Pool Closing

[hazmat]

Don't know if this should go here or in the "Water" forum.

Finally getting around to closing my pool. This is my first time. I tool out a book at the library & the advice seems to echo the info I've heard so far.

Basically:
Set water chemistry right
Super Chlorinate
Lower water level below jets
Blow out lines
plug lines
Add antifreeze
Remove DE filter cartridge

My question is how do I blow out the lines? I have an aircompressor and a shop vac at my disposal. Where do I blow in? Any fittings I need?

[GaryM]

I'm not sure where to hook it up, but the folks that winterize a friend's pool used a shop vac. You want volume of air. High pressure is not required. A leaf blower with the correct fitting might also work.

[hazmat]

Thanks Gary, Makes sense

I suppose I should buy the antifreeze at the pool store & pick their brains a little.

[EJB]

I suppose a shopvac would work, but I use my compressor with a little adapter to connect the small compressor fitting to the larger pvc pipe.

I have two intake and two outtakes on my pool, so I disconnect everthing at the filter and blow out all 4 lines from the pool house towards the pool (i.e. the water ends up in the pool, not all over the pool shack.

Not sure about yoursetup, but you are also going to want to drain the filter itself if its not in a heated area. (usually a drain plug at the bottom).

I also completely disconnect the pump and store it in the heated cellar.


Let me know if you have any other questions...good luck. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[hazmat]

Sounds like a plan. I have three ins and three outs. If I disconnect at the unions on the filter I can blow out the outs on one pipe & the ins on the other.

tell me more about this adapter. Where did you get it or what did you use to make it? I'm thinking the mating side of the union connected to a short piece of PVC with a cap. I'd then tap the capped end to accept a quick connect fitting for the air hose. Am I on the right track?

[Muhammad]

While a lot of people blow out the lines, I had a pool for about 5 years in NY, and on the recommendation of the service company, we just lowered the water below the skimmer, plugged the return lines in the pool and the suction line in the skimmer, disconnected everything on the pump side, added chemicals, and covered.

FWIW, I never had a problem doing it this way, and the water level was pretty high in the spring (when there weren't any holes in the cover [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]).

[EJB]

Thje adapter is just a little something I made. Basically its one of those rubber trapezoid type plugs with the wingnut screw thru it that you use to plug the pipes. I had an extra so I took out the screw, drilled out the center a little bit and forced the end of my compressor house adapter thru it...defintely low tech...I keep meaning to make a better one but every year this one works ok...I'd bet a trip to HD and a few bucks would give you something a whole lot better than what I have [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Henry]

I use an old ShopVac to blow out the lines for our pool. We've custom built a couple of hose attachments that fit perfectly into certain pipe openings. I have to alternate between vaccuming on one end then blowing-out of the other end to get things cleaned out.

We also pour-in some pink anti-freeze (non-toxic), then plug all the jet openings and strainer with screw-on plastic caps.

Make sure you drain the pool low enough to account for re-fill due to rain and snow over the winter without re-covering the Jets [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Good luck!

[hazmat]

Picked up the antifreeze at the pool store. Picked their brain as to blowing out the lines. They use a shop vac. Drained the pool down over the weekend. I'll try blowing it out tonight.

I have stoppers for the jets so I don't have to worry about the water rising above them. I didn't want to drain it down too much further as I'd worry about the pool cracking. Pool store said to remove 18-24"

Read the manual for the heater. Turns out the guy didn't follow the directions for that last year. Pretty simple, just remove two drain plugs. Good thing it didn't break!

[hazmat]

Success! Shop vac worked great! The dogs enjoyed spending an evening outside with their master. They "helped" by running off with any of the various plastic plugs I was working with that were within their reach. The little one even took the "muffler" off the shop vac [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

Ran out of daylight before I could get the pump motor off. I've done this before so It should be easy [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]