pump out water in the shallow end and keep using the blower so nothing gets back to the shallow end if needed again. Most of the water will be gone and then the air/heat will dry the cover up real well. Take cover off and fold accordingly and pick up and bring to driveway. Unfold and with a hose rinse the cover and allow to dry. Then I flip over the cover and allow to dry from the bottom, possibly cleaning as well. Fold up in half and then use a 1" 10' PVC and roll the cover up. Easier to put on in the fall.

My water is crystal clear within hours of opening the pool, but vacuuming takes about 30 minutes to really get the pool back to normal.