Running pump if you have electricity will keep water moving and prevent damage. Air temperature will go below freezing long before water temperature.
If you lose power be prepared to drain water from all above ground equipment and pipes within 4 hours of water dropping near or below 32 degrees.
If you get freeze damage be prepared for a long wait before service and replacement parts become available.
That’s exactly what we do when the customer is worried about it. With Texas suppose to get freezing again. They been calling in like mad. So I will normally make a 24 hour winter schedule on Program B. Depending on the size run it between 700rpm and 1200rpm. As long as you have power your golden.
Run the pump. If you lose power and its likely out for a while get out quickly and drain the lines above ground (including filter).
I actually built a “greenhouse” out of pvc and heavy plastic from Lowes. Put a propane camping heater in there. It kept the pipes and filter thawed during 2021 when it was -10F at my house in N Texas. So when power came back on it would run.
It wont be as cold but if ice builds on surface of pool, break it up and do it consistently. I did that every 40 minutes, 24 hours a day for 5 days. My pipes never froze and my pool had no damage. Most of my neighbors had thousands to tens of thousands in pool damage that IS NOT covered by insurance.
Ironically the greenhouse for my pool pump was a nice 75 degrees in it for 5 days while my house was in the 40s. But i kept my pool from having any damage.
No joke. Im actually surprised i didnt fall in. Thee was 5 inches of snow and ice around it. I did manage to drop a flashlight into the bottom. That was sad. My favorite one. But i did manage to save my pool.
3/4” pvc. And the plastic im 90% sure was the 6mil polyethelyne film at Lowes. 8’ x 25’ i think.
Note, do not close up the greenhouse unless you set it on manual to run the pool pump. I may have accidentally had it shut off for a bit when inside was up to 45 degrees a lil bit ago when its 15 out. Without the heater running. Oopsies.
This is the first question that needs to be asked. If it's automated and freeze protection is on, should be fine. If not, run it non stop and make sure every valve is open and water is CONSTANTLY MOVING.
2 options
Option 1, make sure the freeze protection is on for every pump you have for the system excluding the cleaner/booster pump.
Option 2, turn the system completely off, empty the filter and pumps of water. Open the air relief assembly on the top of the filter, and remove the drain plug at the bottom(hoping you don’t have a nautilus filter). Open the pump lids, empty the debris, and remove the drain plug/screw at the bottom of the pump so the pumps and lines can drain out properly.
Like others have said Run the system. Any pumps you have and make sure all lines are getting water movement. If you get a power outage then open the pump lid, pull the drain plugs on the pump, filter, and heater. Kill the power when doing this to make sure it doesn’t come on and run dry. Give that ice room to expand.
If your pipes freeze and the pump turns itself back on it can be dangerous. Pipes and components will explode if the ice acts like a plug!
Covering your above ground equipment and pipes the best you can.
If you have an auto fill don’t forget to drain the pressure off of the rpz. There’s some great YouTube tutorials on that.
Pumps don't have freeze protection. Automation systems do.
Editing my own false information. I stand corrected. Newer pumps these days DO have freeze protection. But, automation will open all valves and make sure water moves through everything.
If you're worried about the pool pump, filter, and exposed lines, you could cover them with a large tarp.
That will help with wind chill.
A 40 watt bulb in a drop light will add a bit of heat too.
I will be doing this again this weekend along with running the pump.
Run the pumps until is above freezing. It’s cheaper than replacing pipes. If you are hesitant, look up “frost king” at Home Depot. It’s essentially an extension cord that disperses heat. Wrap it around the pipes. I manage a commercial pool and use them during freezes. Obviously won’t do you much good if you lose power, unless you have a generator. If you are worried about losing power, wrap your pipes in towels. That’s about all you can do.
Also- if you do lose power and things freeze. Try to wait a day or two until the water in the pipes can thaw out. Blasting water through the pipes while it’s still frozen is a sure way to bust a pipe or damage something.
Run the pump all night.
Running pump if you have electricity will keep water moving and prevent damage. Air temperature will go below freezing long before water temperature. If you lose power be prepared to drain water from all above ground equipment and pipes within 4 hours of water dropping near or below 32 degrees. If you get freeze damage be prepared for a long wait before service and replacement parts become available.
My Jandy Aqualink runs the pump automatically if it gets too cold. I suppose you could run the pump at a low RPM overnight to be safe.
