If your swimming pool closing didn’t go quite the way it should have—whether you did it yourself or hired a pool maintenance company for the job—your pool could have major problems come spring. Improper swimming pool closing can damage your pool’s plumbing pipes, as well as its pump, heater, filter, and even its deck. If you own an above-ground pool, closing it improperly could even cause the whole thing to crumble.
How can you tell if your pool might develop problems this winter? Below, we’re breaking down the most common signs of improper swimming pool closing, so you know what to keep an eye out for.
Cracked or Leaky Pipes
You won’t be able to see all of your pool’s plumbing pipes since many of them are located underground. But if you do happen to notice pipes that are cracked or fully covered in frosty white stuff, that’s an indication your pool wasn’t closed properly.
When there’s a substantial amount of water in the pipes, that water will freeze and expand as temperatures drop. Often, the first indication of frozen plumbing is a buildup of frost along the exterior of the pipes caused by the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the pipe.
Your Pool Pump Still Has Its Plugs
A properly winterized pool pump should have its plugs removed so any remaining water inside the pump can drain out. If your pool pump still has the plugs in place, water will eventually (if it hasn’t already) freeze inside the pump, where it will inevitably expand. As the water expands, it can damage the interior of the pump, which will cause serious leakage when you open your pool in spring.
To help protect your pump from damage, remove the plugs if they’re still in place. When outdoor temperatures rise above 32° F, any ice inside the pump will gradually melt and the water can then drain out.
Cracked Pool Heater
Pool heaters are usually the first component to suffer when a swimming pool isn’t closed properly. If you have a polymer or cast iron heater head and notice any degree of cracking, the damage has already been done. If, however, you happen to notice the heater plugs are still in place, you may still have time to prevent damage from occurring.
Remove the plugs, disconnect the pressure switch inside the unit, and blow air through the heater to remove any water that’s still inside. If you don’t know how to do this properly, call a pool closing specialist (Royal Pool & Spa is an excellent choice!) for expert advice.
Deck Cracks
If you notice cracks developing in your pool deck that weren’t there during autumn, your pool was definitely closed improperly, and you may have a serious plumbing problem on your hands. Deck cracks often develop in winter due to underground plumbing that’s still full of water. If the deck has cracks, you can almost guarantee there’s cracked and damaged plumbing too.
Contact Royal Pool & Spa for All Your Swimming Pool Maintenance Needs
At Royal Pool & Spa, we’ve proudly served the swimming pool maintenance, repair, and renovation needs of Twin Cities pool owners since 1988. All of our highly skilled technicians have at least 10 years of pool maintenance and repair experience, and we specialize in both residential and commercial pool services. Check out our reviews to see what our customers have to say!
If you have any questions bout your pool this winter or need to schedule chemical delivery to your location, feel free to give us a call at 651-779-7606. We’ll be more than happy to help you out!