Can someone take my hand after the chemicals and pool is clean on closing

New pool owner here (since July this yr). Never have closed yet....first yr. I plan to drain below the skimmer. I don't have a skimmer cover and have an aqualuminator installed. Can any one of you experts lead me to proper closing? What to do w/ the light (after taking the bulb out) to the skimmer down to the hoses and pump/filter. I plan to take it all in the garage to store, but what about the 200 lbs of sand they put in in july? Still needs to be dumped and reloaded next yr? Won't winter storage of that wet sand grow "stuff"? HELP ...Anyone?

And thanks. if I were closer I'd buy the house a round

in terms of the aqua thing, i don't know what that is so i don't have a clue on that one..but in terms of general pool shutdown?

-i drain my inground down about 12 inches below the lowest return level.

-if you have connections on your pipe by the pump you can do undo, take them off so they drain out. put the washers in the skimmer bucket (along with any other parts)

- i have a pool light that comes out of the hole and sits on my deck over winter covered in a pail.

-i have a heater so i take off the drain plugs on the side and the water pressure valve inside..it can get damaged.

-your pool pump should have 1 or 2 plugs..take those off so the pump can drain.

-if you have a sand filter (probably same with de?) there should be a drain plug. if you have a pressure guage on the filter, take that off as well. if you have a multivalve filter (with close,rinse,filter,etc) take that off and store in the house then cover the filter with something (i.e. plastic and a sheet of plywood to avoid junk getting in over the winter) leave the sand in the filter..it'll be fine.

-you have to blow out your pool lines so they don't expand and crack..you'll need a compressor with some kind attachment and antifreeze that is okay for plumbing..i don't do my own..too risky for me..but the pool guys do that part for me and then i have no worries. they put caps that should come with your pool over the skimmer hole and the 2 returns after they blow them out and put antifreeze in..they also have some 3 ft long soft plastic tubes that they put in the skimmer hole and one of the lines in my shed..i assume it's there in case there is a bit of water and it expands.

hope that helps you some!

ps=i've shipped cases of wine without breakage:)

ok, sorry, but I forgot to mention that I have an above ground pool. I put it in the above ground section, so inground techniques will be different.

my bad..regardless, a lot of the stuff should still apply but i'm sure there are differences!

Tracey,
The aqualuminator - just disconnect the cap, wires, take the bulb out, now you should be able to look straight through it into your pool - if that's it, you're done with that part. You should only have the thin flange left showing inside the pool.
Of course, drain your pool below the aqua lum return first or else you get wet.
I only drain to below the return, no further, rain and snow just fills it back up again anyways.
Keep any shutoff valves open.
Disconnect hoses from pool, take out drain plugs from pump and filter, place BOTH plugs in your basket inside the pump for storage.
Unbolt the multiport valve from filter, any gaskets and bolts that come off with that should also go into pump strainer. Close pump strainer lid to safeguard loose components.
Take everything you've just removed to a frost free location - Garage/basement.
Place a large garbage bag over the filter since the top is now open, bungee it on, but let the drain plug opening show beneath the bungee so it can continue to drain without ending up in the bag's folds.
Leave filter as is (leave sand inside it) and don't try to move it, it won't get damaged through freezing, but will get damaged through moving it.

You should now have a pool with a water level below the return, no light head in the return opening, nothing connected to either hose connections outside of pool, with a filter casing only standing beside the pool - covered.
Everything else should be inside.
You can cover the pool if you want to, I don't bother, I have no leaves to speak of and found it less strain on my pool structure to forego the cover completely (high winds). It just freezes solid for the winter and is less work to open come spring.
I keep my solar cover on the roller, but roll it up real slow so water doesn't collect between the layers (it still does to some degree) so every day or so when I pass it I give it half a turn in the roll up direction, after a week or two of that, any remnants of h2o between layers will have rolled through it and out the end. I bungee that with 4 bungees after wrapping it in one of those white protective sheets.
All pool equip - poles etc come in the garage for the winter.
Any drop in steps/weights also have to come out.

hey matt,
Niiiice. Thank you. just a few ?'s

What do you mean the top of the filter will be open? Is the top taken off and stored inside?

2nd......the exposed hole (the return and skimmer) should they be capped off say w/ duck tape or something to keep critters out of the pool?

3rd.... the sand in the filter is only 3 months used, and I would like to leave it in there as you suggest, but won't it mold and grow "stuff"? I mean for 20 to 30 bucks, what's emptying it all out and then moving the pump AND filter to a garage????

I didn't know if we should close off openings to pool interior for extra cleanliness ........and to keep cold mice out during winter months.

I do intend to cover my pool w/ a top grade winter cover cause I have ALOT of trees around. (my photo is in above gr. pool gallery if you d like to see)

Anywho.........thanks so far. My pool dealer provided me w/ a top notch ester williams pool, however post sale cust. service sucks. So, I figured I'd turn to my favorite pool experts who will better serve me any way. You all have not failed me yet.
THANKS AGAIN

Hi Tracey,
Once you remove the Multiport valve (unbolt the ring of about 8 bolts on the neck), there will be a 6" hole looking down onto the top of your sand - this is why I cover mine with a Garbage bag. You can put the handle on "winterize", whick opens the valves inside so water and air can freely expand as needed, however, since it is a relatively necessary mechanical component, I feel it is better to store it inside away from the harsh elements.

