Is there any disadvantage to lowering water below returns (gunite pool)

[Pooler-Bear]

This year will be my first time closing the pool, last year pool guys came and blew the lines, capped them underwater while blowing. I don't have air compressor so I will be using shopvac. I don't want to risk water getting back in due to threads or any other issues so is there any disadvantages to lowering the water to just below jets other than added cost or refilling the pool at opening?

My set up is 1 Skimmer, 2 Returns, drain plugged, so I will be emptying the pool as much as I can with pump, then will use gravity where we have a bit downhill, using vacuum hose, or I will try to do a loop through skimmer with pump running to suck the water out.

I read somewhere we shouldn't lower the water too much below the tiles, what is the hard limit?

My cover is solid sunblock thick tarp, last year there wasn't any additional water in the pool other than whatever weight it added during snow/rain storms.
I will still add antifreeze (i got a gallon) perhaps gallon into skimmer, and another gallon into return from the pump side.

 

[Bperry]

This year will be my first time closing the pool, last year pool guys came and blew the lines, capped them underwater while blowing. I don't have air compressor so I will be using shopvac. I don't want to risk water getting back in due to threads or any other issues so is there any disadvantages to lowering the water to just below jets other than added cost or refilling the pool at opening?

My set up is 1 Skimmer, 2 Returns, drain plugged, so I will be emptying the pool as much as I can with pump, then will use gravity where we have a bit downhill, using vacuum hose, or I will try to do a loop through skimmer with pump running to suck the water out.

I read somewhere we shouldn't lower the water too much below the tiles, what is the hard limit?

My cover is solid sunblock thick tarp, last year there wasn't any additional water in the pool other than whatever weight it added during snow/rain storms.
I will still add antifreeze (i got a gallon) perhaps gallon into skimmer, and another gallon into return from the pump side.

Depending on how deep the pool is, the shop vac may or may not work to blow out all the lines.

The issue with plaster is that once it’s hydrated, letting it dry out can cause damage so you have to balance what you can afford to damage the least, tile or plaster. I’d personally rather replace tile if it breaks rather than plaster.

 

[Pooler-Bear]

You mean shop vac may not be able to blow out the lines when there is water in it or you mean even after I lower the water to below returns?

Is the tile prone to breakage if I lower too much or too little? I don't think I get the point about what I can afford to damage. I would like to not damage anything if possible This year is not going so well so I didn't want to spend $300 on closing and I helped close my neighbor, they just blew the lines and lowered the water to jets, they have a similar plaster pool but I think they did their plaster / marble dusting more recently than ours.
While my other neighbor barely lowered the water, and they actually just resurfaced their pool before opening this summer.

 

[HermanTX]

This year will be my first time closing the pool, last year pool guys came and blew the lines, capped them underwater while blowing. I don't have air compressor so I will be using shopvac. I don't want to risk water getting back in due to threads or any other issues so is there any disadvantages to lowering the water to just below jets other than added cost or refilling the pool at opening?

My set up is 1 Skimmer, 2 Returns, drain plugged, so I will be emptying the pool as much as I can with pump, then will use gravity where we have a bit downhill, using vacuum hose, or I will try to do a loop through skimmer with pump running to suck the water out.

I read somewhere we shouldn't lower the water too much below the tiles, what is the hard limit?

My cover is solid sunblock thick tarp, last year there wasn't any additional water in the pool other than whatever weight it added during snow/rain storms.
I will still add antifreeze (i got a gallon) perhaps gallon into skimmer, and another gallon into return from the pump side.

calling @Newdude to give you some advice
Please read

Closing an In Ground Pool

Winterizing a pool is essential for keeping your in-ground pool protected during cold-weather months. This Pool Repair guide will show you how to do it.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Pooler-Bear]

Thank you, I read that already but it said " Pump the water down till it is about four inches below the bottom of the returns." if I go 4 inches below returns that's really low for my pool honestly, my returns (jets) that I have only 2 of them, and they are good 12-14" from the surface, going 4" below would mean possibly 18-20" of space, and that's easily more than 16" below tile line, if not more (i should measure this exactly tomorrow and report back.
I was planning to drain just below the jets, blow out and make it easier to plug when I know there will be no water in them.

