Results for "skimmer lines"

Winterizing Medium 30–45 minutes 25 👍 1

What Goes in Your Skimmer When Closing for Winter?

Found myself in a debate with a neighbor and now I'm second-guessing everything I thought I knew about winterizing my inground pool. We get legitimate hard freezes here — not just a few nights of light frost — and I want to make sure I'm not cracking my skimmer housing this year.

My neighbor swears by dropping a half-filled milk jug into the skimmer and calling it a day, but a guy at the pool store told me I really need antifreeze poured in there or my skimmer will crack no matter what. A friend who closed pools professionally said just blow the lines and plug it — no antifreeze needed. Now I've got three different opinions and I'm reading about Gizzmos, rubber expansion plugs, foam backer rod, and antifreeze on top of all of it.

After blowing out the skimmer line with a shop vac, what actually needs to go into the skimmer, in what order? Is the antifreeze genuinely necessary or is that the pool store upselling me? And does it matter whether I use a Gizzmo versus a rubber plug versus the milk jug trick?…more

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Winterizing Medium 2-3 hours 1 👍 0

Blow Out Pool Lines With a Shop Vac? Here's the Truth

Looked at the forecast last night and there's a real hard freeze coming — the kind where you can almost feel the air bite right through your jacket the second you step outside. My inground pool needs to be winterized properly, but I don't own an air compressor and I'm not sure it's worth renting one. I do have a decent shop vac that has a blow mode on it, and I'm wondering if that's actually enough to push water out of the skimmer lines and return lines, or if it's just going to move air around without really clearing anything dangerous.

The thought of a cracked pipe or a busted fitting — that dull, hollow thud you hear when frozen water splits PVC — is enough to make me want to do this right the first time. But how do I actually know when the lines are empty? Is there a sound change, a feel difference in the air coming out? I want to make sure I'm not just plugging a line that still has water sitting in a low spot somewhere.…more

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Winterizing Medium 2–4 hours (full closing day, including water adjustment and line blow-out) 126 👍 1

How Far to Lower Water When Closing Your Pool

Three weeks ago my husband and I bought our first house with an inground vinyl pool, and now everyone is telling us we need to close it for winter — but nobody can agree on exactly what that means. We have a mesh safety cover, and I've gotten completely opposite advice about how much water to drain out before we put it on. One neighbor says drop it below the skimmer, another says below the returns, and my pool store guy shrugged and said we might not even need to lower it at all with a mesh cover?

I honestly have no idea what any of those terms even mean yet, or where those parts are on my pool. I'm afraid of draining too much and damaging the liner, or not draining enough and having pipes freeze and crack over the winter. Is there a standard answer here, or does it really depend on what type of cover you're using?

Also — a few people have mentioned that the rules are different for above-ground pools and solid covers, and now I'm even more confused. Can someone break this down in plain language for a complete first-timer?…more

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Winterizing Easy 30 minutes 60 👍 0

Gizzmo vs Rubber Plug: Best Way to Winterize a Skimmer?

During every fall closing season, I find myself second-guessing the advice I get at the pool store. This year I'm closing my inground pool on my own for the first time, and the store recommended I pick up a Gizzmo for the skimmer. The thing is, my neighbor has been closing his pool for years using nothing more than a rubber plug and a jug of antifreeze poured into the skimmer basket — and his skimmer has never cracked.

So now I'm wondering: does a Gizzmo actually do something fundamentally different, or is it just a more expensive version of the same idea? And the guy at the store also mentioned keeping the skimmer cover plate on top. Is that step necessary if I already have the Gizzmo in place, or is that overkill?…more

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Winterizing Medium 45 minutes 582 👍 1

Do You Remove Skimmer When Closing Pool? Step-by-Step Guide

I opened my weather app to see the first freeze hits this weekend and I'm staring at this skimmer wondering if I need to yank it out or leave it. I know I need to do something with the skimmers, but I'm getting conflicting advice online about what exactly needs to come out.

Do I need to physically remove the entire skimmer unit from the pool wall, or just certain components? I've heard about removing baskets and doors, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything that could get damaged over winter. Last thing I need is expensive repairs come spring after this disaster of a season.…more

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Above Ground Medium 3-4 hours 1,136 👍 1

Should You Drain Above Ground Pool for Winter? Complete Guide

Despite having my winter prep checklist ready and being determined to winterize this above ground pool myself — just need to nail down the right water level for safe storage. I've seen conflicting information about whether to completely drain the pool or maintain partial water levels during freezing months.

Specifically, I need technical guidance on optimal water height relative to skimmer and return line positions, and the structural implications of different drainage approaches. What are the engineering considerations regarding liner integrity and ground pressure effects during winter storage?…more

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Equipment Easy 15 minutes 770 👍 0

Do I Need a Pool Vacuum Plate? Complete Setup Guide

Noticed my 20,000-gallon inground pool vacuum's been running without a vacuum plate and now I'm worried it's dangerous with kids swimming daily. My skimmer doesn't seem to have a separate vacuum port - just the main opening where the basket sits. I've been manually vacuuming by removing the basket and connecting my vacuum hose directly to the suction line, but I lose all skimming action during the process.

