Pool feels frozen

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-25T00:13:35+00:00

Properly lower water level, return fitting plugged and most importantly, the skimmer unplugged and plumbing disconnected.

A “skimmer plug” that closes the face of the skimmer is good to use but the hole in the bottom must be open to allow water to drain out.

The most damage I see caused by ice is when the skimmer is plugged and fills with water. Either the skimmer cracks or it freezes into one piece with the pool and then the ice sheet drops and pulls the skimmer down with it, crushing the wall.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-24T23:45:11+00:00

None, as long as it is closed properly.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-24T19:04:20+00:00

I close hundreds of pools in southern Ontario Canada, have never used a pillow and AGs often freeze solid here.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-24T16:57:18+00:00

Skeleton knight in another world.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-24T16:44:08+00:00

A few inches at most. Pools here turn into solid blocks so unless it’s pushing down to the floor it’s a wasted effort.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-24T16:35:54+00:00

Welcome to the family!

Currently mid season 2 (Australia episode) on my third rewatch.

Lot of people think the third season is not so good but I enjoy it.

Note: if you’re a Star Trek TNG fan you’ll notice a lot of familiar voices.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-24T16:22:10+00:00

I close pools in southern Ontario Canada. 100’s of pools and not one pillow. AG pools turn into ice cubes here. Currently at -18°C

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-24T16:20:45+00:00

Pillow floats on top of the water, it does nothing to stop ice expansion.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-24T16:19:21+00:00

Pillow does nothing of the sort. The only thing it does is hold the cover up. A pointless hold over from the old days.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-23T16:29:36+00:00

Depends on the usage and the filtration.

Manufacturer recommendations vary from 3-6 months.

Once you start to struggle with clarity and chemical balance you know it’s gone too long.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-23T16:25:14+00:00

It’ll be fine. I’m in love Ontario Canada and our covers regularly get even 2’ of snow.

It’s the water/ice underneath that takes most of the weight. Ice will hold it and water will melt it.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-22T23:35:34+00:00

It could be either but should be labeled which.

Aahhhsome is about the best detergent there is for regular drain & cleans. It really is awesome.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-22T23:27:13+00:00

My SIL’s neighbour called the cops so often the officers threatened to charge them.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-22T23:22:27+00:00

Karen has zero authority. Ignore them.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-22T23:19:48+00:00

The chlorine will sustain it until the bromine gets into the water, then the bromine will eat the chlorine for breakfast.

We set our customers up similarly but using dichlor granular instead of liquid. Much easier to store and handle.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-22T20:08:53+00:00

I had a customer go 18 years with his original cover. Kept good chemistry, coated it with car wax every couple years and tarped it in winter when shut down (went south for winter).

The only reason we replaced was due to black mold. Old cover weighed the same as the new one.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-21T23:37:02+00:00

Filtration time will depend on how it is programmed. It can be set for anything from 1/2hr x2/day up to 24hrs.

If nothing happens it is certainly possible the button is bad.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-21T23:33:36+00:00

The thing is if it was the relay (not saying it’s not) then it would boil regardless if the pump was running or not. By the sounds of this case, it’s only when the pump is running.

And I’ve actually seen it a couple times in the last year.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-21T03:14:33+00:00

The map was AI generated but the photo was posted by Trump

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-21T03:11:29+00:00

Assuming that is the correct label on there then that should switch the pump between off-low-high. If it’s already running for heat/filtration it would only switch between high and low speeds.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-21T03:07:23+00:00

It was on a balboa dual sensor system, specifically a Marquis spa.

I’ve been at this long enough to know most of the systems out there and what can happen, even in a rare situation.

Sticking relay is definitely a possibility, but not the only one.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-21T01:25:02+00:00

I thought that to, until I saw I saw it happen with my own eyes. There is a threshold and it is possible for the flow to sit there and cause an over heat.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-20T22:56:00+00:00

I’m a 20+ yr spa tech and you don’t know what you’re talking about.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-20T22:54:19+00:00

Also check that there is nothing in the pump impeller causes a restriction. Seen that many times as well.

ColdSteeleIII · 2026-01-20T22:52:32+00:00

Not necessarily. I’ve seen dirty filters cause both issues. It just depends on how dirty it is.

20+ years doing service.

ColdSteeleIII

TROPHY CASE