 

[newdude]

I was planning to drain just below the jets, blow out and make it easier to plug when I know there will be no water in them.

With a weak blower (read..... anything besides a cyclone) I'd lower below the returns and then fill back up after with your plaster/cover concerns.

 

[Bperry]

You mean shop vac may not be able to blow out the lines when there is water in it or you mean even after I lower the water to below returns?

Is the tile prone to breakage if I lower too much or too little? I don't think I get the point about what I can afford to damage. I would like to not damage anything if possible This year is not going so well so I didn't want to spend $300 on closing and I helped close my neighbor, they just blew the lines and lowered the water to jets, they have a similar plaster pool but I think they did their plaster / marble dusting more recently than ours.
While my other neighbor barely lowered the water, and they actually just resurfaced their pool before opening this summer.

Do you have a main drain? That’s the one that may have trouble blowing out with a shop vac. The returns can be blown by lowering the water temporarily to cap them off like mentioned above.

My point was aimed at the reason for lowering the water level in the first place. You want to lower it enough so that rain doesn’t overflow it before it freezes, or find a way to drain off excess during the winter if possible. Draining below the tile can risk plaster damage from long term air exposure but if you leave it up at the tile, you risk tile cracking from ice expansion. Every pool is kinda different and there’s no way to eliminate ALL the risk so you have to adjust the plan to mitigate your specific risks. In MY case, lowering the water enough to expose the plaster resulted in chunks of plaster popping off over winter. The plaster was 20 years old so its possible age contributed to it but I’d rather not risk that again since I just spent a small fortune replacing it. So I’ll be leaving the water level full and siphoning water during large rainstorms to keep the level in check but I have to be very careful about my skimmers in that case to make sure they have gizmos and extra noodles. I expect we’ll get a max of 2” of ice, maybe less so siphoning is a decent option for me that may not be available to you.

 

[Nectarologist]

This year will be my first time closing the pool, last year pool guys came and blew the lines, capped them underwater while blowing. I don't have air compressor so I will be using shopvac. I don't want to risk water getting back in due to threads or any other issues so is there any disadvantages to lowering the water to just below jets other than added cost or refilling the pool at opening?

My set up is 1 Skimmer, 2 Returns, drain plugged, so I will be emptying the pool as much as I can with pump, then will use gravity where we have a bit downhill, using vacuum hose, or I will try to do a loop through skimmer with pump running to suck the water out.

I read somewhere we shouldn't lower the water too much below the tiles, what is the hard limit?

My cover is solid sunblock thick tarp, last year there wasn't any additional water in the pool other than whatever weight it added during snow/rain storms.
I will still add antifreeze (i got a gallon) perhaps gallon into skimmer, and another gallon into return from the pump side.

Just to be sure, is the solid cover a loop loc type cover with anchors to hold it in place on the decking? Or a true tarp type with water bags (or water blocks) to hold it in place? If it's not a loop loc type (which is how I'm reading it) you need water in the pool to support the cover. Tarp covers held in place by water bags/blocks rely on the water underneath to support the cover. Since you don't have a cyclone I'd lower the water as you described but I'd fill it back up once the lines are drained and plugged. This way it will be in the same condition as when the pool company closes it. Don't forget something to absorb the ice in the skimmer.

 

[Pooler-Bear]

Thanks for the replies.
It's the thick tarp not loop lock, the thick tarp that sits on the water, Here is a picture from last year.

My neighbor just did the same and lowered it below returns and put a much thinner tarp over it with water boxes all around to hold it in place. My tarp is huge, so I have a lot of slack to make sure I can put water bags/weights all around. Last year I used a lot of water bags and in few areas (corners) I put umbrella weights since the tarp was so big, I didn't want it blowing in the wind.

Main drain is plugged, we don't use it, but thanks so much for the idea about lowering it, then filling it back up above jets to keep plaster moist. I guess it will make the water chemistry a bit less stable when I fill it back up, but should not be a huge difference.



Here she is, on 2 good days: