Winterizing Garden and Pool Pumps

June 29, 2017

Depending on where you live, the procedures for winterizing your garden and pool pumps could be very different. A solid four seasons brings ice and frost when the days grow short. The ground turns white and water-filled hoses rupture. How do you prevent ice expansion in a pump or pipe? First of all, the race is on to drain the pool before the mercury level drops into the blue.

Supplementary Work Steps

The goal is to drain the water and winterize the pool pump. However, before lowering the level of the swimming pool, consider treating the water. Reset every chemical characteristic of the fluid so that the concealed pipework isn't troubled by powdery alkaline films and chlorate deposits during the winter months. Arguably, this PH neutralising step can be skipped, but a proper winterizing strategy should certainly take care of water conditioning before that water level is lowered.

Pool Pump Winterizing

Once the pool chemistry is neutral, drain the pool until its level is below the skimmer aperture. Curiously, you're not completely emptying the swimming area, why not? Well, if you wholly empty that big concrete sink, the concrete can bulge as the soil springs back. Tiles crack and the damage is done. Keep the water level at 40 to 45-cm. Next, the pool pump can't be left with standing water. At best, the unhealthy fluid remnant could spread bacteria on opening day. At worst, the water will expand as it cools. As it hardens, turns to ice, the pump impeller and its associated connections will incur physical damage. They will split. Pull the drain plugs from the pump. Consult the manual if you're not sure where these drainage ports are located. In order to ensure the water is fully drained, run the pump for no more than a few seconds, or blow the fluid out with an industrial vacuum cleaner, one that's been set to blow, of course.

The last dregs of water drip from the filter, the outlet lines are clean and dry, and the skimmer basket is debris-free. Unplug or electrically isolate the pool pump, place the winterizing cover on the swimming pool, and follow a similar procedure for your garden sprinkler system. Swimming pool or garden hose, sprinkler system or basement plumbing pipes, all water-powered pipes experience expansion when the winter hits hard. Unless the pipes are clad in a thick insulated jacket, the pipes in your garden are at risk. Fortunately, your swimming pool pump is dry and ready for the winter chill.

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