Please help, so many questions.. This was our first year with the rectangular intex 12x24 agp. Now it is time to winterize, the #1 thing I should mention is that I am in Wisconsin and we get snow and below zero temps. So if anyone that has similar winter please respond. The company that came and filled our pool said he has the same one and he leaves it up all winter, drains below all holes (intake, output). He covers it with a winter cover. I am seeing many different opinions on this. We are in the country and we do not have any trees near our pool so I am not worried about keeping leaves out. I did already put In the Swim winterizing chemicals in it, I did purchase the pool pillow and winter cover. My question is, what is the benefit of the pilllow and cover if I am not worried about debris or leaves getting in it? Should I still cover or no cover? Also, if I cover should it be tight or sit on the water? What does the pillow do? Also, now that I drained below all holes, the sides are bowing and it is scaring me. Please help.
Winterizing Intex rectangular 12x24 agp
- Thread starter Bwilsonmom5
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SecoSteve
Silver Supporter
- Jul 28, 2020
- 423
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
The pillow will keep ice from damaging the walls. The pillow won't allow ice to form a solid sheet on top of the water, which without the pillow, could expand and put pressure on the walls. Even though you don't have trees nearby, debris will still blow in, which could make next spring tougher to start up. Also, the cover will keep the water level where it is now. Uncovered, the pool will fill up over winter with rain and snow. If you cover it, you will most likely need a cover pump to minimize water on top. Something like this...
should the cover lay flat on the water? Wont an ice sheet form between the pillow and the side? And thank you for responding
also, do I have to pump it throughout the winter, like everytime water gets on it? wont it freeze
bkrepfle
Active member
I'm in Pennsylvania, probably not as bad of winters, but I have an intex as well. Cover laying right on the water is fine. The pillow helps to push ice down into the pool, as opposed to forming a solid sheet across the surface. The pillow will likley move a bit too with water displacement, wind, etc. This is all good for ice break up. What will damage your liner is solid ice forming from all sides in toward center - ice expands and it could rip your liner.
Need to drain pool below the intake/output ports on the pool, and disconnect your pump and filter, bring them inside for the winter along with all plumbing - garage or basement.
Prior to draining, make sure that you check your balancing chemicals, clean the pool of all foreign objects, SLAM, and add winterizing chemicals. Give the pool enough time to do a full circulation with the pump running after adding the winterizing chemicals before draining. 2" below your in/out ports on the pool should be far enough for the drain.
cover - I use clips to hold it on to the top bar of the pool, or to support legs, as opposed to trying to weigh-down the cover, which I tried first year in an effort to let any water/snow just run off the sides. It doesn't work. let cover lay flat on water. Another reason you need the air pillow, all the weight of rainwater/snow/ice, etc on top of the cover will push out all of the pool water eventually, up the sides and out the holes by the top-bar. The air pillow provides support/displacement for the weight/pressure of the water/etc on top of the cover. As stated above, very good idea to get a pump for the top of the cover. I don't have an automatic one, mainly because I think if any of them are in water and freeze it will likely break the pump. kind of a pain in the butt however, it is less-work per week usually than when the pool is open, tending to pump backwashing, chlorine/chemicals, etc. What I do is put my pump in when I need to siphon off the top, plug it in for a couple seconds to get the water flowing, unplug it and walk away. if you decide to leave it plugged in to get faster water flow, need to watch it. Just like your pool pump, if that cover pump continues to run without load (water) to transfer it will burn out the motor. Obviously, if the water on top of the pool is frozen you'll have to wait for it to thaw before you can pump it off, which is why it is a good idea to try to stay somewhat up to speed with it.
Another reason you want to have the cover is for the pollen drop in the spring. Don't make the mistake of opening too early, you don't want to have to deal with all of that in your pool. Wait until it is done before opening. Usually 2nd or 3rd week of May for me is good. Best of luck!
Need to drain pool below the intake/output ports on the pool, and disconnect your pump and filter, bring them inside for the winter along with all plumbing - garage or basement.
