Is there BBB method of closing?

[Watermom]

I do drain my filter and cover it with plastic but I take the gauge off first. My pump gets disconnected and taken into the shed.

[aylad]

jwhouse,

Just FYI, I don't even unhook my equipment at all. I keep the chlorine in the pool where it needs to be (doesn't get used up NEARLY as fast once the water cools off--it only requires dosing every 10 days or so) and just run the pump overnight on nights when the temps are to be below 30 degrees. Otherwise I reduce my pump time to just a few hours a day, and don't get concerned if I skip a day or two. That way the pool stays clear, and is ready for swimming the minute the temps get warm enough!

This method does require me to replace the pressure gauge at the beginning of every season, since it only takes one good wet, cold night to render it useless, but they're cheap enough, and it makes pool care for spring startup very easy--we just turn on the pump and go swimming!


Janet

[jwhouse]

Janet, Thanks for chiming in. I know that you're climate is nearly exactly the same as mine. I was hoping to keep everything up and running instead of trying to store anything. I think I can afford the extra 10-15 bucks a year for a new gauge. I'm also thinking about adding some borates to the water to help stave off any algae that might want to attempt a coup and take over my pool during off season.
I really appreciate the info and your time in answering.

Wayne

[aylad]

Just make sure that you have the pump running during anytime that the water in the piping might freeze, so you don't have burst pipes. My pool is completing its 11th season, and it's never been closed for the winter

[jwhouse]

Just make sure that you have the pump running during anytime that the water in the piping might freeze, so you don't have burst pipes.

Yeah, I got that! Ice and pool equipment bad! Cold weather and moving water OK! LOL! That doesn't happen very often and for very long periods down here though. You guys actually get colder weather than we do. I am originally from the Texarkana area and it used to sleet and ice over every winter there and even a lot in the Shreveport area while I was at Barksdale but I've seen something like that happen here maybe twice in the 16 years we've lived here. Actually still have a house close to Springhill on Lake Earling so we get up that way every year to keep pipes from freezing.

[sunlove]

In East Tx here, and also considering leaving the pool "open" for the winter! Do you run the pump and filter every night, or only when weather is freezing? I guess the only maintenance would be really to net out leaves and add bleach every now and then?

[aylad]

Personally, I only run the pump/filter overnight on nights when the weather is below 30 degrees. I do try to run it a couple of hours a day 3 or so days a week, just to keep all the moving parts working.

And you're right-- by then, the only maintenance is netting debris and making sure the chlorine stays where it needs to be. It is very easy to get complacent about testing, because once the water temp gets below 60 or so, it takes a LOT longer for your chlorine to be used up, especially if your CYA is high, but believe me when I say that's a temptation that you must resist, otherwise cleaning it up is a huge chore! But it's really, really easy--I dose my pool about once every 10 days or so during the winter, and it stays crystal clear the whole time, as long as I don't get lazy about testing.......

[mroll]

BTW How much polyquat for a 15' round AG pool?? THANKS