Although we all love the colder months in the winter time (especially down in the South), freeze damage can be a brutal enemy of a common household. Freeze damage problems is not just about the aesthetic impact; it strikes at the very heart of your pool’s infrastructure, potentially leading to significant financial setbacks. In this comprehensive guide, we look into the insights from recent blog posts, exploring how freeze damage affects your pool.
Proper preparation for winter is crucial for pool owners to avoid costly damage. Neglecting to take precautions can result in freeze damage to various areas of your pool, including:
- Piping
- Pool Pumps
- Pool Filters
- Pool Heaters
- Skimmers
- Pool Lights
- Valves
- Structural Images
How to prepare and prevent damages to your pool equipment
Preparing your pool for cold winters is all part of the pool ownership experience. Just how you prepare your house for freezing temps, you must do the same for your pool. Nowadays, most pool systems come equipped with a preventative method to combat water freezing damage. This is called Freeze Guard. When the temperature reaches freezing, the system runs and keeps the water moving and not standing. Standing water expands 10% when frozen, and that’s what causes pipes to burst.
Keep your pumps running with valves open.
If your water is running during the colder temps, it won’t stand and therefore will be less likely to freeze and damage.
Increase pump speed
Allowing the water to run efficiently will also prevent freeze damage.
Keep your pool clean
Keeping your pool clean from debris and trash will prevent blockages in the colder temps in your main drain. Keeping your pool clean will be vital in freezing temps.
Put away your pool cleaner
Insulate your pool equipment
Wrapping your plumbing lines with blankets, towels, or other forms of insulation will help prevent water freezing inside of them
Contact an expert
Pool experts can certainly provide you with plenty of support and advice on how to keep your pool safe from freezing water damage. Contact us today if you need support.
Preparing your pool for freezing temps do require some work. One thing to note is that all of the tasks that require electricity may not help if your power goes out. With no electricity, your pumps will not run and your water will not move. That is when we tend to see more damage than usual. Accomplishing the tasks that don’t require power (cleaning, insulating, and storing away your pool cleaner), will certainly help in case of a power outage.
Freeze damage to pipes and pumps
When freeze damage affects pipes and pumps, significant repairs may be necessary. Burst pipes require excavation, pressure testing, bonding, and ground repair. Repairing cracked pipes that extend beyond the pool deck or building also requires special measures.
Your pool pump is just as important, and the slightest bit of damage to it, can cause your pool to shut down. Since pumps use vacuum pressure to draw water, a crack would allow air to enter the pump which causes a decrease in efficiency. All of this to say that if you pool pump is cracked, it can severely reduce your pump’s intake, which in return will cause a hefty repair bill.
Other common pool parts/areas that may be affected by freeze damage
Other components of your pool are also susceptible to freeze damage. In the Dallas area, winter storms occur 2-3 times a year, often leading to pool equipment damage. Pool filters, for example, should be replaced if cracked, as using damaged filters can be dangerous.
With pool filters, the slightest crack will indicate that it needs to be replaced and not repaired. It’s very dangerous to continue to use a cracked or damaged pool filter.
Other pool equipment that may need repairs are: Pool heaters, pool covers, skimmers, bonding grids, pool lights, and valves.
What do you when you suspect freeze damage
If you suspect any damage to your pool and its equipment, it’s vital that you stop the water and electricity that is making the pool work as soon as possible. As tempting as it is to try to repair the damage yourself, we always recommend reaching out experts to solve this type of problem.
Our team at TX Pool & Construction have experience in repairing pool parts, and we’re ready to help you this winter. Contacts us this winter.
Most pool equipment companies will not cover freeze damage as part of the warranty, so you need to prepare for the freezing temps!