Sunrise Pools understand that the winter months are a time for latency and infrequent use when it comes to your pool. After all, no one wants to take a plunge when the temperatures drop to uncomfortable levels. Therefore, many people choose to close their pools for the winter to limit the need for pool services such as skimming and chlorination as well as to protect them from the ravaging effects of freezing temperatures. One of the most critical measures that pool owners should undertake in the winterizing process is blowing out the pool lines by removing water from them.
For many, blowing out the lines for winter is a job that is best left to pool maintenance professionals in Buford, GA. But some pool owners take a more hands-on approach and prefer to handle the task on their own. In truth, anyone can properly blow out pool lines with minimal equipment and a little know-how. Keep reading here for your guide on blowing out your pool lines for winter.
Step 1: Preparation
Before you begin the actual line blowing process, there are a few steps you should take to prepare. First, you must lower the water level in the pool by draining it partially. You should lower the water level to between 4 inches and 12 inches below the skimmer. Then, you want to empty all the water from the skimmers using a hand pump or drain. Finally, if your pool has a multiport valve, set it to recirculate.
Step 2: Blowing Out the Suction Side
To start the line blowing process, you’ll need to attack the suction side of the pool plumbing first. The suction side of your plumbing includes all your incoming lines, or all lines coming into the pump. There will usually be a main drain line and one or more skimmers involved in this step. If you have one skimmer, simply blow air from the skimmer to the pump. If you have two skimmers, you’ll need to blow from one skimmer to the pump, then from the pump to the second skimmer. Make sure that you have closed the valve off at the pump to get the desired effect. When blowing out the lines, blow air for two to three minutes, or until only a fine mist is coming out of the line that’s being blown. When blowing the main drain, you’ll need to reposition your valves so that the drain line is open, but the already blown skimmer lines are shut off.
Step 3: Blowing Out Equipment
Next, you’ll want to drain the critical equipment in your pool plumbing, such as the pump, filter, and heater. This step is simple, as you usually need only remove drain plugs and let the air that has built up in the pump in the previous step push the water out. Set the multiport valve to recirculate, and if you have a slide valve on your filter, you can open it and blow air through it. If there is no slide valve on your filter, you don’t have to blow air through it, but you should remove the filter drain plug.
Step 4: Blowing Out the Pressure Side
Apply air pressure to the pump and watch for bubbling in the return lines. After a solid three minutes of blowing, plug off the return line that is bubbling most vigorously. Plug the other return lines in a similar sequence, making sure to plug the lines tightly. There should be no more bubbling once the plugs are in place.
With all the pool lines blown, you can rest knowing that your pool plumbing has been properly winterized and will not be put at risk of the damaging effects of hard freezes. Make sure to check out our pool maintenance services to ensure your pool stays well maintained, even through those winter months!