How do you open your pool for the summer?

Answer 1

First have your water tested at the local pool store. Next balance your water according to your test results. Begin poolside, by cleaning and vacuuming your liner. Make sure that no algae or debris is left in the pool at time of closing. If you water is greenish; break point chlorinate (shock) your pool until the water clears. Next make sure you backwash your filter out thoroughly. This is the last time you will be able to wash out your filter using the pump. Next drain your pool water until the level is below all of your skimmer mouths and return jets. Note: Sometimes this is not possible because some return jets are too low, and this would require emptying more than half of you pool. Once the water is below the skimmer mouths, people with an above ground pool can plug their return jet, disconnect hoses and drain out the pump and filter. People with in ground pools, you will need to drain your underground lines so that they do not freeze in the winter time. First turn your filter to recirculate or open all ports. If you water is below the skimmer mouth and the return jet(s), you can use either a wet/dry vacuum to suck the water out fo the lines from the pool end of the line. If you could not drain below your return jets, you will have to use some kind of forced air to "blow" out the lines. This can be done using an air compresser. Disconnect the effluent line (from the filter to the pool) and start at the filter end. Begin forcing air through the line until bubbles come out of the jets. Quickly plug each jet while air is comming out. The skimmer line can be done in a similar fashion, starting at the skimmer and "blowing" the water out by the filter. The skimmer must then be plugged using an ice compensator to avoid cracking over the winter. Each 10ft of 1 1/2" line holds 1 gal of water. Determine how many gallons of water you have extracted and check to see if you've drained all of it. Each underground line should then be filled with propelyne glycol anti-freeze. Fill from the filter/pump to the pool for both lines. Use the previous equation to determine the amount. Now you can begin todrain your pump and filter. The pump has two plugs in the bottom of it. They are usually 1/4" treaded plugs. One is at the bottom of the pump strainer basket. The other is at the bottom of the diffuser housing located right behind the strainer housing. Both of these chambers hold water It is necessary to drain them so that they do not freeze in the winter and crack your pump. The filter should have either a drain pluf or a valve at the bottom of the tank. Open this valve/plug and leave open. Remove all fixtures from the top of the filter including pressure gauges and sight glasses. For sand filters turn the handle on your multiport valve to the winter setting. If there is no winter setting then turn the handle so that it sets between two settings and rests on top. This will ensure that all ports are open and water is not restricted from escaping your filter. Now you can fully disconnect the pump and the filter and bring both inside your house or garage. These are to be kept in a heated area to avoid freezing of trapped water. If taking the pump and filter inside is not possible, at least keep them protected from the elements by covering them with a tarp. Now, it is time to put in an equalization pillow. This helps keep your cover from sagging due the water drained from it and to help compensate for the expansion of ice. By having the pillow in your water the ice crushes the pillow instead of forcing out on the pool walls potentially resulting in a lot of repairs. Now you can cover your pool. Above ground pool covers use a cable and winch. The cable is threaded through a series of grommets on the outside of your pool cover and them tightened using the winch. Also, weights can be hung from the cover or cover clips can be fastened to the top rail to help keep its place secure. In ground pools' covers can either be held down atop the surrounding edge of the pool by any combinations of weighted boxes or water tubes. They can also be tied and staked. Your pool is now ready to bear the wintery months ahead of it.

Answer 2

you will need to run the filter for 24 hours before you take the test water out to be tested. Start by priming your pump, fill the basket with water, close lid and turn on filter. let it run for 1 hour then back wash, rinse and restart filter. take test water in and start your season...