Water level rose after closing - Fiberglass

[Rebel-Redbird]

Second year with the pool, but first year closing myself. Watched many a video and read many a thread, and I feel confident about the way I closed the plumbing. We closed about a month ago.

Was putting away some furniture and I got curious since we’ve had unseasonably warm weather, so I took a peek.

Shocked at how high the water level was. I had it pumped below the gizmo when I blew out, capped, and filled with (maybe an overkill amount) of antifreeze. My skimmer is lower than my pad, so I imagine the antifreeze level is keeping water from coming in the top cap, but I’m not an expert.

I should probably use my semi-submersible pump to lower the water level before the freeze comes, correct? Pool info in signature.

I just don’t recall it getting this high last winter, so I’m a little concerned. Thanks for any advise on if I should, and how low, to pump?

 

[JW1]

I check my water level depending on how much rain we get. I drain mine to the bottom or just below the skimmer opening. That gives me about six inches or so to rise back up above the opening. Which if that happens I still have it three or four inches below the cantilever coping. Checked mine on Sunday and it was right in the middle of the skimmer. I drained about four inches since it was a nice day and won’t have to worry about for awhile.

 

[Rebel-Redbird]

I check my water level depending on how much rain we get. I drain mine to the bottom or just below the skimmer opening. That gives me about six inches or so to rise back up above the opening. Which if that happens I still have it three or four inches below the cantilever coping. Checked mine on Sunday and it was right in the middle of the skimmer. I drained about four inches since it was a nice day and won’t have to worry about for awhile.

So you're lowering the fiberglass pool below the skimmer? I'm looking at draining a foot or so? Skimmer almost full at this point.

Maybe the pull builders lowered below the skimmer last year but they closed without me there, unfortunately. I checked periodically and water was in the skimmer but maybe that accounts for the rise I'm seeing due to rain.

 

[JW1]

I have a gizmo in the skimmer with a gallon of antifreeze added to it. There is water in my skimmer box. Looks like your picture minus the pool noodle. My pool was closed with the water level in the middle of the skimmer opening. I drained to the bottom of the skimmer opening just to not have to check it every time there are heavy daily rains. The water was above the top of the gizmo, but no longer after draining. I just don’t want the water to get too close the cantilever concrete coping.

 

[pb4uswim]

I’m interested in knowing how to handle this as well. This is my first year and I had someone close the pool. I asked about keeping the water level down and they just said to leave it alone - even if it completely overflows.

Is it absolutely necessary to keep the level down (I’m about half way up the skimmer right now), or is this just a matter of preference?

 

[JW1]

I’m no expert, far from it. This is just my second winter closing. Personally, I don’t want the water high enough to come in contact with the cantilever concrete coping. I don’t want the water that high with the potential to freeze and thaw constantly throughout the winter.

 

[pb4uswim]

I don’t want the water that high with the potential to freeze and thaw constantly throughout the winter.

That makes sense.

 

[mrbookmanlibrarycop]

I drain my pool 2-3 times over the winter, you'd be surprised how quickly it fills up, as you've quickly learned! We just got about 9 inches of snow plus 2 inches of rain last week, so i pumped some out this weekend. I have a plaster pool with a tile line so I just make sure my water level is below the tiles before the water freezes.

I bought a submersible a couple years ago. Just put it on the steps and pump for a few hours until it gets down below the skimmers again. This is the one i got: https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Pump-91570-Thermoplastic-Submersible/dp/B00ZP5BQAS


I also bought one of these so i can easily get the water out of the skimmer nce the water is below it Stream Machine TL-750, 22-Inch Barrel, water guns, water launchers - Watersports 80003-9 | Stream Machine

 

[Rebel-Redbird]

Excellent, thanks all. Have a little pump similar to what you’ve shared and drained twice already. Pool just froze in the last few days but waterline is below the gizmo and pool noodle will also give. Water in the skimmer box, but I feel much better after the advice.

 

[pb4uswim]

It was a nice day in our area. In fact, it’s been unusually warm fro January and my pool is not frozen. So, I decided to pump out some water. It was up to the top of the tube they put in the skimmer. I dropped it about three inches. I probably wouldn’t have even tried this but it does seem logical (as mentioned above), that it’s probably not good to have water going under the coping and freezing. I’m thinking I removed enough that by the next time it’s too high, it won’t matter because we’ll be past the time of the year where a hard freeze would occur.

While in there, I did a quick test and the chlorine was still high. It was clearly over 5 using the OTO kit. I also checked the PH and it was around 7.5. Not sure if it’s accurate at that level of chlorine, but I was glad to see that it appeared to be good. The water was very clear and I’m feeling pretty good about opening in the spring sans algae.

 

[JamesW]

Fill a garden hose with water, put one end in the skimmer and put the other end at a lower elevation and the water should begin to flow.

The springs should have come with vinyl spring covers to protect the deck from getting scratched up.

Where are the covers?

The straps are a little bit loose, you should snug them up a little bit?

Who is the manufacturer of the cover?