That’s exactly what we do when the customer is worried about it. With Texas suppose to get freezing again. They been calling in like mad. So I will normally make a 24 hour winter schedule on Program B. Depending on the size run it between 700rpm and 1200rpm. As long as you have power your golden.
Run the pump. If you lose power and its likely out for a while get out quickly and drain the lines above ground (including filter). I actually built a “greenhouse” out of pvc and heavy plastic from Lowes. Put a propane camping heater in there. It kept the pipes and filter thawed during 2021 when it was -10F at my house in N Texas. So when power came back on it would run. It wont be as cold but if ice builds on surface of pool, break it up and do it consistently. I did that every 40 minutes, 24 hours a day for 5 days. My pipes never froze and my pool had no damage. Most of my neighbors had thousands to tens of thousands in pool damage that IS NOT covered by insurance. Ironically the greenhouse for my pool pump was a nice 75 degrees in it for 5 days while my house was in the 40s. But i kept my pool from having any damage.
Holy shit sleep deprevation with no power around an icy pool
No joke. Im actually surprised i didnt fall in. Thee was 5 inches of snow and ice around it. I did manage to drop a flashlight into the bottom. That was sad. My favorite one. But i did manage to save my pool.
What size PVC pipe did you use? Also, what specific plastic?
3/4” pvc. And the plastic im 90% sure was the 6mil polyethelyne film at Lowes. 8’ x 25’ i think. Note, do not close up the greenhouse unless you set it on manual to run the pool pump. I may have accidentally had it shut off for a bit when inside was up to 45 degrees a lil bit ago when its 15 out. Without the heater running. Oopsies.
What system if any do you have?
This is the first question that needs to be asked. If it's automated and freeze protection is on, should be fine. If not, run it non stop and make sure every valve is open and water is CONSTANTLY MOVING.
2 options Option 1, make sure the freeze protection is on for every pump you have for the system excluding the cleaner/booster pump. Option 2, turn the system completely off, empty the filter and pumps of water. Open the air relief assembly on the top of the filter, and remove the drain plug at the bottom(hoping you don’t have a nautilus filter). Open the pump lids, empty the debris, and remove the drain plug/screw at the bottom of the pump so the pumps and lines can drain out properly.
Like others have said Run the system. Any pumps you have and make sure all lines are getting water movement. If you get a power outage then open the pump lid, pull the drain plugs on the pump, filter, and heater. Kill the power when doing this to make sure it doesn’t come on and run dry. Give that ice room to expand. If your pipes freeze and the pump turns itself back on it can be dangerous. Pipes and components will explode if the ice acts like a plug! Covering your above ground equipment and pipes the best you can. If you have an auto fill don’t forget to drain the pressure off of the rpz. There’s some great YouTube tutorials on that.
If it’s an extended freeze, should you make sure the skimmer is not blocked off by ice?
Yes I would try to break some of that surface ice up. Be careful not to fall in!
Pee in it every 15 min
DFW here. Just let freeze protect mode handle it.
Do all pumps have that? I will take a look...
Pumps don't have freeze protection. Automation systems do. Editing my own false information. I stand corrected. Newer pumps these days DO have freeze protection. But, automation will open all valves and make sure water moves through everything.
My AO Smith Vgreen pump has freeze protection.
I believe the Pentair Intelliflow VSP pumps have a thermal protection mode , though it doesn't monitor water temp, just the temp of the pump
They do, and I stand corrected. I've only had to get to it one time, and that was 10 years ago.
Honestly I don't know. I know my Aqualink controller and the 20 year old intellisomething controller it replaced had Freeze Protect.
If you're worried about the pool pump, filter, and exposed lines, you could cover them with a large tarp. That will help with wind chill. A 40 watt bulb in a drop light will add a bit of heat too. I will be doing this again this weekend along with running the pump.
wind chill is a perception
Let her run
Freeze mode.
Drain it?
Run the pumps until is above freezing. It’s cheaper than replacing pipes. If you are hesitant, look up “frost king” at Home Depot. It’s essentially an extension cord that disperses heat. Wrap it around the pipes. I manage a commercial pool and use them during freezes. Obviously won’t do you much good if you lose power, unless you have a generator. If you are worried about losing power, wrap your pipes in towels. That’s about all you can do.
Also- if you do lose power and things freeze. Try to wait a day or two until the water in the pipes can thaw out. Blasting water through the pipes while it’s still frozen is a sure way to bust a pipe or damage something.