With hurricane IKE petered out, temperatures have dropped almost 25 degrees Fahrenheit overnight. Cold temperatures have always been the incentive to close up you pool and put it to bed for the winter.
Be sure all your lines have been blown out with some kind of high volume air blower such as a Shop Vac that can have a hose plugged into the exhaust. Sucking water out of the lines does not work and risks winter damage.
Backwash you filter, followed by a 20 second rinse. This will ensure the filter sand will not cake or ball up for spring time. It also helps insure the filter will drain properly.
Lower the water level to just below the opening of the return jets. Place the blower in the skimmer and remove the lid and drain plugs from the pump. Allow the blower to run until there is no further gurgling noise or water coming from the skimmer line.
Replace the pump lid and plugs. Remove the drain plug from the filter. Place the filter handler on filter cycle. Continue blowing the lines until air can be felt coming from the filter drain.
Once air is felt from the drain area on the filter, change the filter head to “By-pass” or “Recirculate”. The heater will be the next item to clear water from if you have one.
Gas heaters a very susceptible to damage from water if not properly drained. Disconnect the pressure switch wires and remove the switch for storage inside your home. One drop of water left inside the switch will damage it and render the switch useless.
Remove any drain plugs from the front and rear headers of the pool heater. Some heaters have one or more, some have none depending on the design. Laars heaters have three. Continue blowing air through until no further water comes from the drain holes.
Temporarily replace the drain plugs in the heater to keep the pressure in the system. The last item in the system will be the closing of the return line to the pool. Once no further water comes out of the return jet and not gurgling noise can be heard, you can close the up the jet with a plug.
If you have more than one jet, close off the jet closest to the pump first this will force the water to the farthest jet and assure the lines are empty.
If you have other items attached to the pool such as solar heating and chlorinator, be sure all water is drained from them.
To finish up the closing of equipment, remove all plugs, pressure gauges and pressure switches. Store them in your basement where frost can not damage them. Place the filter in between two settings to prevent winter damage to seals.
