I just bought an 18 foot summer waves premium frame pool. It is stated on the box of 6600 gallons. I really dont want to drain and fill every season. What can i do to protect the pool and leave it up in the western pa winters? I was thinking about putting styrofoam in between the legs and drain it a little below the openings for the filter. Then put a huge tarp over it. The instructions say in weather under 32 degrees to take it down. What are some opinions here? Thanks
Leaving up for winter
- Thread starter tgrantjr
- Start date
Hey T !! You have 2 choices. You can either close it ike a ‘permanent’ above ground pool or take it down and store it each winter.
I have found that by me newbies take it down the first 2-3 years protecting their baby, but by year 3 don’t want the hassle anymore when they were only expecting it to last 5 years in the first place.
Taking it down is best on paper, but in the real world it is difficult to completely dry for storage and add some sort of talcum like powder to absorb any moisture while it’s stored. And if mice get into it, the liner can be chewed up on year one. Also, if any moisture sits on the piled up frame in storage, it can rust just like you were trying to avoid by storing it.
Leaving it up and exposed to the elements has its own set of accepted risks
It’s an age old debate with no clear answer and just personal preference. They can both succede or fail.
I have found that by me newbies take it down the first 2-3 years protecting their baby, but by year 3 don’t want the hassle anymore when they were only expecting it to last 5 years in the first place.
Taking it down is best on paper, but in the real world it is difficult to completely dry for storage and add some sort of talcum like powder to absorb any moisture while it’s stored. And if mice get into it, the liner can be chewed up on year one. Also, if any moisture sits on the piled up frame in storage, it can rust just like you were trying to avoid by storing it.
Leaving it up and exposed to the elements has its own set of accepted risks
It’s an age old debate with no clear answer and just personal preference. They can both succede or fail.
thefloatqueen
Bronze Supporter
I had an 18’ x 52” (a little over 7,000 gallons) Intex Ultra Frame pool and left it up two years in a row with no issues at all. Just winterize it like you would any other above ground pool and drain below the returns. I don’t use a winter cover so I occasionally had to drop the little submersible pump in every now and then (when the water wasn’t frozen, anyway) to drain more if needed. Close late and open early to avoid the dreaded swamp! There is an article about winterizing AGPs in the Pool School section!
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
I have left mine for 7 years now, no issues.. just winterize it...
It hurts the pool more taking it down and putting it back up, more chance of getting holes in it...
It hurts the pool more taking it down and putting it back up, more chance of getting holes in it...
Woodstock1234
Gold Supporter
We just had a very snowy, cold, winter, so I was a little worried about my Intex, but it made it through and I'm so happy I don't have to put that thing up again. I covered and pool wrapped it. Just took the wrap off a couple weeks ago and the water is clear too.
Prior to installing a permanent AGP, we started out with a 15' round, 3' deep Intex pool and took it down all three years that we owned it. We're in northern PA and definitely get winter weather. We drove by 3 pools of the same type on our way to town, and all were left up every winter. I wish we'd have left ours up, too. A lot of work taking it down and putting it up, plus how to keep everything in good shape over the winter. At least CYA buildup from the tabs was not an issue. 
On the plus side, one of our neighbors with 4 kids was thrilled when we gifted them with a pool in great shape; I also helped them install it and gave them a new test kit and showed them how to use it. They are still using it five years later... and never take it down!
On the plus side, one of our neighbors with 4 kids was thrilled when we gifted them with a pool in great shape; I also helped them install it and gave them a new test kit and showed them how to use it. They are still using it five years later... and never take it down!
I'm also wondering about keeping my Costco 12x22 above ground pool up for winter. Looking at some of the answers here, I'm leaning towards leaving it up. Lots of pine needles here. I bought a couple of pool pillows but now I'm thinking I should just cover it and allow the tarp tlay on the water while tying it to the frame without the pillows. Any thoughts? Thanks!
I'm about 50 miles north of Seattle and I leave my Intex style round pool up over the winter. A key concept is to wait until pool water temperature is below 60 degrees before closing, and to open before the water temperature reaches 60 degrees in the spring. Don't let algea get any foothold.
For closing, I bring all chemical levels into balance and then vacuum to waste until the water has dropped to the level of the dedicated vacuum fitting. I then raise chlorine to SLAM level.
I disconnect and drain the pump, and all plumbing, for storage in the shed.
The water is thus drained to the level of the lowest fitting in the pool, which leaves it about two thirds full. Rain and snow drain by themselves through that lower fitting. The skimmer drains from the bottom by virtue of the now disconnected plumbing.
I remove the six way valve from the sand filter and loosen the bottom drain plug to allow the sand filter to drain completely. I cover the drained filter with a plastic bag to keep the lazy bugs out and then place a plastic garbage can turned upside down over the whole thing and top with a heavy brick to keep it in place.
I used to cover the pool as well, to keep out the fir needles, but storms took all of our trees down in the back yard so now there is very little that falls into the pool.
This last winter I left the pool uncovered all winter and suffered no ill effects. Had no problems with algea due to low overall temperatures and the ocassional addition of bleach poured slowly as I walked around the pool perimiter. Ocassional in this case was three times as I recall.
Over the course of the winter I had to remove the occasional larger wind bourne debris and did not worry about the small stuff.
At opening the water was very clear and the bottom was covered with dirt and small organic stuff which I swept and removed as best I could before reinstalling the pump, filter, and associated plumbing. With the pump and filter working, brushing and vacuuming the pool was all that was needed before concentrating on testing and rebalancing the water chemistry.
Leaving the pool uncovered probably would not work for most people but does for me.
For closing, I bring all chemical levels into balance and then vacuum to waste until the water has dropped to the level of the dedicated vacuum fitting. I then raise chlorine to SLAM level.
I disconnect and drain the pump, and all plumbing, for storage in the shed.
The water is thus drained to the level of the lowest fitting in the pool, which leaves it about two thirds full. Rain and snow drain by themselves through that lower fitting. The skimmer drains from the bottom by virtue of the now disconnected plumbing.
I remove the six way valve from the sand filter and loosen the bottom drain plug to allow the sand filter to drain completely. I cover the drained filter with a plastic bag to keep the lazy bugs out and then place a plastic garbage can turned upside down over the whole thing and top with a heavy brick to keep it in place.
I used to cover the pool as well, to keep out the fir needles, but storms took all of our trees down in the back yard so now there is very little that falls into the pool.
This last winter I left the pool uncovered all winter and suffered no ill effects. Had no problems with algea due to low overall temperatures and the ocassional addition of bleach poured slowly as I walked around the pool perimiter. Ocassional in this case was three times as I recall.
Over the course of the winter I had to remove the occasional larger wind bourne debris and did not worry about the small stuff.
At opening the water was very clear and the bottom was covered with dirt and small organic stuff which I swept and removed as best I could before reinstalling the pump, filter, and associated plumbing. With the pump and filter working, brushing and vacuuming the pool was all that was needed before concentrating on testing and rebalancing the water chemistry.
Leaving the pool uncovered probably would not work for most people but does for me.