A Freeze is Coming! Now What!?
We all remember the Texas Freeze of 2021. Record breaking temperatures in the teens and single digits for days and an unprecedented statewide power outage led to massive damages to home plumbing systems and swimming pool equipment. Millions of homes and pools were damaged in Texas alone! While it is unlikely we will see another event like this anytime in the near future, Texas is still prone to the occasional hard freeze. If left unprotected, your pool equipment could be damaged costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Here's what to do to protect your equipment from these costly repairs.
If functioning properly, your pool equipment's freeze guard should provide all the protection you need. If you don't have a freeze guard or you're not sure that it's working properly, here are some tips to protect your equipment:
When air temperatures approach freezing, your pump will automatically turn on and run until temperatures once again rise above the freezing mark (depending on your pool equipment, usually 36-40 degrees). Don't turn on your pool heater. Moving water will not freeze and running your heater is just an unnecessary expense. With some automated systems, your pool will even switch between pool mode and spa mode every 15 minutes to make sure no pipes freeze. If you don't have a freeze guard or you're not sure if it's working properly, just set your pump to run 24x7 until the freeze passes. There is no need to run your booster pump as water runs through it at lower pressure even when turned off. However, you do need to turn on waterfall pumps.
In case of a power outage, you need to take more action:
Once power is restored and the hard freeze is over, reinstall all of your drain plugs, return diverter valves to their proper position, fill your pump pot with water and restart your equipment.
If functioning properly, your pool equipment's freeze guard should provide all the protection you need. If you don't have a freeze guard or you're not sure that it's working properly, here are some tips to protect your equipment:
- Run your pool equipment 24x7 while temperatures are near or below freezing.
- There is no need to turn on your pool heater. Moving water will not freeze and running the heater is just an unnecessary expense.
- Booster pumps do not need to be running. They have low pressure water movement even when not running.
- Water feature pumps should be running 24x7 as well.
When air temperatures approach freezing, your pump will automatically turn on and run until temperatures once again rise above the freezing mark (depending on your pool equipment, usually 36-40 degrees). Don't turn on your pool heater. Moving water will not freeze and running your heater is just an unnecessary expense. With some automated systems, your pool will even switch between pool mode and spa mode every 15 minutes to make sure no pipes freeze. If you don't have a freeze guard or you're not sure if it's working properly, just set your pump to run 24x7 until the freeze passes. There is no need to run your booster pump as water runs through it at lower pressure even when turned off. However, you do need to turn on waterfall pumps.
In case of a power outage, you need to take more action:
- Turn off power to your equipment, either at the breaker or emergency shutoff switch.
- Remove drain plugs from all equipment (filters, pumps, booster pumps, heaters, etc.).
- Drain your backwash line if equipped with a drain plug or valve.
- Open all diverter valves.
Once power is restored and the hard freeze is over, reinstall all of your drain plugs, return diverter valves to their proper position, fill your pump pot with water and restart your equipment.
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