Tips To Keep Your Pool and Equipment Safe During Freezing Temperatures. Run your pool pump continuously when temperatures are near or below freezing. You don't need to run your heater, moving water likely will not freeze. Disconnect any aerators and lines to slides.
It's important to remember that you don't need to run your heater to prevent your pool water from freezing. In fact, running your heater in freezing conditions can cause substantial damage to the unit. If your pool has ice on its surface, break it up so that the skimmers and skimmer doors are kept clear.
Once water hits the freezing point of 32 degrees, there's not much any pool heater can do. But as long as the surrounding air remains above freezing and there's enough humidity, a high-quality heat pump has a good chance at continuing to warm the water.
Keep your system running 24/7:This may be counter-intuitive to some, but you should run your pool filtration pump and any auxiliary pumps the entire time the temperature is below freezing.
Then drain the equipment. Remove and store if desired. If leaving plumbed in, again, make sure your pump is set to freeze mode. So the answer to the question of “Can I run my pool pump in cold weather?”, the answer is yes.
Keep the Filter Pump Running
You'll need to run the filter pump 24/7 to prevent your pipes and equipment from cracking and freezing.
Finally, while pool chemicals are less sensitive to cold temperatures than too hot, most will lose some of their potency if they freeze.
If you live in a colder climate, it makes the most sense to get a pool heater in the spring when you're ready to start using the pool again. While you may not need it during the height of summer, spring can be pretty cool in northern climates.
An unheated pool will stay generally at about the average outdoor temperature, which may be as low as 53°F in north Florida in winter. For the typical user, comfortable pool water temperatures are 78°F to 82°F in spring and fall and 76°F to 78°F in winter.
The main advantage of purchasing a heat pump is that it allows you to extend your pool season. You can even enjoy the pool in the winter months. This is especially helpful if you live in an area where temperatures drop dramatically during the winter.
Also, turn the temperature down or turn off the heater whenever the pool won't be used for several days. This will save energy and money. It's a myth that it takes more energy to heat a pool back up to a desired temperature than you save by lowering the temperature or turning off the heater.
Depending on the size of your pool, we still recommend you run your pump run at least 4-6 hours a day during the fall and winter months. The daily cycle can be divided into multiple cycles, but each cycle should be no shorter than 4 hours, for all the water to pass through the filter at least once.
According to the National Centre for Cold Water Safety, pool water below 50°F can cause an array of problems, including: Lack of breathing control. Shock. Loss of concentration.
Chlorinated and non-chlorinated pools freeze at the same temperature. However, salt water pools will freeze at a slightly lower temperature. It should also be noted that above-ground pools will generally freeze at a higher temperature than inground pools.
Pool pipes can freeze and break in as little as six hours when the temperature is below 32 degrees. That means a single cold night could cause significant damage. As the temperature gets lower, the amount of time it takes for water to freeze in your pool pipes gets shorter and shorter.
Water is a much better conductor of heat than air. So when you are surrounded by water, energy can flow from your body (conduction of heat) much more quickly than it would if you were surrounded by air at the same temperature. In fact, even if the water is warmer than the air, you might feel cold when getting in to it.
Approximately two weeks must pass for water inside your filter, pump and pipes to freeze completely, so your pool's lines may not be frozen just because there is a layer of ice on top of the water surface.
This problem is more prominent in above-ground pools. The water can freeze within an hour inside the pipes if the temperature is at or below 32°F.
Protecting The Pool Pump from The Elements Such as Wind, Rain, Ice, and Snow. The weather can have a serious effect on the components of your pool pump and pool heater equipment. The pump and heater need to be protected from things such as heavy rain, strong winds, and especially snow and ice.
Since you lose more heat energy from a hot pool than from a cool pool, the most efficient thing you can do is keep the temperature as low as possible for as long as possible. The most energy efficient thing to do is always to turn off the heater.