We kept our pool up for the first time last year, we used your tips from this video and our pool was perfect when we opened in the spring! We plan on doing this again this year. Wrapping it helped so much with the winds we get too!
If you live further north or anywhere it gets freezing temperatures in the winter, then you need that pillow under the cover to keep the cover from freezing and sticking to the tarp cover.
We use a ratchet strap around our pool side over the edge of the winter topper, it's what lorries use to keep there loads secure. It's a lot easier than those clamps and cable
I thought about doing that, I've see several pools set up that way... I wanted to give the wrap a try and see how I liked it. I think both ways have their pros and cons :)
HI so glad I ran across your video sure did answer a lot of my questions I could not get answers for. But I do have one for you if you know the answer my pool is about 3,600 gallons and when I put the shock in to close it down for winter do I put the hole packet in like you did?? Sorry if it's a dumb question but I am just not sure (also the bottles too and I will not taste them either)
From what I understand the Kits are for pools up too a certain size. So if your within that range I don’t see where it would do any harm to be a little heavier on the mixture.. ultimately I think it’s not going to make that much difference . Now if you were talking about an anesthesiologist and how much medication to give somebody that might make a difference… pools.. they be a little more tolerant. 😊
Loved your video but disappointed to hear you're in SC where it doesn't get as cold as upstate New York. Worried about the expansion as ice will do just that. We have a wooden top cover for our intex pool and an old pool cover under that and hope to put a tarp on the wood to keep wood dry. We'll use the chemicals and see what takes place. Our other idea was to empty pool and put the wood cover on but worried that the snow on the wooden cover would collapse pool seeing no water was in it. Yes we're taking a chance but at our retired age we want to make things easy and simple with good results and well, we're going to find out for sure. Hopefully it all works out and I will post the findings next year when we go to open it up.
I've had a lot of viewers from upstate express the same concerns, I've heard mixed results with this method of closing. Unfortunately I cannot speak from experience when it comes to a deep freeze situation. I hope your method works out for you, as it sounds like you may have it figured out :)
@arlene Mac Arlene, I’m also in upstate NY. Use the inflatable pillows to help prevent damage from ice expansion. The pillow shouldn’t be inflated more than 50% of the way though to be effective. There is a lot of mixed messages on above ground pool winterization, but the one consistent message is that if you’re going to leave the pool up, don’t drain it otherwise it will collapse on itself.
love the tutorial my 1st time closing my pool this year thanks for the step by step. i have 1 question. when you poured the liquids in there did you leave the sand pump on filter if not what setting did you use on the sand filter.
I did leave the pump on, I don't think the filter material is going to remove the chemical since it dilutes into the water if thats what your thinking, nor do i think it's going to hurt the filter.
So you leave your strainer caps on the inlets ? I’m worried about them cracking in the cold if I leave them but like you I don’t want to drain that far below either. Did the strainer caps hold up in the cold ?
you should try the AquaPill instead of all those individual chemicals. AquaPills one softball size ball filled with every chemical needed for winterizing. its simple & works amazing, it's all we use now & the pools sparkling blue when we re open in spring... I'd also recommend topping the pool off not draining the pool your causing the winter over to collapse by doing that. top the pool off as high as possible, add your AquaPill then add your ice pillow & cover your done.
thanks for the advice, this year i have to rethink my closing process since I now have a deck parked against the pool, this prevents me from using the wrap.👍
@@Yellowdogsworld Your welcome, & ye man that definitely represents another issue within itself lol. my sister went through the same scenario a few yrs ago... Good luck Buddy
Hello... great video,and ideas. We live in Rhode Island and we are going to try this - this winter. A few questions... what size is your blue tarp? We have a 16’ diameter... if we do this method... should we shoot for like a 20’ or larger round tarp? Mind sharing where you bought the tarp and cable/wrench?
bellow is the link to the cover I ordered, the cable and winch came with the tarp. It is 19 ft total diameter, and listed for the 15 ft pool. With a 16 foot pool I would imagine at least a 20 Foot. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R6ODAM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I live in Wisconsin and winters can get pretty cold here🥶😩🥴. I keep going back and forth if I should take it down or not. I have the Intex 18-42. Any suggestions??? This is our 1st year with the pool.