I don't cap any holes into the pool, I actually lean a board against the side of the pool on an angle so any water that needs to run out can travel down the board and a bit away from the side of the pool - no mouse will ever be able to scale those pool walls - no grip. I haven't had any critters get into the pool - besides, they look for warm places, the pool will not be warm since it is outside.

Don't do anything with the sand, you've backwashed it for a long period of time while draining, so prety much all gook is gone from it, mine's always just as clean come spring time as when i closed in fall. Emptying it can risk breaking laterals, then you have to repair those etc...

Your a life saver matt....thanks
May hit you up w/ more ? s later. Going to "pool school" today so they SHOULD help. They have been #$@@ poor so far. Only out to make $$. Thank God for Pool Forum.

Does anyone have any input on the motor itself ? Do you cover it ?

Thanks

if outside, i would cover it, but with something that won't cause condensation and potential rust of any metal in/on the motor. for sure don't tight plastic wrap it. all you're really concerned about is moisture not getting into "dry" areas like the motor itself..i would probably use burlap if it's for snow protection?

I would not leave the pump motor outside - period - if water gets in, and then freezes, it expands and can wreck the armature and windings, if you MUST leave it outside, then cover it with something breathable, AND make some sort of box out of plywood to stand over the motor (like a mini motor shed) to keep the moisture off it as much as possible.

Here is my "plan"......feedback wanted.
I plan to thoroughly vacuum and clean the pool (although is is crystal clear now minus some dirt and a couple of leaves). After that I plan t backwash the filter for several minutes, rinse and shut down power. I have bought a skimmer box cover w/ gasket and I am going to buy a plug for the aqualuminator. Then I plan to put the filter to winterize and disconnect hoses from skimmer and to return. Place 4 x 15 air pillow inside pool tied to sides of pool on both ends to hold in the center of the pool(oh and steps and pad will be out). Place solid winter cover over pool and air pillow and tighten winch. Then I intend have had the filter draining as well as the pump. I want to try to leave hoses to the pump, from the pump to the filter top and from the filter top fastened if it's not too big of a h***el. I plan to take the top of the filter along with the pump into the garage for winter storage. Cover the filter w/ a small tarp and tighten around the base(IS THIS STEP OK) or should it be a bit loose to prevent condensation? The main components will be stored indoors.
Also, can pool chemicals and chlorine sticks be left in a garage? Stabilizer/etc or will cold winter weather harm the chemical makeup?

Your filter should have a drain plug on the bottom, take it out after backwashing, you won't have to set to "Winterize" if you're taking the multiport inside.
When tarping, you can bungee or tie it around the bottom, but keep it above the drain plug so it can still drain without getting inside the tarp. Condensation won't matter, even if it freezes, it's a plastic housing (likely rotomolded), and it would take a lot more than a little condensation to do any damage.

You should be able to take all the hoses connected together inside at once with two people doing it, (one carry pump, teh other the multi port, let the rest dangle) I can haul mine into my trailer alone and get it from there to the shelf inside alone as well, but I would not recommend doing so if you're walking from pool to house.

Place all loose bolts and plugs inside your pump strainer.

I have quick disconnects at each shutoff valve (skimmer and return) which makes it really easy to disconnect my hoses in one shot, then I just leave the shutoffs open - do that as well, in case there is a slight leak from one of your covers/plugs, otherwise water will build up in the short line to the shutoff and burst something.
I've never had any issues keeping chemicals in the garage, they have a shelf life, but I believe cold actually helps lengthen that.

I live in Northern Alabama, and we do get below freezing from time to time, but never for extended periods. I had intended to just set the filter to "winterize", drain it, and cover it. Is there really any reason to take the top off if winters here are just not that extreme?

Just drain the filter and cover it. Don't dump the sand--it's not necessary and if you aren't careful you could damage the laterals.

I still have the same sand after 4 seasons and never dumped it.

Here's why I don't worry about algae: This week I added a quart of Polyquat algaecide (you don't have to) and I will shock my pool up to 15ppm just before I close it--so the filter will be sanitized. I'll drain it and cover it with a contractor's garbage bag and tape it tight around the neck and base. This makes it nearly air-tight but no tape actually gets on the filter, just the bag.
That's it!

I left the hose from the skimmer box attached.It dangles down to the ground away from the pool wall. every now and then I grab it and maneuver it and notice that water comes out of it. Not much, but not enough to be condensation. I thought the skimmer cover was tight enough, and there doesn't appear to be much water around it from looking outside to the back of the cover. I really don't want to take the cover off and tighten the screws , they say not to overtighten anyway.....
any recommendation?
I have no idea where the water is coming from, except from inside...DUH!

Could it be rain accumulating on the skimmer lid, then running through the hole in the center or in around the lid edge?
If the skimmer is covered and you still get water in it, as long as it's just a little bit you should be fine