Hi guys,
I’ve been referencing this forum and the TFT-100 kit since I built my pool in 2006. The info I’ve garnered from the folks here has kept my pool crystal clear the entire time (this is my 6th season). A huge thanks to all the experts here!!!!
Well, this year, I decided to save myself $250 by winterizing the pool by myself. I closed it a few days ago but I want to get some confirmation from the experts here about how I did it. Here is a summary of what I did (I basically watched the pool company in previous years and took notes). I did NOT lower the water as they have never done that in the past.
1) From the pool store, I rented a commercial blower and a special pump cover that allows the blower hose to attach to the pump (cost was $15).
2) I attached the setup and turned on the blower. The closest skimmer started bubbling. I waited a couple of minutes then screwed a tall gizmo in (I used Teflon tape on all threads).
3) Next skimmer started to blow and I did the same.
4) Next, the main drain started to blow. Waited a few minutes and closed the main drain valve at the pad to create a vacuum.
5) Next the pressure side started to blow, First the Polaris booster line, followed by the 3 returns, one at a time. Plugged each one at a time waiting a couple of minutes of bubbling before plugging.
6) Once all the lines were plugged, I started removing the drain plugs on the equipment. Polaris booster pump, heater, pressure gauge on the DE filter and finally the pump itself.
7) Then I stopped the blower, disassembled/cleaned the filter, then removed the SWG cell from the return line and plugged both ends with rubber stoppers.
8) Install loop-loc cover
9) Cross fingers
The thing I am most worried about is if I got all the water out of the lines as I live in northern Mass. The pool store suggested I add anti-freeze to the lines for protection. I want to see what the experts here think about that. Here is my take……please correct me if I’m wrong……………
Since all of my returns and skimmer lines come out of the pool and head down 90 degrees to the bottom of the pool (3.5 feet) before heading back to the pad, then the only sections of the lines that I need to be concerned about would be the section of pvc from the 90 degree drop and where the lines go back up to enter the equipment pad.
So, how does pouring anti-freeze into the lines actually protect anything? I suppose it would be an added insurance, in case I didn’t do a great job plugging things up and some water got into the lines. Then the antifreeze (that would have settled to the lowest level of each line) would mix with any errant water that enters the line and if the water rises up above the 3-4 ft level (i.e climbs the wall of the pool to the 90 degree elbow) it would be mixed with anti-freeze, thus preventing any freeze-up.
Actually, the equipment pad is a couple of feet below the top of the pool so as the grade drops down by the pad, that section of pipe is probably only 1-2 ft below grade. So I guess the anti-freeze might protect that section if some water gets in somehow.
Please help by either confirming my thoughts or being brutally critical while I still have time to correct things. As of now, I am not sleeping at night, worrying about whether I am closing the pool correctly or not
At this point, I almost wish I payed the $250 to the pool store to close it up .
I’ve been referencing this forum and the TFT-100 kit since I built my pool in 2006. The info I’ve garnered from the folks here has kept my pool crystal clear the entire time (this is my 6th season). A huge thanks to all the experts here!!!!
Well, this year, I decided to save myself $250 by winterizing the pool by myself. I closed it a few days ago but I want to get some confirmation from the experts here about how I did it. Here is a summary of what I did (I basically watched the pool company in previous years and took notes). I did NOT lower the water as they have never done that in the past.
1) From the pool store, I rented a commercial blower and a special pump cover that allows the blower hose to attach to the pump (cost was $15).
2) I attached the setup and turned on the blower. The closest skimmer started bubbling. I waited a couple of minutes then screwed a tall gizmo in (I used Teflon tape on all threads).
3) Next skimmer started to blow and I did the same.
4) Next, the main drain started to blow. Waited a few minutes and closed the main drain valve at the pad to create a vacuum.
5) Next the pressure side started to blow, First the Polaris booster line, followed by the 3 returns, one at a time. Plugged each one at a time waiting a couple of minutes of bubbling before plugging.
6) Once all the lines were plugged, I started removing the drain plugs on the equipment. Polaris booster pump, heater, pressure gauge on the DE filter and finally the pump itself.
7) Then I stopped the blower, disassembled/cleaned the filter, then removed the SWG cell from the return line and plugged both ends with rubber stoppers.
8) Install loop-loc cover
9) Cross fingers
The thing I am most worried about is if I got all the water out of the lines as I live in northern Mass. The pool store suggested I add anti-freeze to the lines for protection. I want to see what the experts here think about that. Here is my take……please correct me if I’m wrong……………
Since all of my returns and skimmer lines come out of the pool and head down 90 degrees to the bottom of the pool (3.5 feet) before heading back to the pad, then the only sections of the lines that I need to be concerned about would be the section of pvc from the 90 degree drop and where the lines go back up to enter the equipment pad.
So, how does pouring anti-freeze into the lines actually protect anything? I suppose it would be an added insurance, in case I didn’t do a great job plugging things up and some water got into the lines. Then the antifreeze (that would have settled to the lowest level of each line) would mix with any errant water that enters the line and if the water rises up above the 3-4 ft level (i.e climbs the wall of the pool to the 90 degree elbow) it would be mixed with anti-freeze, thus preventing any freeze-up.
Actually, the equipment pad is a couple of feet below the top of the pool so as the grade drops down by the pad, that section of pipe is probably only 1-2 ft below grade. So I guess the anti-freeze might protect that section if some water gets in somehow.
Please help by either confirming my thoughts or being brutally critical while I still have time to correct things. As of now, I am not sleeping at night, worrying about whether I am closing the pool correctly or not
At this point, I almost wish I payed the $250 to the pool store to close it up
.
