Hard freeze and pools

[BigL]

Those who have experience this cold with pools before, any advice for us who haven't. Just set freeze protect and let it go? Pump is going to be running 24-7 with it at the temps forecasted. Anything else that we should do?

Do I put my waterfall on freeze protect or just the main pump?

[Adgerc15]

Following, great question for a new pool owner here too.

ac

[meangreen]

If you have a separate pump for your waterfall, yes keep it running.

[tx_basser]

Be prepare in the event of power failure and your manual should tell you want you need to do. It has been about 10 years but we had to do it one night but I can't remember what it was. All I vaguely remember is having to fill a 2 liter bottle with antifreeze and put it in the skimmer, open up the filter basket on pump, vent system, etc.....

[jmac24]

We just keep ours running 24/7 when the temps are going to be below freezing for hours at a time. I forgot one year and the water was frozen solid in there for a couple of days. Luckily nothing cracked.

[Jkbow]

Keep everything going and fingers crossed.

[Landrover]

Yes, keep pumps on all day and night. Your motors should detect below 38 degrees I think and automatically stay on. I have pool and spa heaters on also. I am considering all water features also.

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[rvd]

I'm leaving my pump on and dropping one of those shipping shipping blankets over the plumbing in Rockport, hopefully that gets us thru.

[Death from Above]

Freeze protection here too, I called as this is my 1st cold snap with a pool and my pool guy said letter eat!

Anyone up for a polar plunge monday?

[PROD49]

Originally Posted by BigL

Those who have experience this cold with pools before, any advice for us who haven't. Just set freeze protect and let it go? Pump is going to be running 24-7 with it at the temps forecasted. Anything else that we should do?

Do I put my waterfall on freeze protect or just the main pump?

Pump should automatically cut on when it reaches below freezing. I've never done anything to any of my pools for winterizing. Pump just cuts on and does its work.

[Grant2]

You can drain all the pumps and the tank that holds the filters if the power goes out. There are drains on all the pumps should be a black knob on the side if needed other than that run it 24/7

[dgilbert]

Run all pumps 24/7 all you do.

[DirtyDave]

Mine has a temp sensor and runs everything when its cold.

Yesterday my pool guy told me yesterday that I had a leak and he couldn't get parts. So we had to shut everything off and drain the pump and filters

[Casey]

So run water features too? I understand it, but I'm thinking I'll end up with one big ice feature and a lot of water not going through the pumps as it is suspended in ice!

[Adgerc15]

Originally Posted by Casey

So run water features too? I understand it, but I'm thinking I'll end up with one big ice feature and a lot of water not going through the pumps as it is suspended in ice!

My thoughts exactly! My pumps are all running and water features too but low single digits might freeze my waterfalls up.

Any need to cover the pumps/equipment with blankets?

ac

[JES]

Originally Posted by Landrover

Yes, keep pumps on all day and night. Your motors should detect below 38 degrees I think and automatically stay on. I have pool and spa heaters on also. I am considering all water features also.

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Good idea on the heater, that’s the one thing I was thinking about but didn’t have a plan. Will just run the temp as low as possible so I don’t drain my propane tank.

[denimdeerslayer]

Id suggest the no power route. Drain what you can and wrap other pipes.

[BrianL]

I'm not a pool guy, but I think water feature will just cool the water faster and cause more freezing. I would run the pump less features, but call a pro or you may be facing $$$$ repairs. -5 is a totally different that 25.

I would cover pool if you have a pool tarp. That will help insulate

[RJK70]

Mine automatically kicks on all three pumps when temps get near freezing. Praying we don’t lose power


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[bowhuntertx]

Originally Posted by BrianL

I'm not a pool guy, but I think water feature will just cool the water faster and cause more freezing. I would run the pump less features, but call a pro or you may be facing $$$$ repairs. -5 is a totally different that 25.

I would cover pool if you have a pool tarp. That will help insulate

The main reason to keep the water features running is to keep the water in the pipes moving, otherwise the pipes bust.


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[BrianL]

Originally Posted by bowhuntertx

The main reason to keep the water features running is to keep the water in the pipes moving, otherwise the pipes bust.


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At -5 all you are going to do is super cool your water. I don't think that will work at these super cold temps unless you have a water heater

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[cj7zrcool]

I spoke to my pool builder this morning and he said that the computer takes over when the temps cross a certain threshold and I didn't need to do anything except to make sure that it is as full as possible.

[manwitaplan]

Originally Posted by Grant2

You can drain all the pumps and the tank that holds the filters if the power goes out. There are drains on all the pumps should be a black knob on the side if needed other than that run it 24/7

I had not even considered the power going out. But this is what I willd o in that event. I will drain the DE Filter which should release all water in filter and pipes. Thanks.

[bps3040]

On water features, you can leave pump off and drain it. There are 2 drain plugs on the bottom. Basket housing and impeller housing. Open both

[jmeghunts]

Originally Posted by Casey

So run water features too? I understand it, but I'm thinking I'll end up with one big ice feature and a lot of water not going through the pumps as it is suspended in ice!

A few years ago I turned on the water fall thinking I was helping to prevent the pipes from freezing in the rocks. All I did was create a huge chunk of ice out of the water fall and spent about 45 minutes breaking it all off. We just let the freeze protection mode run which is just a low rpm setting on the pump.

[TX Outlaw]

Originally Posted by dgilbert

Run all pumps 24/7 all you do.

This is what I do also

[Landrover]

Originally Posted by rvd

I'm leaving my pump on and dropping one of those shipping shipping blankets over the plumbing in Rockport, hopefully that gets us thru.

