Water Level when Closing. Which is the preferred/recommended level?

[martinezj1120]

**Michigan

Only the 2nd year closing the pool and I am stressed out. I've been reading a lot of different information on water level when closing the pool. Last year, my company lowered the water just below the skimmer, placed the tarp like cover on top and had no issues. They blew out the lines, used antifreeze, and plugged the skimmer and returns.

This year, I was a little shocked when the same company, different guy, lowered my water to below my return jets, which was a lot of water. Still plugged and filled with anti-freeze.

Which method is preferred and more importantly, should I be worried about my liner with the water being so low?

 

[mknauss]

Sorry you have not received a response. Since I live were it is nearly perpetual summer, lets hope this bump of your thread gets some responses!

 

[Pauls234]

I can't tell from your sig if you have an above or in ground, but for above ground I believe best practice is to drain until 4" below the return. I've done it this way for years with no issues, and for me that is draining about a foot in total. I also put a plug in the return just to be safe as water on the cover can push the water level inside the pool up near that return.

There are many that do not drain at all in your/our climate and just plug the return and put on a skimmer door and report no issues. Last 3 years I've planned to do it that way but then chicken out and decide it isn't worth the risk of cracking the return or skimmer due to freeze.

If you have an inground, check through the sticky thread at the top of this forum for guidance as well.

 

[anthonypool89]

lowered my water to below my return jets

For me, with in-ground, that would be aLOT of water. I go down about 3-4 inches below the skimmer. I really don't worry about it all that much cause with rain during the off-season it quickly fills again, so I'm often using my small pump to take the level back down below the skimmer. My goal is to keep it below the tile line all winter or until the water freezes (didn't at all last two years). Once the water is lowered before putting the cover on, that's when I get in the water and do whatever caulking needs to be done between or around the tiles and coping (did most of the pool last year so very little to do this time). Hopefully the water temp will still be in the 70s or else it gets a bit chilly. I used to do stuff like that from outside the pool, simply leaning over the coping with a caulking gun or tube, but once I started having issues as a result of meniere's disease, that ended doing work with my head hanging down over the edge of the pool. (Can't do much work anymore laying on my back and looking up - such as under-the-sink plumbing jobs, etc. lest I pay for it a few hours later with a dizziness attack. Ah yes...as my uncle was fond of saying, "life is good if you don't get weak". )

More important than the closing water level, I feel, is to periodically remove part of the cover and check the water chemistry and adjust pH if needed to keep the SI out of either the etching or scaling zone. That goes on all winter if the water doesn't freeze.