Our pool was completed right before winter last year so the pool company closed it for us last winter. We want to do it ourselves and so I have been reading all of the info on closing on the forum and something I saw the pool company do isn’t making sense. They attached a pvc pipe to each return jet that turned 90 degrees and came up out of the water. They then poured antifreeze down the pipes at the returns. I have seen antifreeze talked about on the forum but I think I have only seen it being added by a flexible funnel at the pipe. How would they have blown out the lines, added antifreeze via the 90 degree pipe and capped it off without water getting into the pipe? This isn’t making any sense to my brain!
Pool company’s closing method
- Thread starter Hey_Mom111
- Start date
If they didn't drain below the returns, then water glug glugged back in, in the short amount of time it took to remove the L pipes and cap the lines.
If they did drain below the returns then it was just an easy way to add antifreeze.
If they did drain below the returns then it was just an easy way to add antifreeze.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 17,279
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
This is how I close my pool. I have two returns. I have threaded pvc that screws into the returns with a 90 degree that brings the PVC up to just below the level of the deck/mesh cover. They have threaded caps on top.
I screw them in to the returns, blow out the water, put in antifreeze and cap them. There is no way for water to get in, if they are threaded correctly.
Where do you think water would intrude and how?
@Newdude, you don't remove the L pipes...you leave them in place...
OR
I am misreading OP...that the L's were removed. All they said was "added antifreeze via the 90 degree pipe and capped it off" I ASSUMED they capped off the "L," which is what I do...not removed the L and capped it off at the wall/return...hopefully OP will clarify...
Last edited:
Sorry. I'm on the team that thinks shifting ice may destroy the return fitting so they should be removed.
I forgot some folks leave them.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 17,279
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Sorry. I'm on the team that thinks shifting ice may destroy the return fitting so they should be removed.
I forgot some folks leave them.
Never thought about that...I'm not advocating that this is a good practice. It may in fact be a bad thing. This is the way the pool has been winterized since I've owned the pool...I am only continuing the practice because I never thought about it...it has survived 3 winters that I have owned it and given the age of the PVC, my guess it was at least 5-10 years before that when previous owners started the practice.
Since I'm closed for this year and it has worked, I reconsider alternate solutions next year...
I leave the risers installed as well. Its either that, or lower the water below the returns, not good with a fiberglass pool.
But I wonder with the concrete collar, and the weight of the concrete deck, if it would hurt to lower the water to blow out and plug the returns.
Or some kind of box with an open top, that will seal to the fiberglass, and let you pump the water out of it to blow out the returns, and then install the plugs.
But I wonder with the concrete collar, and the weight of the concrete deck, if it would hurt to lower the water to blow out and plug the returns.
Or some kind of box with an open top, that will seal to the fiberglass, and let you pump the water out of it to blow out the returns, and then install the plugs.
sorry life happened and I forgot I posted this thread!
The L’s were removed. They came up a bit higher than our pool. Our automatic cover is also the winter cover so we can’t drain below the returns. I hadn’t thought of doing the L’s short and capping them.
The L’s were removed. They came up a bit higher than our pool. Our automatic cover is also the winter cover so we can’t drain below the returns. I hadn’t thought of doing the L’s short and capping them.