First time pool owner figuring out what to do for this weekend. Yall just run your pump continuously when the temp gets below freezing? Seems to be the best way? Of course if the power goes out, you're effed I guess.

Once ours near freezing it will automatically run nonstop Prob is if you lose power like you noted. If that happens I've shut valve on inlet side while pool side was open and got lucky

When the power went out last time, I drained the pool filter. Turned off the switch so the pump would stay off until
The temps were high enough to turn back on manually. Worked fine for us.

RenoAg said:

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First time pool owner figuring out what to do for this weekend. Yall just run your pump continuously when the temp gets below freezing? Seems to be the best way? Of course if the power goes out, you're effed I guess.

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assume you have equipment with freeze protection, meaning the pump should come on and run to manage the freezing temps.

In '21 I put the pump to be on 24 hours. Then the power went off. It was off for four days with 14 degree weather. So the night we lost power I drained the pump. It apparently worked. The water drained back to the pool. The key is to evacuate most water out of any pipes or other appurtenances. In my system it worked. Good luck!

Good advice above except cutting pipes. Don't do that. Also, if you have auto fill, make sure you shut it off and heat tape your backflow preventer.

I meant cutting a pipe only as a last ditch emergency move in case of a power outage that is gonna last and only if there's no other way to drain the system. And if done be 100% sure you turn off all the power to every pump.

Agz_2003 said:

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When the power went out last time, I drained the pool filter. Turned off the switch so the pump would stay off until
The temps were high enough to turn back on manually. Worked fine for us.

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Pretty much my plan if power goes out. Know where all of your drain plugs are.

I've always been concerned about the autofill, besides wrapping and covering I'm not sure how else to prepare it.

Charlie Murphy said:

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Agz_2003 said:

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When the power went out last time, I drained the pool filter. Turned off the switch so the pump would stay off until
The temps were high enough to turn back on manually. Worked fine for us.

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Pretty much my plan if power goes out. Know where all of your drain plugs are.

I've always been concerned about the autofill, besides wrapping and covering I'm not sure how else to prepare it.

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Our autofill is fed by a tap into one of our outside spigots. If you have PEX, you can shut off water to that faucet so do that and then open the faucet valve and then manually push down on the autofill float to help relieve any/most of the water in the line running to the pool.

If it's attached to an existing hose bib like most are, the permanent fix is to add an isolation valve somewhere inside your walls/insulation. Practicality will depend on where that bib is coming out of.

Your safe bet is to drain the equipment pad. Turn of the breaker to your pool equipment. Remove drain plugs from everything - pump, filter, heater, etc. and remove the chlorinator tower lid if you have one. Any residual water remaining in the piping should run back to the pool.

HoustonAggie11 said:

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My grounds crew handles that for me.

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I make my wife do all that while I drink beer. Or cocoa and Schnapp's if it's really that cold.

Make sure you drain the heater if power goes out for any length of time - there are drain plugs. There are lots of small copper pipes inside and if there's any water left in them, those pipes will leak and you're in the market for another $8000 pool heater.

This is great advice. Make sure you know where all the plugs are and have plan in place If the power goes out.

fire09 said:

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If it's attached to an existing hose bib like most are, the permanent fix is to add an isolation valve somewhere inside your walls/insulation. Practicality will depend on where that bib is coming out of.

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I have searched and searched but just can't seem to find where the isolation valve for the pool filler would be. Very frustrating

Most that I've seen do not have one. I don't believe it's required by code, but I'm not a licensed plumber so that is just based on what I've seen.