I'm not saying I want to spend a year or 2 in Wisconsin but sometimes i wish i had just so i could answer your question from experience. I think the biggest difference is adding a pillow in the middle for ice compensation. Our climate is not nearly as cold as yours so we don't have to deal with the snow and ICE " for the most part". Maybe someone will chime in with a better perspective on dealing with the colder areas.
Thx for the video. I’m scared to plug up the return and outlet wrong. Do you literally just push the black caps in there? I’m draining an inch or two below the return but still worry about it leaking somehow. It’s going to be lows of 27 all week. Should I be worried I can’t it it all done before then? Lastly, I bought the wrap to go around the pool after the cover is on. Did you like yours? Thx.
If you don't have the outboard plungers on the pool with the on-off valve, then the inboard side rubber plugs should work just fine. The wrap works really well for the most part. I only had an issue with mine when we had a really bad wind storm around 70 mph in the early spring. It was more than the wrap could handle and I lost the top... all in all, though, the setup works fine.
I hope your pool lasted. The pillow underneath the cover is necessary to protect the pool walls from ice expansion. i use two cover pumps to get rid of any extra water that is in the gullies on the pool cover.
It did last for application, I live in the south east part of the country. Its not uncommon for us to see freezing weather but not prolonged enough to cause freezing issue.
@@Yellowdogsworld I think as long as the water doesn't freeze, there is no need to worry about the pillow. That is the only reason to use the pillow. Up north there is no choice but to use it.
I noticed you didn't use a "pillow" under the tarp and I think you said it created a damn. Did this work out ok during the winter after you did this cover? (Actually I read another post and now I understand. We are in NH and we're going to use the pillow)
How cold does your winters get? We take ours down mainly because we get -40 up north in Alberta Canada. My wife wants to do a "permanent" set up but hard to do that if we have to take it down every fall.
Yea, you have a real challenge in Alberta, we get into the 20's in the winter time.. that's a far cry from what you guys experience. I can't say for certain if this closing method would work for you since have not dealt with such cold.
I don’t have a brand so much as I would go with one that’s at lest middle of the road in quality.. I’ve gone with a cheap one before.. and it had holes in it after the first year of use.
Hi there. I winterized like yours. Went well, the only problem was the water going to one side from wind getting under. I used a roll of cheap outdoor duct tape and went around it 5-6 times after I wrapped it. Your pool looks very rust free. Mine is starting to rust. The horizontal poles are rusting at the union points on the “T” connection. Question: have you ever replaced any poles while pool was filled or half filled? Thanks again. Joe Malcom. Intex 14x42
My pool is going on year 4 and has the same issues as yours. I haven't replaced any support components on mine yet. I would imagine the pool would need to be empty as any amount of water is going to find the path of least resistance. More than likely I think you would have a collapse.
I wrapped my pool two days ago. First day yesterday we had 20mph wi d gusts and the wrap and cover came off on a portion of it! I couldn’t believe it!! I learned two things, the cover needs to be bigger if you’re using the pillow and the wrap gets wind caught up under the rail and pulls it off. I’m not sure if I’ll order more wrap and try to go wider (top/middle) or what, but really not confident this will stay on and we can’t seem to tighten cover as my more. Did you weave the cord on the cover in/out the pool posts along with the grommets? I just thought of that. Could that work to secure it better?
I didn’t weave mine, but I can see where that would work too. Wrapping further down would help also. I have heard of using gallon milk jugs with water and antifreeze mix, then tying them to the tarp with rope… sorry to hear the wind got to it so easily😞
IMO, it takes me 1.5 to 2 hour to winterize it. It would take several hours to empty, break down, dry out and lug the whole mess to garage for storage, and next season ya got to do it all over again. I think winterizing is a better option personally.
@@Yellowdogsworld we just took ours down.....takes several days with draining, wiping and air drying. I live in Mn where we have double digit negative temps and mass amounts of snow. Do you think I should just winterize my pool or is taking it down prob the best option.....Its so much work and then we need to put it up again next yr.