The pool stays pretty clean most of the time with my regular chemical balance (chlorine at 2.0 ppm, pH 7.4, alkalinity 120 ppm), but I do need to vacuum weekly to pick up the fine debris that settles on the bottom. Would a vacuum plate help me maintain skimming while vacuuming, or is there another setup I should be considering for my skimmer configuration?…more

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Winterizing Easy 45 minutes 530 👍 1

Do I Need Pool Antifreeze? Complete Winterizing Guide

According to my old above-ground pool routine I never needed antifreeze, but now I'm questioning everything with this inground setup. My neighbor swears by it but another friend says it's totally unnecessary. I live in an area where we definitely get below freezing temps, but I'm not sure if my equipment can be completely drained or not.

What are the situations where pool antifreeze is actually needed? And if I do need it, does it matter what type I buy? Don't want to mess this up and end up with burst pipes come spring!…more

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Leaks Medium 2-4 hours 464 👍 0

How to Find Pool Leak: Complete Detection Guide 2026

Got my pool water level dropping a massive 2-3 inches this week and there's definitely something wrong beyond normal evaporation. My water chemistry is balanced (chlorine at 2.5 ppm, pH 7.4, alkalinity 120 ppm), so I don't think it's a chemical issue causing excessive evaporation.

I suspect there might be a leak somewhere but I'm not sure how to pinpoint the exact location. Should I be checking around the skimmers and return jets first? I've heard about using food coloring to detect leaks but I'm not sure of the proper technique. Also wondering if there's a way to test whether it's a structural leak versus something in the plumbing lines.

What's the most systematic approach to track down where exactly the water is going? I'd rather diagnose this myself before calling in a expensive leak detection service if possible.…more

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Winterizing Medium 4-6 hours 354 👍 0

How to Winterize a Pool Without Draining It - Complete Guide

About three YouTube tutorials into winterizing my pool without draining and I've somehow made my equipment situation ten times worse. My neighbor told me I don't actually have to drain my entire pool to winterize it properly, but I'm not sure if that's true or how to do it safely.

I'd love to avoid the hassle and cost of draining and refilling if possible. What's the proper way to winterize without emptying the whole thing? I want to make sure I don't damage my equipment or pool structure by doing it wrong.…more

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Pump Problems Easy 15 minutes 487 👍 0

How to Prime Your Pool Pump: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Looked at my pool pump this morning and there's absolutely no water flowing through it even though it's running. The pump basket was completely dry when I opened it up, and now I'm getting no water flow when I turn it back on. I know I need to prime it somehow, but I want to make sure I do this right without damaging anything. What's the correct step-by-step process to get water flowing through the system again? I'm comfortable working with the equipment, just want to avoid any rookie mistakes.…more

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Pump Problems Easy 15 minutes 1,777 👍 0

Can You Run Pool Pump With Cover On? Safety & Efficiency

Between my morning coffee run and checking the backyard, I spotted my pool pump still humming away with yesterday's cover locked on tight. My primary concerns are maintaining adequate ventilation around the pump housing and ensuring optimal energy efficiency during covered operation periods.

Are there specific operational guidelines I should follow for different cover types (solar, safety, winter covers)? I want to verify that continuous pump operation won't create any mechanical stress or ventilation issues that could compromise system performance or safety parameters.…more

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Pump Problems Easy 15 minutes 342 👍 0

How to Tell if Your Pool Pump Isn't Working Properly

This 4-year-old pool pump is turning my once-crystal-clear water cloudy and stagnant — is it worth repairing or should I just replace the whole thing? I'm not super technical when it comes to pool equipment, so I'm not sure what warning signs I should be watching for.

What are the telltale signs that indicate my pump isn't doing its job properly? I want to catch any problems before they turn into expensive repairs or leave me with a swamp instead of a swimming pool!…more

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Maintenance Medium 3-4 hours 300 👍 0

Do You Have to Drain Your Pool in Winter? Complete Guide

Finally getting tired of the third round of conflicting advice about draining my pool this winter and I'm done with all the guesswork. I've seen conflicting information about whether complete drainage is necessary or if partial water removal is sufficient for proper winterization.

Specifically, I need to know the optimal water level in relation to the skimmer system and what additional chemical treatments and equipment protection measures are required. What are the technical specifications for winter water levels, and how do these relate to preventing freeze damage while maintaining water chemistry balance during the off-season?…more

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Equipment Easy 15 minutes 222 👍 0

How Pool Pumps Work: Complete Guide to Pool Circulation

My pool pump has been running louder than usual lately, and I'm starting to wonder if I actually understand how this thing works. Ever since we had that power outage last month, the pump seems to be working harder but the water circulation doesn't look quite right. I can see water moving through the return jets, but I'm not really sure what's happening inside the pump itself or how it's supposed to move all that water through the filter system. Is there a simple way to understand the mechanics so I can better troubleshoot when something goes wrong?…more

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