winterizeing an in-ground pool

pool

It depends on where you live. If it is in the Sun Belt, then you basically do what you do during the summer, except not as much of it. In the snow belt, usually, they let the pool go fallow and put logs in it to absorb the pressure when the water freezes. Then refill it, or treat the water in the Spring when it thaws.
 
1. Lower the water to just below the inlets -- about a foot below the skimmers. Remove the "eyeballs" from the inlets and store in a bag for next year.

2. Drain the pump, chlorinator, multi-port valve, filter, and heater.

3. Use an air compressor to blow out all the lines going into the pool, including the fill line, return lines, skimmer lines, and main drain. Then cover the inlets and skimmer openings with rubber plugs. [Note: there is a certain technique that must be utilized when blowing out the lines, so this is just a bare bones description.]

4. Treat the water that's left with lots of chlorine shock and algaecide. You'll have to ask the pool place (Leslie's, etc.) how much you need per 1000 gallons.

5. Put a good quality pool cover over the pool and use water bags to hold it in place.

The two critical things are: Do not drain all the water out of the pool or it can crack, cave in, or pop out of the ground. You need to make sure you blow out all of the water in every pipe or hose that is above the frost line or you will have one hell of a time finding and repairing the leaks.
 
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Any pool service company will come out and do it for a couple hundred bucks. They usually knock it out in about an hour.
 
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