@@Nikibaby74 i live in chicago we put up a 16×48 intex this past memorial day weekend i was in it today 9/25/20 water was still crystal clear and 74 degrees air temp was 81 but i ve decided to keep ours up for winter going to drain it below the 2 inputs bought a heavy duty payloader inner tube going to tie it off at all 4 corners then put cover over it with the cable that come with it I've saved about 15 gallon plastic jugs from the liquid chlorine so i might fill them half way with water then attach to the grommets of cover for added weight for cover to stay down TOO MUCH work to take whole thing down and then put back up in spring hope it works good luck to you as well!!
That looks way easier. I think about reopening the pool and cleaning the bottom. Plus putting it up again. I just bought everything to winterize my pool
It's you , I'm watching this cause to take it down as well as pay for pool water to be delivered to fill it again at 410.00 each summer I am watching this to do the same with my 15'*48" insta wave
You lucky guys that don't have to totally take a Intex/Summer Waves pool totally down for the winter. I'm new to this pool this but it looks like here in Eastern Canada we have no choice these type of pools.
I live 6 miles from 3 ski resorts, our Intex freezes completely solid and thaws out nice and clear in the spring. I just haven't figured out how to keep snow and ice off the cover 🙃
Hi I have a pool same size as yours , my water isn’t as clear 😩how do you treat your water or how often ? Or is it because I use the filter pump that it came with ? Thanks !
From my experience with the filter pump they - JUST - DON'T - WORK. The main reason I think they come this way is for water conservation and cost. Plus you will either have to constantly buy replacements or clean the ones you have. A higher volume sand filter pump in my experience is the first step to getting these pools to function properly. Treatment wise I backwash about every 2 weeks, maintain a chlorine tablet in a floater, and maybe add 1/2 lb of shock once a month. Vacuum as needed to remove any debris off the bottom. It stays crystal clear for the most part.
I've been told the sand really doesn't need changing but every 3 - 5 years believe it or not. The last 3 years I've checked the level and topped off as needed, but so far its still filtering just fine. As long as you backwash and rinse regularly that's about all you have to do.
We live in PA and took our pool down. Was wondering where you live and if it was possible for us to keep our pool up. We were worried about the Winter. Get cold here degrees.
I'm in South Carolina, our winters may get into the 20-30s but not to the point where things freeze up like what you would see in PA. Opinions on closing pools in the north go both ways, unfortunately. I've seen comments from people who have had success at it, and some that say don't do it. I think it really comes down to personal experience and what "chance" your willing to take. One thing I do know, its a lot less work to close it out and open it back up, than taking it apart and setting back up, to the point that if it were me, and I lived in a colder climate, I might be willing to take that chance.
@@Yellowdogsworld but setting up is like 1 hr tops.. especially if you have done it before. I'm in Ma & I'm on the fence about leaving mine up.. setting up isn't an issue but storage is.. would hate to drag this thing to the basement.
@@teenice894 To be Honest, putting it away and storing is my biggest hang up to... getting it dried out so it doesn't get moldy, cleaning the dirt off the bottom etc... just seems simpler to leave it be.
@@Yellowdogsworld if I lived in south Carolina I wouldn't think twice about leaving it up. Lol.... very informative video you got. If I leave it up, I'll post how it worked out in new England
Bought it on amazon, www.amazon.com/Horizon-HVWCS-12-Winter-Sealer-500-Feet/dp/B00ESYOH5S/ref=nav_signin?crid=S7VADBW770WT&keywords=pool+wrap+for+above+ground&qid=1568032652&s=gateway&sprefix=pool+wrap%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-3&
I have a 15 foot it looks the same as this last year I cleaned it and drained it I like in Roosevelt Utah we get very hard winters afraid of it icing up a splitting the sides cause we have down to 20 to 15 below Can I do this with mine please let me know...
I know the manufacture recommends taking it down, since this is the best way to prevent it from getting damaged. I Cannot speak from experience since I live in the south east. Our winters reach the 20's and 30's Fahrenheit.
Thanks for posting this. I would like to have seen more clearly just where you put that cable around the pool. Did you put it on the outside of the poles or weave it inside?
I ran the cable on the outside of the post, It didn't occur to me to try and interlace the cable within the post. that may actually be a good idea. It would help prevent more sever winds from getting the best the top.
I have an intex above ground pool 12ft x 30” ! Is it better to take it down or use the same process you showed in this video? I live in northern n y and the temps at times get into the teens in the winter.
I live in the south where were it doesn't get cold enough, long enough to freeze pools solid. If your pool wont freeze up too bad... you might be fine with closing it... Taking it down, drying it out and storing just to put it all back up is a ton of work IMO. Closing it may be worth a try.
After you’ve taken one down, dried it out packed it up and put it away, just do the reverse in 6 months you will realize the work involved to do all of that is way more than leaving it in place and winterizing it. These pools are heavy for one thing, and you run the risk of tearing a hole in the membrane. It’s just not worth it.
A lot of people report that the pool lining was damaged from the folding and unfolding. It's made from a hard rubber like material, and the more you fold it, the more there is a chance in damaging it. People in the comments and from personal experiences have kept their pools for ten years without disassembly.
How did this hold up last winter? Can I ask what your climate is like? I have a 9 by 18 rectangle pool I don’t want to take apart. We live in KS and I’m worried it will freeze.
I used the pentair little shark vac for several years, it’s not as expensive as some other vacuums. I upgraded to a robot vac this past year.. it works good as well, it covers good but is not as efficient with the really small materials.. the shark vac excelled in this, but sometimes missed areas all together… so to be honest I think I’m going to order me another shark vac.. so i think the shark would be a good purchase as long as your pump is about 2000 gallons per hour or larger.. they don’t work well on small pumps
intexcorp.com/products/above-ground-pools/pool-accessories/maintenance-cleaning/auto-pool-cleaner/ This is what I use for our 12' x 30" Intex pool and LOVE IT! It's just so easy to screw into the outtake and let it do the work on it's own. I leave the vacuum and hose on a table right next to the pool, so it's easy to throw in, hook up, turn on the pump and walk away. The only thing I "have" to do, is remove surface debris with a net and occasionally take the screen off the vacuum and rinse it off. That's it! I will NEVER go back to using anything that requires me to walk around the pool and "manually" vacuum. Waste of time. It's also nice because if you get algae, when you treat the pool, the vacuum stirs up the algae on the bottom and therefore helps to circulate it, and helps get rid of it.
CAN YOU PLEASE INFORM US, THE MODEL NUMBER UPC, ETC. THAT YOU OBTAINED. BECAUSE I AM LOOKING ON AMAZON AND IT SHOWS YOU SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS... THANK YOU
Here ya go. Pool Cover - www.amazon.com/dp/B008R6ODAM?ref=pd_basp_dp_primary Wrap - www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESYOH5S?ref=pd_basp_dp_primary Winterizing Kit - www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WKSDAK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
How did all those leaves in the pump basket get past the pool strainer ? or did you remove the strainer and now have direct flow into the pumps leaf basket ??
I removed the strainer on the pool fitting for 2 reasons, 1. it got in the way of the pool sharks fitting to plug in. 2. the strainer got stopped up way to fast with debris, the pumps pre-filter does a better job.. in my opinion anyway
Wish I could have kept mine up. Last year we had a solid month where is never got above -30. The pool would be a huge glob of ice. I don't think it could survive a winter.
Nice! Unfortunately, I live in a freezing north (Ontario) where the temperatures are often -15C (and lower) during the winter. I guess I will have to disassemble the whole thing...
I have another question lol, we just got a pool so we’re new 😳😅 do we have to worry about super super cold conditions? I live in Michigan so it’s super cold here.
I ordered from Amazon, (In the Swim) was the brand. They have different kits sized for the pool. Since I don't live in the colder climate its difficult for me to say. I have seen other comments where this process has work for them up north... but I can't speak from experience.
I love your videos. I have an Intex 14 x 42 that I love but will be leaving it up this winter. I understand all of what you performed, but have a question about your tarp. Looks like your pool is a 15 or 16 foot, how big of a tarp is that? 18 foot or more or less? Keep iT up big guy😀😀😀😀
the one I purchased was from amazon, unfortunately I don't have the information as to what company made it... I know it was a heavier one with black on the bottom side and blue on top.
Fortunately we dont have weather cold enough to find out here. I have seen a could of videos of these type pools with a lot of ice that haven't had an issue. So my guess if properly winterized they will do just fine.
In that environment, you are better off draining the pool and tearing it down. Intex recommends this when temps drop below 41 degrees for a significant period of time. The pool itself is just a vinyl shell which can be damaged by ice.
I live in Pennsylvania where we get some pretty harsh winters and we leave our Coleman 16'×48" Steel Frame Pool up all year round. The first year we had it we took it down for the winter, but it was a huge pain in the ass so for the past 3 winters we left it up all year with zero problems and over the winter the water gets completely frozen solid. We disconnect the filter and store it indoors, drain half of the water, add winter chemicals, and cover it with a winter cover. It saves so much work, I'll never take it down for the winter again.
I actually left a 12 ft easy set up for two years, until I got a bigger one. With this type, I have to be careful not to weigh down the inflatable ring top. I don't want to waste water, either, so I am trying a permeable cover and some vigilance with leaf and acorn removal. I'll see how it goes!
Why would you add the chemicals and circulate....then later pump the water out a good foot to lower? You just wasted the chemicals and pumped them out onto the ground
The idea is to get the chemicals evenly distributed throughout the pool first. So yes in theory I did waste some chemicals when I drained it down. At that point, it didn't really matter since it was already mixed with the remaining water. You could mix it after draining down as well I guess.
Hey man, I hope you're not dead of old age yet! I noticed that you didn't wrap the valves- Was that a fluke or intentional? Also, viewing this 5 years later, what deep wisdom can you share, other than not drinking winterizer? Is the pool still there?
Still alive😊. I did replace the pool last year, it made it 4 years before some of the post rotted. The method I used is still working great with a few adjustments I’ve made over the years. I may make an updated video this year.
I used a Hayward Easy Clear Cartridge filter system. I finally took my pool down when both the 1hp pump motor went out, and the automatic robot cleaner failed.
@@cjsp1977 Nice! I'm in Michigan and about to install a soft-sided above ground, metal framed pool similar to this and noticing others winterizing in our cold climates. Would you recommend anything you learned over the years that would be helpful?
@@joshhaas2410 im in chicago too have you decided to keep yours up for winter i will probably close my 16×48 intex pool first weekend in october been looking at alot of these videos going to keep ours up just drain a few feet below intake put pump and filter away in house bought a heavy duty cover from great escape going to put inner tube underneath cover treat with chemical and hope for best
@@Yellowdogsworld did you remove your valves and plug the holes with the black stoppers or leave the valves on? I'm 1 state above you and its iffy on what winter weather is like here in zoo city.
Here's a few good reasons not to drain it, 1. waste 4000 gallons of water, 2. seems like more work, 3.Odds are with our march winds the pool would not be where i left it with no water in it.
The cover that came with the pool is junk. Winter in North Texas is not something to be respected, as anything can happen. I'll invest in a new, larger, and heavier cover.
This pool sells for around 400 dollars,That would be a huge waste of money, and material. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OX5BC82/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Yellowdog02 Also, the cost to fill it. This summer my 18 ft pool, 8500 gallon pool cost me over $500. It’s not just the cost, but why would anyone waste water like that!
We kept our pool up for the first time last year, we used your tips from this video and our pool was perfect when we opened in the spring! We plan on doing this again this year. Wrapping it helped so much with the winds we get too!
Awesome, glad to hear it worked so well for you guys 😁
If you live further north or anywhere it gets freezing temperatures in the winter, then you need that pillow under the cover to keep the cover from freezing and sticking to the tarp cover.
Definitely appreciate you sharing, watched this last year, got the same kit just opened ours to a clean pool.
That’s awesome, happy to hear it worked for you 😊
i have to say, there is a lot of great information here, but wow... the level over over-engineering is amazing.
LOL... well, my wife would agree with you, I tend to go overboard with things sometimes :)
@@Yellowdogsworld lol I am with you. Go big or go home :) lol
This was the longest 16 minutes of my life. Thanks!
Happy to help 🥴
nice idea on the mover's wrap.. gonna use that for sure
It dose a nice job of sealing it up for certain.
We use a ratchet strap around our pool side over the edge of the winter topper, it's what lorries use to keep there loads secure. It's a lot easier than those clamps and cable
That's a great idea too.. may try that this winter closing :)
Can you please show me pics of the pump cover you made and where did you get the arm to hold the lid open
My mom uses gallon milk or water jugs to help hold down tarp
I thought about doing that, I've see several pools set up that way... I wanted to give the wrap a try and see how I liked it. I think both ways have their pros and cons :)
The milk jugs work great use a 50/50 mix of anti freeze and water in each cover will stay put
Where did you buy. those shut off valves for the hose connections? I want them on my pool. Thank you.
