Looking to get rid of my pool company. Intimidated about closing.

[mbeezie]

Hi everyone,
We bought a home in the northeast in 2019 that had a 36k gallon in-ground salt water pool with a heat pump. Since then, i've had a pool company open and close it each year. I do the balancing with a Taylor salt kit. I enjoy doing it. In the last few years i have replaced the four cartridges for the filter, upgraded the pump to a Tristar VS 900, and installed an omnilogic system for easier maintenance. The new pump installation and omnilogic installation were professionally done.

This year i watched them open the pool and it seems like something i can handle. I had already hooked up the pump, replaced the filter cartridges, cleaned/reinstalled the SWG prior to their arrival. (For winter, i bring the pump, filter cartridges, SWG into my basement). They essentially just took the cover off, removed gizmos from the skimmer baskets, and turned on the system. So i am not intimated by opening the pool.

However, closing the pool is another story. My main concern is the pipes freezing. It's a 20'x45' pool so i think there is a good amount of piping. I read the relevant page (Closing an In Ground Pool) and plan to get a Cyclone to do it right. The salient points seem to be 1) drain water level to 4" below skimmer boxes 2) blow out the lines with the cyclone until there is just a fine mist coming out of the returns 3) install gizmos and plugs.

Is this something to be intimidated by? or is it one of those things that after you do it you'll look back and think "actually, that wasn't so bad!"

After a few years of dealing with my pool company for various things, i really get the feeling they try to rip me off at every corner. I would be happy to get rid of them and also have the ability to do it all myself. I just don't want to destroy this awesome pool in the process.

 

[PoolGate]

I have a local pool store close me each year. I do my own opening. I use their cheapest package. They guarantee against freeze damage is the main reason. I pay something like $400 now. It started at $200ish 5 years ago. I am on the verge of dropping them too. This might be the year I do it.

 

[Bperry]

Hi everyone,
We bought a home in the northeast in 2019 that had a 36k gallon in-ground salt water pool with a heat pump. Since then, i've had a pool company open and close it each year. I do the balancing with a Taylor salt kit. I enjoy doing it. In the last few years i have replaced the four cartridges for the filter, upgraded the pump to a Tristar VS 900, and installed an omnilogic system for easier maintenance. The new pump installation and omnilogic installation were professionally done.

This year i watched them open the pool and it seems like something i can handle. I had already hooked up the pump, replaced the filter cartridges, cleaned/reinstalled the SWG prior to their arrival. (For winter, i bring the pump, filter cartridges, SWG into my basement). They essentially just took the cover off, removed gizmos from the skimmer baskets, and turned on the system. So i am not intimated by opening the pool.

However, closing the pool is another story. My main concern is the pipes freezing. It's a 20'x45' pool so i think there is a good amount of piping. I read the relevant page (Closing an In Ground Pool) and plan to get a Cyclone to do it right. The salient points seem to be 1) drain water level to 4" below skimmer boxes 2) blow out the lines with the cyclone until there is just a fine mist coming out of the returns 3) install gizmos and plugs.

Is this something to be intimidated by? or is it one of those things that after you do it you'll look back and think "actually, that wasn't so bad!"

After a few years of dealing with my pool company for various things, i really get the feeling they try to rip me off at every corner. I would be happy to get rid of them and also have the ability to do it all myself. I just don't want to destroy this awesome pool in the process.

It’s one of those things where once you do it, you wonder why you wasted money paying someone else to do it in the past. This is assuming you are handy and capable. There’s other cases where someone just can’t manage that process so it’s not like it’s terrible that someone pays for a service.

 

[Siamese]

I’ve had a 20x40 inground pool for the last 13 years and have always closed it myself. I blow out the lines with a shop vac. Follow the article that you posted. It’s not a big deal at all.

 

[mknauss]

A little video to watch.

And a Wiki

Closing Pool for Winter - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mbeezie]

Thanks everyone!

 

[ajw22]

The only reason I use a Pool Company is to open and close my pool. My pool cover is too heavy for one person to handle. They have two strong guys handle it while I stand around and supervise.

You can use your Pool Company just to close your pool if that works best for you.

 

[newdude]

Is this something to be intimidated by?

Nope. We walk several through their forst rodeo each spring and fall. I wrote mine up using a shop vac. The cyclone would do even better than my leafblower

Closing with shop vac.

Today was the day for closing and it went great with a 6HP shop vac. I hooked my blower up for fun after, and there really wasn't much left but some spray. Anywho I wanted to do a write up for all the folks wondering if they could save a chunk of change and tackle their own closing...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[V___25]

I have a pool company close but they just blow out the lines and put the cover on - I handle all the chemicals prior to closing. It's just personal preference but many, many people close the pool themselves.

 

[mbeezie]

Hi guys, reviving this thread with a follow up question

what do you guys do for chemicals to close the pool? my pool company typically puts some amount of antifreeze in it (how much do i use?)

Do you need to put anything else in assuming it's already correctly balanced?

 

[PoolGate]

Hi guys, reviving this thread with a follow up question

what do you guys do for chemicals to close the pool? my pool company typically puts some amount of antifreeze in it (how much do i use?)

Do you need to put anything else in assuming it's already correctly balanced?

You don't need any special chemicals. Close when the water temp is below 60. The antifreeze is not added to the pool, it is added to individual parts like the skimmer.

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

 

[mbeezie]

Makes sense. thank you.

Another question for you guys.

My pool is nearly 20 years old. the liner is sagging in some spots, and seems to 'puff out' by the steps leading into the pool. When the water level is up for the summer, this isn't a problem. but if i drain the water to below the skimmer boxes, i'm worried this stretching of the liner is just overall bad for the liner. We have looked into getting a new liner and i know that is coming soon, but is it at all recommended in this kind of situation to not drain the water for winter? Is there a way to leave the water level 'normal' and close the pool with one way valves in the returns or something? or is that too much of a gamble, hoping the gizmos hold all winter?