Should I open the pool or skip a season?

[remjr13]

Would there be any major ramifications to not opening the pool this year - I imagine a large frog population will result, but is there a really good reason? My husband went to be with the Lord last August, and I don't have the time, money or energy to deal with the pool this year.

It is a 18x36 inground, pool, I have used the pool solutions site/methods for I guess 14 years. It has a safety cover on it (I hate that being exposed to the sun all year...) my Aquabot is broken...

What do you guys think? What kind of maintenance should be done on a closed pool over the summer??

Thanks,
Lora

[PoolDoc]

In-ground vinyl? It will probably be OK.

In-ground concrete? Some maintenance is needed . . . but do NOT remove the cover!

Exactly what's needed depends on your pool and chemistry. Have you tested the pool water, as is?

Can you post pix of the pool AND your equipment? ( Howto: pool9.net/postpix/ (http://pool9.net/postpix/) )

______________________________

Sorry. I was in focus-on-the-problem-at-hand mode.

I am sorry for your loss. My wife and I are in our 60's, so it won't be long, before at least one of us is gone . . . and we just can't imagine.

[PoolDoc]

[ Upgraded membership; moved thread to "Pool Startup" section <= you may need to log out and back in, before you can see everything.

[remjr13]

Yes, vinyl.

Hayward sand filter.

No, I haven't tested the water... I'll do that tomorrow, and try to get a picture up then too.

I don't think I winterized it last year, either. Just drained the filter and pump, and closed the skimmer pipe with the screw in thing (not the cover plate, the 15" by 3" diameter thing that is threaded to seal the pipe and absorb freeze... whatever)

Once my Aquabot broke - I pretty much left it all alone. The wind blew a volleyball net into the pool and the Aquabot got tangled in it and burned up the drive motor.

So I should test the chemistry - to make sure the pH and alk don't ruin the 3 year old liner? (Our alk and pH drop like a rock over the winter.)

(Thanks, we were married 35 years, in our 50's... but I know alot of people in their 80's & 90's!)

Lora

[PoolDoc]

Yeah, low pH can damage a liner.

If you didn't winterize . . . I dunno. You had a hard freeze there this winter, didn't you?

I guess what I'm thinking is, you should start up the pool, but do NOT uncover it. Then you can clean up and stabilize the water (including the pH). After that, you can put it to bed, and maybe run it a few days every month, till it's time to winterize.

Pools are sort of like old cars and old houses -- they go down FAST if someone is not using them!

(On the other hand, if you are sure you won't ever use the pool again, would it be better to look at removing it? A "no pool" is the ONLY truly maintenance free pool!