New pool owner here. I have a Bestway ABG vinyl pool, 24 ft. With summer coming to an end here in IA soon, I am now wondering what to do in winter with it? I really do not want to take it down and put it away. I'd rather not drain 13k gallons of water if it can be helped. I'm looking for best advice on how to leave the pool up during the winter.
How do you close it and winterize it?
I've been reading for a while, but most closing threads seem to be milder climates.
The pool came with a cover. So I was thinking drain the pool below the intakes, take off the pump and hoses and put them in the basement. Plug up the 2 inlets with the little plugs that came with the pool.
How would you plug the return outlet? Or just leave the hole in the liner open?
Pool came with a solid cover. Do you do a Cover or No Cover? Wondering what to do about snow or melting snow/rain if I cover it? Or do I just go with no cover, and deal with leaves in the spring after thawing? I can try skimming them/sucking them up with my poolmaster big sucker, which uses a garden hose so no need for the pump, until it freezes.
At some point the pool will freeze solid like a giant hockey puck. Is that ok?
How do you prepare the water for freezing winter? Without a pump to circulate chemicals, do you need to mix chlorine somehow until it freezes?
Those are just of my initial questions at this point. Thank you!
How do you close it and winterize it?
I've been reading for a while, but most closing threads seem to be milder climates.
The pool came with a cover. So I was thinking drain the pool below the intakes, take off the pump and hoses and put them in the basement. Plug up the 2 inlets with the little plugs that came with the pool.
How would you plug the return outlet? Or just leave the hole in the liner open?
Pool came with a solid cover. Do you do a Cover or No Cover? Wondering what to do about snow or melting snow/rain if I cover it? Or do I just go with no cover, and deal with leaves in the spring after thawing? I can try skimming them/sucking them up with my poolmaster big sucker, which uses a garden hose so no need for the pump, until it freezes.
At some point the pool will freeze solid like a giant hockey puck. Is that ok?
How do you prepare the water for freezing winter? Without a pump to circulate chemicals, do you need to mix chlorine somehow until it freezes?
Those are just of my initial questions at this point. Thank you!