HI so glad I ran across your video sure did answer a lot of my questions I could not get answers for. But I do have one for you if you know the answer my pool is about 3,600 gallons and when I put the shock in to close it down for winter do I put the hole packet in like you did?? Sorry if it's a dumb question but I am just not sure (also the bottles too and I will not taste them either)
From what I understand the Kits are for pools up too a certain size. So if your within that range I don’t see where it would do any harm to be a little heavier on the mixture.. ultimately I think it’s not going to make that much difference . Now if you were talking about an anesthesiologist and how much medication to give somebody that might make a difference… pools.. they be a little more tolerant. 😊
I plugged both homes with the plugs the pool came with. Do you lower the water below the spout?
You only need to lower it about 12 inches, it's not necessary to lower past the lower portals.
Awesome video, simple and step by step. Thanks man.
No problem!
Loved your video but disappointed to hear you're in SC where it doesn't get as cold as upstate New York. Worried about the expansion as ice will do just that. We have a wooden top cover for our intex pool and an old pool cover under that and hope to put a tarp on the wood to keep wood dry. We'll use the chemicals and see what takes place. Our other idea was to empty pool and put the wood cover on but worried that the snow on the wooden cover would collapse pool seeing no water was in it. Yes we're taking a chance but at our retired age we want to make things easy and simple with good results and well, we're going to find out for sure. Hopefully it all works out and I will post the findings next year when we go to open it up.
I've had a lot of viewers from upstate express the same concerns, I've heard mixed results with this method of closing. Unfortunately I cannot speak from experience when it comes to a deep freeze situation. I hope your method works out for you, as it sounds like you may have it figured out :)
@arlene Mac Arlene, I’m also in upstate NY. Use the inflatable pillows to help prevent damage from ice expansion. The pillow shouldn’t be inflated more than 50% of the way though to be effective.
There is a lot of mixed messages on above ground pool winterization, but the one consistent message is that if you’re going to leave the pool up, don’t drain it otherwise it will collapse on itself.
Awesome video. Great tutorial. I am going to do this tomorrow
Good luck!
love the tutorial my 1st time closing my pool this year thanks for the step by step. i have 1 question. when you poured the liquids in there did you leave the sand pump on filter if not what setting did you use on the sand filter.
I did leave the pump on, I don't think the filter material is going to remove the chemical since it dilutes into the water if thats what your thinking, nor do i think it's going to hurt the filter.
@@Yellowdogsworld thank you so much i really appreciate your tips i subscribed and liked the video
Do you h lower the water below the spout? Or it will be okay?
So you leave your strainer caps on the inlets ? I’m worried about them cracking in the cold if I leave them but like you I don’t want to drain that far below either. Did the strainer caps hold up in the cold ?
The strainers held up fine, they have made it several winters so far.
thank you so much for adding the links to the wrap am going to try this way thanks so much
No problem 👍
Thank you so much good info im from the great lakes
What do you useto cover the fil+1er holes
On mine, it has 1 1/2 shut off valves, so I just turn them off and im good to go.. “ fyi, I added these in a previous video”
you should try the AquaPill instead of all those individual chemicals. AquaPills one softball size ball filled with every chemical needed for winterizing. its simple & works amazing, it's all we use now & the pools sparkling blue when we re open in spring...
I'd also recommend topping the pool off not draining the pool your causing the winter over to collapse by doing that. top the pool off as high as possible, add your AquaPill then add your ice pillow & cover your done.
thanks for the advice, this year i have to rethink my closing process since I now have a deck parked against the pool, this prevents me from using the wrap.👍
@@Yellowdogsworld Your welcome, & ye man that definitely represents another issue within itself lol. my sister went through the same scenario a few yrs ago... Good luck Buddy
Hello... great video,and ideas. We live in Rhode Island and we are going to try this - this winter. A few questions... what size is your blue tarp? We have a 16’ diameter... if we do this method... should we shoot for like a 20’ or larger round tarp? Mind sharing where you bought the tarp and cable/wrench?
bellow is the link to the cover I ordered, the cable and winch came with the tarp.
