Above ground pool owners questions for you
#2819409
09/10/20 05:23 PM
09/10/20 05:23 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,668 South Dakota
hotairballoonpilot
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,668
South Dakota
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We just bought a different house and moved in this past weekend. It has an above ground 16 foot diameter pool. It came with a lot of accessories but the one that I wish it did it did not. It did not have a winter cover or a solar cover. The previous owner said he drained it in the fall and left the structure standing. It is I believe 3 or 4 years old. I believe he bought a new house and a new pool and kept the covers. So being in South Dakota and fall coming I need to look for at least a winter cover and come next year i would like a solar cover. Any suggestions to look into or paces to buy from?
corey
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Re: Above ground pool owners questions for you
[Re: TC@HP2]
#2819482
09/10/20 09:10 PM
09/10/20 09:10 PM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,881 Ontario, Canada
Stanton
Don't question me!
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Don't question me!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,881
Ontario, Canada
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I always drained mine down past the skimmer and plugged the lines and drained those. A plain ol' tarp is all you need just to keep the crud out - that's the only purpose it serves. Let it droop down and lay on top of the water. You can keep it from blowing away with bleach bottles filled with water and tied to the eyelets and hanging down the sides of the pool.
Solar covers only last a few years before they start to break down and fill your skimmer and filter with bits of plastic so its a good possibility that's what happened rather than him taking it. Buy a new one in the spring.
Last edited by Stanton; 09/10/20 09:12 PM.
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Re: Above ground pool owners questions for you
[Re: MI_Custumz]
#2819609
09/11/20 09:31 AM
09/11/20 09:31 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,394 Pikes Peak Country
TC@HP2
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Pikes Peak Country
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I used to drain my down past the inlet/outlet openings. Anymore, I don't bother. My logic is since I'm removing the connecting hoses and pump and capping the holes, why drain it down. Sure, it leaks a bit of water during the disconnect and cap process and again in the spring when I reverse the process, but its less than the amount it would take to drain to get below the holes. However, your mileage may vary as water where I live is pretty pricey and and saving a few hundred gallons every spring is worth it.
For winterizing, I use a chemical closing kit from Dohenys. Once that cycle is complete, I disconnect the pump and solar heater system. Drain and remove the pump and drain the sand filter and solar panels and leave them in place. Next is float inflatable pillows on the water to keep the cover elevated, put a fitted cover over the pillows, and then a tarp over the cover. I stake down one side of the tarp and bungey the other three so it can expand and contract based on the winter heat cycles. Winter sun at my house can be intense at times and the floating pillows will grow and shrink based on sun exposure. Bungeys allow for this growth without tearing holes in the tarp.
Agree with others that most solar covers left on a pool will break down. Some quickly, some less so, but they all fail at some point. I've bought cheap 1 year warranty units and expensive 5 year warranty. They all fail. The warranty period and pro-rating of it within the 2-3 year time frame of failure is how I purchase these now.
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Re: Above ground pool owners questions for you
[Re: TC@HP2]
#2819694
09/11/20 01:49 PM
09/11/20 01:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,668 South Dakota
hotairballoonpilot
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South Dakota
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thanks everyone. I was thinking I needed to remove all the water out of it being in South Dakota and winters usually in the teens below zero to mid 20's above zero here in the south east area of SD. I was planning on removing the pump and putting it inside but thought the water needed to be out or it would freeze solid and ruin the pool. Are any of you in the areas where I am at or in warmer areas were freezing is not as bad.
corey
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Re: Above ground pool owners questions for you
[Re: hotairballoonpilot]
#2819860
09/12/20 12:13 AM
09/12/20 12:13 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,153 Canada -- Posts: 4034 -Registe...
5thAve
Doesn't care what this says anyway
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Doesn't care what this says anyway
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,153
Canada -- Posts: 4034 -Registe...
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thanks everyone. I was thinking I needed to remove all the water out of it being in South Dakota and winters usually in the teens below zero to mid 20's above zero here in the south east area of SD. I was planning on removing the pump and putting it inside but thought the water needed to be out or it would freeze solid and ruin the pool. Are any of you in the areas where I am at or in warmer areas were freezing is not as bad.
corey It can get into the -30s here during winter.
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Re: Above ground pool owners questions for you
[Re: BIGGERED]
#2819904
09/12/20 08:52 AM
09/12/20 08:52 AM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,881 Ontario, Canada
Stanton
Don't question me!
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Don't question me!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,881
Ontario, Canada
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were freezing is not as bad. Hmmm, let's see ... water freezes at 32* ... is it any worse at -40* ?!?!?! Froze is froze bud !!
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Re: Above ground pool owners questions for you
[Re: hotairballoonpilot]
#2820894
09/15/20 12:29 AM
09/15/20 12:29 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,008 Salem
Grizzly
Moparts Proctologist
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Moparts Proctologist
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Posts: 6,008
Salem
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No, you don't have to remove your water for freezing weather. I drain a little water down to get the pump and hoses off, put them inside and forget about it until next year. It's like any container you put in the freezer without a lid: the water pushes UP not OUT. You save the cost of adding water and salt every year. I don't bother with a cover anymore because all it does is collect all the stuff from the trees and air anyway, mixes it with the snow and it all winds up in the pool no matter what you do. I throw a black tarp over it when the snow starts to melt and it starts heating the pool: it's unbelievable how much and how fast it heats 5000 gallons of ice. Grade 5 Science stuff, Folks. Been working for me for a few years now, I highly recommend it.
Mo' Farts
Moderated by "tbagger".
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Re: Above ground pool owners questions for you
[Re: Grizzly]
#2821109
09/15/20 02:14 PM
09/15/20 02:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,668 South Dakota
hotairballoonpilot
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Posts: 5,668
South Dakota
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thanks guys. yes I know water freezes thanks for the great comment from one of you. I was worried on the liner cracking from the frozen water.
thanks
corey
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