I have some of those blankets also. I may throw that over all the equipment for the pool and yard fountain .

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[bbqfan5909]

Lost water feature pump to freeze so far (took the pump out, drained and closed lines to it). Main pump and spa are on freeze control. Have a tarp over it with heat lamp to help, as we are expecting 0 Monday night. Times like these, glad we have insurance as this can wipe out filter, pumps, heater, etc.

[SabineHunter]

Am I the only one that does this: I turn off the all pumps and release the pressure on the big filter. Without pressure in the pipes, the water can't crack the pipes.
Think of this guys, if you are running 24/7 and your electricity goes out, your pipes are fully pressurized and will burst. My way eliminates that possibility. Try it.

[dfkoon]

I drain my equipment and the pipe water level goes below ground level. If you do this make sure you hit all pumps, open pressure relief on filter and drain it, and don't forget the backwash line. I did this yesterday.

[WRasco]

All pumps should be running through the freeing temps.
If you have a autofill line anywhere above ground cover that with something to keep it from freezing.

Don't forget your anti siphon loop on the sprinkler system.

[bbqfan5909]

You hope it all drains back into pool, 0 degree temps really call for winterizing.

Originally Posted by dfkoon

I drain my equipment and the pipe water level goes below ground level. If you do this make sure you hit all pumps, open pressure relief on filter and drain it, and don't forget the backwash line. I did this yesterday.

[dfkoon]

Originally Posted by bbqfan5909

You hope it all drains back into pool, 0 degree temps really call for winterizing.

Been doing it this way for 20 years. Not all drains into the pool, I also drain the backwash line.

[BrianL]

Originally Posted by dfkoon

Been doing it this way for 20 years. Not all drains into the pool, I also drain the backwash line.

We haven't had this kind of weather since 1983

[dfkoon]

Originally Posted by BrianL

We haven't had this kind of weather since 1983

If there is no water in the equipment it can't do damage. Running works great as long as you have power. I am not worried about it.

[Landrover]

Lots of good information on here. I decided to text the owner of the pool company that does my weekly cleaning. He is coming over personally to make sure my pool and fountain are good to geaux!

[BrianL]

Originally Posted by dfkoon

If there is no water in the equipment it can't do damage. Running works great as long as you have power. I am not worried about it.

I'm not a pool guy anymore and glad I don't have one now, but based off some other threads about freeze rates, if it isn't covered, it could freeze over 12 " thick before this is over. I would think that would bust out the skimmers. Best of luck to all the guys with pools

[muzzlebrake]

30 lb drum of Polyethylene glycol powder and it won't freeze. It's what they use to deice aircraft with at DFW. Can also be used as a laxative.

[muzzlebrake]

Granular swimming pool chlorine (calcium hypochlorite) and brake fluid (polyethylene glycol) react violently when mixed together, producing a fierce fireball. This paper proposes a mechanism which explains the production of the flammable products of the reaction by means of a radical fragmentation of polyethylene glycol.

As stated above can be used as a laxative

[rvd]

Originally Posted by Landrover

Lots of good information on here. I decided to text the owner of the pool company that does my weekly cleaning. He is coming over personally to make sure my pool and fountain are good to geaux!

Good idea! Mine is not a new pool and my equipment is all manual (no computer) and pretty simple if it busts the pvc thats exposed. I'm just hoping for nothing to bust that i can't easily get to, just put down about 2k sf of pavers around the pool

[BigL]

Put both regular pump and aux2(waterfall) on freeze protect, wrapped the pipe in a blanket, and covered it with a tarp.

Its on the south side of the house and enclosed in a small fence thats inside another privacy fence. It doesn't get any air hitting it anyway.

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[tigerscowboy]

Run everything when temps are sustained below freezing for extended hours.

Don't be foolish. The power is much cheaper than the repairs.

[Adgerc15]

Did a lot of reading today, be sure water level is maintained at a normal rate to avoid slow flow through the sytem. Also check that skimmers and skimmer baskets are clean to avoid water flow restriction. Best of luck to all!

ac

[LFD2037]

All pumps on.

[RifleBowPistol]

If it is in ground, I would be draining it now, or dump a lot of antifreeze or alcohol in it.

The people I have known who had in ground pools, drained them, during the winter.

[LivinADream]

I'd think twice before draining. We drained a pool when the ground was wet and it floated. Broke all the pipes.

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[Monark]

Originally Posted by RifleBowPistol

If it is in ground, I would be draining it now, or dump a lot of antifreeze or alcohol in it.

The people I have known who had in ground pools, drained them, during the winter.

Terrible advice. Do not drain your pool & do not put antifreeze in you pool. If you guys up north are concerned about you pool water freezing, throw several landscape timbers in there. Ice expands one time, the timbers will compress to keep it from breaking your pool. For the pipes, keep it circulating if possible.

[lilavidhunter]

Originally Posted by RifleBowPistol

If it is in ground, I would be draining it now, or dump a lot of antifreeze or alcohol in it.

The people I have known who had in ground pools, drained them, during the winter.

I’m not dumping 19,000 Gallons of Water. What part of the Country do they Drain Swimming Pools?

[Mambajeep]

Originally Posted by Death from Above

Freeze protection here too, I called as this is my 1st cold snap with a pool and my pool guy said letter eat!

Anyone up for a polar plunge monday?

If you’re going to do it wait till Tuesday

[Grant2]

Do not drain your pool period as you will have a bad result in the end. Just run it 24/7 or drain all pumps and filters.