Hi all,
I will be doing my first DIY pool closing - pool was installed over the summer and we enjoyed it considerably for about a month before shutting down due to cold weather.
My specs in my signature but here are some additional points : I do not have a main drain, only a skimmer suction. 2 return jets on shallow end few inches below water line. 2 PAL LED lights about equal height to return jets on side. My lines are Tigerflex 2" for suction and 1.5" for returns. Cold climate makes flex line the better choice here.
Here is what I've gathered I should be doing to winterize, please correct me if I'm wrong :
1) Pool chemical closing kit - Chlorine-free oxidizing shock, followed by stain and scale preventer, followed by algaecide. Not sure if these products are actually necessary - didn't have the time to research so bought them as a winter closing kit. Can modify this later on if a better alternative exists. Add these to edge of pool while pump is still running and circulating.
2) Make sure pool is still within 7.2-7.6 pH.
3) Drain water to below jets and about 2" below bottom of skimmer mouth. This should not add any risk of pool popping out, I hope? My pool install has a drain at the shallow end level (about 4 feet below ground) so it is possible that water could accumulate below the level of the shallow depth. It is not possible for below-ground water to be above the shallow end bottom of pool, however. I do have a french drain/pipe next to my skimmer on deep end that I could always drop a submersible pump into to drain but this could always fill back up with water later so don't want to rely on that. My understanding of physics tells me that if my pool water is at least 3.5 feet above any water outside of the pool, then I should be more than ok, right?
4) Once water below skimmer, disconnect equipment at pool equipment house. Using a strong Shop Vac, blow out the return and suction/skimmer line from the pool equipment end.
5) Remove eyeballs from return jets, replace with threaded caps w/ o-ring to seal off the line.
6) Screw in a "Gizzmo" into the suction line of the skimmer
7) Vaccuum/blow out all water from plumbing/pumps/filter, etc. in the equipment shed
8) Disconnect pump and bring inside (heated) for winter
9) Disconnect heat pump and bring into pool equipment shed (non-heated) for winter - ensure it is completely free of water
10) Remove salt-cell and bring inside (heated)
11) Remove filter element and bring inside (heated)
Now, some questions :
a) Should I be dumping a good plumbing antifreeze into the suction and return lines?
b) Should I be unscrewing or doing anything with my PAL LED lights? I can't find my manual and am just not sure. I have friends that have told me their pool guy unscrews their LEDs and lets them hang a bit over the winter. They have completely different lights than I do but curious...
c) The heat pump will be better off in my pool shed than outside covered in snow, I assume. I am hoping to prolong the life of the heat pump so curious if I should be hauling it inside the house in a heated space. This is quite inconvenient and will take up a bit of space so won't do if having it in a dry covered but non-heated spot will do.
d) My skimmer plastic cover has some holes in it so if it rains, water could pool into the skimmer, should I be sealing off the top of the skimmer or is it ok for water to go into bottom of skimmer as long as Gizzmo is there?
Edit: I do not plan on using a winter cover on top of the pool, it will be left open to the elements...
Anything else I missed? Thank you so much in advance! I learn a lot here
Jeff
I will be doing my first DIY pool closing - pool was installed over the summer and we enjoyed it considerably for about a month before shutting down due to cold weather.
My specs in my signature but here are some additional points : I do not have a main drain, only a skimmer suction. 2 return jets on shallow end few inches below water line. 2 PAL LED lights about equal height to return jets on side. My lines are Tigerflex 2" for suction and 1.5" for returns. Cold climate makes flex line the better choice here.
Here is what I've gathered I should be doing to winterize, please correct me if I'm wrong :
1) Pool chemical closing kit - Chlorine-free oxidizing shock, followed by stain and scale preventer, followed by algaecide. Not sure if these products are actually necessary - didn't have the time to research so bought them as a winter closing kit. Can modify this later on if a better alternative exists. Add these to edge of pool while pump is still running and circulating.
2) Make sure pool is still within 7.2-7.6 pH.
3) Drain water to below jets and about 2" below bottom of skimmer mouth. This should not add any risk of pool popping out, I hope? My pool install has a drain at the shallow end level (about 4 feet below ground) so it is possible that water could accumulate below the level of the shallow depth. It is not possible for below-ground water to be above the shallow end bottom of pool, however. I do have a french drain/pipe next to my skimmer on deep end that I could always drop a submersible pump into to drain but this could always fill back up with water later so don't want to rely on that. My understanding of physics tells me that if my pool water is at least 3.5 feet above any water outside of the pool, then I should be more than ok, right?
4) Once water below skimmer, disconnect equipment at pool equipment house. Using a strong Shop Vac, blow out the return and suction/skimmer line from the pool equipment end.
5) Remove eyeballs from return jets, replace with threaded caps w/ o-ring to seal off the line.
6) Screw in a "Gizzmo" into the suction line of the skimmer
7) Vaccuum/blow out all water from plumbing/pumps/filter, etc. in the equipment shed
8) Disconnect pump and bring inside (heated) for winter
9) Disconnect heat pump and bring into pool equipment shed (non-heated) for winter - ensure it is completely free of water
10) Remove salt-cell and bring inside (heated)
11) Remove filter element and bring inside (heated)
Now, some questions :
a) Should I be dumping a good plumbing antifreeze into the suction and return lines?
b) Should I be unscrewing or doing anything with my PAL LED lights? I can't find my manual and am just not sure. I have friends that have told me their pool guy unscrews their LEDs and lets them hang a bit over the winter. They have completely different lights than I do but curious...
c) The heat pump will be better off in my pool shed than outside covered in snow, I assume. I am hoping to prolong the life of the heat pump so curious if I should be hauling it inside the house in a heated space. This is quite inconvenient and will take up a bit of space so won't do if having it in a dry covered but non-heated spot will do.
d) My skimmer plastic cover has some holes in it so if it rains, water could pool into the skimmer, should I be sealing off the top of the skimmer or is it ok for water to go into bottom of skimmer as long as Gizzmo is there?
Edit: I do not plan on using a winter cover on top of the pool, it will be left open to the elements...
Anything else I missed? Thank you so much in advance! I learn a lot here
Jeff
