Closing Above Ground Pool With Bottom Drain

This can cause your pool to collapse.

Closing above ground pool with bottom drain.

Either method is fine the choice made is based on personal preference. We recommend waiting to close your pool until the water temperature is consistently. Drain and cover the above ground pool. Step 1 adjust the ph alkalinity and calcium hardness.

Swimming pool circulation pumps draw water from the pool utilizing suction plumbed to the skimmer inlets at water level and the main drain at the pool s bottom. If you have an above ground pool with a vinyl pool liner drain the pool to about 1 inch below the bottom of the skimmer mouth. It s acceptable to drain the pool a few more inches below that if you live in an area that gets heavy precipitation during the winter months. Adjust the ph to a level between 7 2 and 7 6.

To do this simply unscrew and remove the drain cap on the bottom of the filter barrel. Making sure these are all in balance protects the pool from corrosion or scale buildup that can occur over the winter while the pool is shut down. But as a rule if temperatures typically drop and stay below 65 f 18 c during the off season wait until the temperature falls below that point to close. When to winterize your above ground pool depending on where you live your closing times will vary.

Others lower the water in the pool below the returns where the water jets into the pool and the skimmer. Your sand filter system s sand is good for about 4 5 years. During winter months or periods of non use most pool drains do not need to be plugged but in some cases plugging a main drain is required or recommended. Closing an above ground pool at seasons end should be a fast and worry free process.

If the walls of your pool extend more than 1 foot into the ground do not lower the water level doing so could cause the walls to collapse in severe weather conditions. A main drain circulates the pool s water by pulling water off the bottom of the pool and sending it to the filter. Put the cap away in a safe place until the next time you open the pool. If the walls of your pool extend less than 1 foot into the ground you will want to drain off some of the water inside to complete the winterizing process.

Adjust the alkalinity to 80 to 120 ppm parts per million step 2 shock the water. Leslie s top 10 pool closing tips will help you close a pool quickly and easily. These adjustments should be made about five days before you completely close down the pool. Our pool specialists have put together the following tutorial.

Plugging a main drain shuts off the suction caused by the drain and prevents water from traveling through the lines connected to the drain. Never completely drain an above ground pool. Use an extra strong chlorine or a non chlorine substitute to kill.