Prior to draining, make sure that you check your balancing chemicals, clean the pool of all foreign objects, SLAM, and add winterizing chemicals. Give the pool enough time to do a full circulation with the pump running after adding the winterizing chemicals before draining. 2" below your in/out ports on the pool should be far enough for the drain.
cover - I use clips to hold it on to the top bar of the pool, or to support legs, as opposed to trying to weigh-down the cover, which I tried first year in an effort to let any water/snow just run off the sides. It doesn't work. let cover lay flat on water. Another reason you need the air pillow, all the weight of rainwater/snow/ice, etc on top of the cover will push out all of the pool water eventually, up the sides and out the holes by the top-bar. The air pillow provides support/displacement for the weight/pressure of the water/etc on top of the cover. As stated above, very good idea to get a pump for the top of the cover. I don't have an automatic one, mainly because I think if any of them are in water and freeze it will likely break the pump. kind of a pain in the butt however, it is less-work per week usually than when the pool is open, tending to pump backwashing, chlorine/chemicals, etc. What I do is put my pump in when I need to siphon off the top, plug it in for a couple seconds to get the water flowing, unplug it and walk away. if you decide to leave it plugged in to get faster water flow, need to watch it. Just like your pool pump, if that cover pump continues to run without load (water) to transfer it will burn out the motor. Obviously, if the water on top of the pool is frozen you'll have to wait for it to thaw before you can pump it off, which is why it is a good idea to try to stay somewhat up to speed with it.
Another reason you want to have the cover is for the pollen drop in the spring. Don't make the mistake of opening too early, you don't want to have to deal with all of that in your pool. Wait until it is done before opening. Usually 2nd or 3rd week of May for me is good. Best of luck!
bkrepfle
Active member
Just one other tip for Spring opening - drain as much water off of the cover as you possibly can before trying to take it off. What doesn't look like much quickly will add up and become extremely heavy. Take it from someone who has had it happen, you don't want that garbage water on top of your cover pouring into your nice clean pool water below.
I've procrastinated quite a bit this year, this is on my agenda for tomorrow. I still have to get a few leaves out from the remnants of Ian passing by, take it up to slam and add winterizing chemicals. Gonna be a full day tomorrow!
I've procrastinated quite a bit this year, this is on my agenda for tomorrow. I still have to get a few leaves out from the remnants of Ian passing by, take it up to slam and add winterizing chemicals. Gonna be a full day tomorrow!
oh my goodness Thank you so very much, this was so helpful. I will do everything you mentioned and hope for the best lol. Do you plug the inlet outlet holes or not a big deal? Thanks againJust one other tip for Spring opening - drain as much water off of the cover as you possibly can before trying to take it off. What doesn't look like much quickly will add up and become extremely heavy. Take it from someone who has had it happen, you don't want that garbage water on top of your cover pouring into your nice clean pool water below.
I've procrastinated quite a bit this year, this is on my agenda for tomorrow. I still have to get a few leaves out from the remnants of Ian passing by, take it up to slam and add winterizing chemicals. Gonna be a full day tomorrow!
bkrepfle
Active member
You know, I was thinking about that today, I don't think I did last year. It probably wouldn't hurt to plug them, but, I don't think it's a big deal to leave them open either. I think the plugs that come with the pool require some water pressure to plug them up. Glad this was helpful. I've been through 2 closures now with mine, first spring opening water was crystal clear and I dumped garbage water in taking the cover off, last year it was green when I opened. So, we'll see how well I do next spring. Good luck!
SecoSteve
Silver Supporter
- Jul 28, 2020
- 423
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
I leave the cover pump plugged in until there is a freeze. Then, I unplug and bring it in until there's a thaw. The pillow also helps the water on top of the cover from becoming a solid sheet of ice.
Good advice above to remove as much water on the cover in the spring to prevent it from getting in the pool when removing the cover.
Good advice above to remove as much water on the cover in the spring to prevent it from getting in the pool when removing the cover.
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