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 thousands of dollars. Here's what to do to protect your equipment from these costly repairs.
When air temperatures approach freezing (and you have a properly functioning freeze guard), 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 as long as the filter pump is running. You do, however, need to turn on water feature 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.
When air temperatures approach freezing (and you have a properly functioning freeze guard), 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 as long as the filter pump is running. You do, however, need to turn on water feature 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.).
- Open the air pressure relief valve on your filter.
- Remove pump lids on all pumps.
- Remove the lid to the in-line chlorinator (tab feeder), if present.
- 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.