[BioAdoptMom3]

What do you all do with your pumps when the temps are below freezing, especially if its a predicted hard freeze, like mid to low 20's? Do you leave them running all night? Cover them? Advice?

Thanks!

Nancy

[Songbird42]

Many years ago, I was told by the pool company that built my pool to keep the pump running if the temps went under 30 degrees. I run my pump doesn't cost any more to run for the few extra hours.

[smartygurl]

My parents always kept theirs running when there was a freeze.

[Mike1306]

Just change it to run at night instead of the day.
No extra hours on, does what it needs to do, no problems.

[mango23]

Originally Posted by BioAdoptMom3

What do you all do with your pumps when the temps are below freezing, especially if its a predicted hard freeze, like mid to low 20's? Do you leave them running all night? Cover them? Advice?

Thanks!

Nancy

Those temps never last more then a few hours usually during the night. Not long enough for any water in a pool to really freeze. Just run your pump as usual

[jdoty]

It depends. If you have solar panels for your pool, you absolutely MUST run the pump overnight, even if it's only below freezing for an hour or so! Also be sure to go into your thermostat and change it to "always on", otherwise it won't cycle water through the panels if it's cold out. I forgot to change the thermostat one night last year and ended up with $800 in busted panels. And that wasn't even a hard freeze! If you're going to be gone for a while, you can also set the thermostat to "always off" and then just drain the panels.

If you don't have solar panels, it will probably be OK if you don't do anything. It takes a while for PVC pipes to freeze. A few hours of below freezing shouldn't hurt it. I don't do anything to my well pump for my sprinklers, or to the hose faucets, and I've never had a problem with them. For peace of mind though, there's no harm in turning it on. I'd probably do it myself, especially for a hard freeze.

[FL Developer]

Assuming your pipes, pumps, filter etc are above the pool waterline, just turn it off and drain. Most pumps and filters have a drain plug near the bottom.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by mango23

Those temps never last more then a few hours usually during the night. Not long enough for any water in a pool to really freeze. Just run your pump as usual

The water is the pool is not what most people worry about it is the water in the pipes that are the problem.

They are calling for 8 hours below 32 where I am, I am sure some areas will be longer.

That is more than enough time for them to freeze up.

I would rather just have mine run at night than during the day and not have to worry about replacing any pipes.

[Synergy1]

Water lines above ground are the first to freeze. The ideal situation is just to drain all lines. The water in the pool is not a problem just the lines leading to it. I also have a hot water solar heater and we drip the hot water in house so the electric hwh will kick in at 100 instead of its usual 125 degrees.

[BioAdoptMom3]

No solar heat here and temps have been below freezing since about 11 PM, so its going to be a long freeze tonight. We have the pump running for the night, yes, to protect the pump and pipes, not the pool water, LOL. Thanks for your advice!

Nancy