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i live in Southern Ontario, and we closed our pool a couple of weeks ago. Since then we have had tons of rain, and the water level is back almost to the skimmer. We usually only drain to a few inches below the skimmer due to high water table. Should I pump water out back below the level ?
Yes. You may have to do it a couple of times during the winter. If you have already removed your pump, you can always use a submersible pump to throw out any excess water. That is what I typically have to do a few times each winter.
Watermom,
Newbie pool owner, installed this summer and just had my pool closed on Friday. The builder put on the mesh safety cover and blew out the lines etc. They said I did not have to pump anything out of the pool over the winter. Are they leading me down the wrong path? Anymore info you or anyone else can provide on Heathers original question and my concern would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Whether you have to lower during the Winter or not depends on a couple factors...
1--How low was it drained at the start of season
2--How much precipitation do you get over the Winter.
Personally I am in Heathers situation with a potentially high water table so I try and keep the pool water level as high as I can. Usually I start toward the bottom of the skimmer and try and not let it get above the top of the skimmer opening all Winter. This usually means draining periodically. Because it is usually a block of ice I do it in small increments, about 1/4" max, then let it sit for a few days before doing it again. Have to be real careful because of the ice block and the possibility of damage to steps and return jet penetrations. I likewise used a mesh cover but not anymore....too much of a hassle so it stays uncovered.
Hope this helps.
Al
This is why my pool's still open!
Actually, it's probably overflowing.....I won't be getting to it until all this rain stops, nothing's going to freeze for another 4 weeks anyways, then it's time to pump it down, remove the equipment and call it a day (well, actually we'll just call it an hour because that's all it takes).
Any accumulation thereafter will just run out the open return and down a board I lean under it.
Here in Canada, you really can't pump a pool down a couple of times over the winter since you can't pump solid water!
I gouess you could get in/on your pool and shovel off all that excess snow, but you'd have to be real careful not to damage the liner with the shovel....once you have it shoveled, you can skate on it (unless you are using a winter cover) - once again - careful on the liner with those skates!
Once things freeze, that's it, they usually stay in their frozen state until march sometime when it all melts, that's when you quickly close the valves and grab all that water to help top up the pool again (well, at least that's what you do in hte country where you don't have the luxury of endless amounts of water).
I forgot to mention that I have a couple 5 gal pails with another inside bucket loaded with marble rock as weight. Before the ice I float them and they sink except for the top few inches. When the ice comes I can take out the inside pail and pretty easily pull out the 5 gal pail. If necessary I pour a little warm water in the 5 gal pail to melt it loose. Bingo...an ice fishin hole and access to liquid water. With one in the deep end and the other in the shallow it also lets me jury rig my old extra pump to circulate if I need to before the ice melts. It's more psychological when the weather starts warming in the late Winter to kind of help the ice melt along.
Al
Mine froze solid last year (AG pool) - it may have had a little area in the center lower portion of the pool that was still semi liquid, but pretty much solid all through, it didn't help that we didn't get much snow which tends to help insulate a bit.
I was going to say - do you stock your pool before winter? Why would you need a fishing hole??? :)
Heh Heh...check my post in this thread.
Al
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=5559