how low to drain to pool if not covering it?

[mn_]

We're looking to not cover our in-ground pool this year after closing for the winter. Wondering how low can we go or should we go? Given that we live in Ontario, Canada so get plenty of snow.

p.s. Is there any cons for not covering it?

 

[ajw22]

You should not drain a vinyl pool below the skimmer.

 

[mn_]

You should not drain a vinyl pool below the skimmer.

Wouldn't we need to clear the lines?

 

[ajw22]

Wouldn't we need to clear the lines?

Clear which lines?

 

[mn_]

Clear which lines?

To close the pool, we need to clear the lines so we need to go below skimmer. No?

 

[ajw22]

To close the pool, we need to clear the lines so we need to go below skimmer. No?

You just lower to below the bottom on the skimmer. You don’t want to give too much room for water to get behind the liner.

 

[mn_]

You just lower to below the bottom on the skimmer. You don’t want to give too much room for water to get behind the liner.

How do you close the return lines then? Do you just close them while air is blowing out of them?

 

[wireform]

You can use either the duck plugs and blow the lines from the equipment pad side or the Schrader valve plugs and a compressor with no more than 20 psi from the jet return side blowing towards the equipment pad. If it is/was early enough in the fall to drop just below the returns, blow the lines out and use plugs with wing nuts and let the rain bring it back up. That's what we do here for Gunite or vinyl. Works all the time.

 

[Pool_Medic]

Lord, you can certainly drain a vinyl pool below the returns. Where are you garnering your info aj?

Fall rain and snow will bring the levels up.

 

[djust]

Just got done closing my Vinyl pool and drained it below the returns to get all the water out of the pipes then capped them off and left the pool level low but I have already had some rain this week and the level is probably about over the returns again but still way below the skimmers.