It is 19 ft total diameter, and listed for the 15 ft pool.
With a 16 foot pool I would imagine at least a 20 Foot.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R6ODAM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
How did leaving your pool up all winter do in RI? I'm in MA. and considering leaving mines up even tho the manual says not to...
I live in ct and I leave my Intex pool up all year but I take all hoses and pumps off and keep in house
I live in Wisconsin and winters can get pretty cold here🥶😩🥴. I keep going back and forth if I should take it down or not. I have the Intex 18-42. Any suggestions??? This is our 1st year with the pool.
I'm not saying I want to spend a year or 2 in Wisconsin but sometimes i wish i had just so i could answer your question from experience. I think the biggest difference is adding a pillow in the middle for ice compensation. Our climate is not nearly as cold as yours so we don't have to deal with the snow and ICE " for the most part". Maybe someone will chime in with a better perspective on dealing with the colder areas.
How much water did you drain from the pool?
about 12 inches from the top.
Thx for the video. I’m scared to plug up the return and outlet wrong. Do you literally just push the black caps in there? I’m draining an inch or two below the return but still worry about it leaking somehow. It’s going to be lows of 27 all week. Should I be worried I can’t it it all done before then? Lastly, I bought the wrap to go around the pool after the cover is on. Did you like yours? Thx.
If you don't have the outboard plungers on the pool with the on-off valve, then the inboard side rubber plugs should work just fine. The wrap works really well for the most part. I only had an issue with mine when we had a really bad wind storm around 70 mph in the early spring. It was more than the wrap could handle and I lost the top... all in all, though, the setup works fine.
What brand pump can you please post a link for it
I hope your pool lasted. The pillow underneath the cover is necessary to protect the pool walls from ice expansion. i use two cover pumps to get rid of any extra water that is in the gullies on the pool cover.
It did last for application, I live in the south east part of the country.
Its not uncommon for us to see freezing weather but not prolonged enough to cause freezing issue.
@@Yellowdogsworld I think as long as the water doesn't freeze, there is no need to worry about the pillow. That is the only reason to use the pillow. Up north there is no choice but to use it.
What pillows are you talking about
will this process prevent the pool from freezing?
I noticed you didn't use a "pillow" under the tarp and I think you said it created a damn. Did this work out ok during the winter after you did this cover? (Actually I read another post and now I understand. We are in NH and we're going to use the pillow)
Glad you got your answer, FYI... I tried the pillow again last year, still didn't work like I wanted it to. 🤷♂️
How big of tarp did you use?
The one I ordered was listed for an 15 foot pool.. they come oversized, this allows for wrapping.
How cold does your winters get? We take ours down mainly because we get -40 up north in Alberta Canada. My wife wants to do a "permanent" set up but hard to do that if we have to take it down every fall.
Yea, you have a real challenge in Alberta, we get into the 20's in the winter time.. that's a far cry from what you guys experience. I can't say for certain if this closing method would work for you since have not dealt with such cold.
Why did you add water to the top of the pool cover?
To keep the wind from getting under the tarp and blowing it off.
What cover do you recommend?
I don’t have a brand so much as I would go with one that’s at lest middle of the road in quality.. I’ve gone with a cheap one before.. and it had holes in it after the first year of use.
What pump do you have? Ours does not have this pressure at all. We have an 11x22
We have the Intex 3500 GPH sand filter pump, it made a huge difference in the ease of up keep for ours. Its a 15 x 48 (5000) gallons.
What is the winter weather like in your state? Deep freeze or something much less?
much less, were are in South Carolina.
Hi there. I winterized like yours. Went well, the only problem was the water going to one side from wind getting under. I used a roll of cheap outdoor duct tape and went around it 5-6 times after I wrapped it. Your pool looks very rust free. Mine is starting to rust. The horizontal poles are rusting at the union points on the “T” connection. Question: have you ever replaced any poles while pool was filled or half filled? Thanks again. Joe Malcom. Intex 14x42
My pool is going on year 4 and has the same issues as yours. I haven't replaced any support components on mine yet. I would imagine the pool would need to be empty as any amount of water is going to find the path of least resistance. More than likely I think you would have a collapse.
I wrapped my pool two days ago. First day yesterday we had 20mph wi d gusts and the wrap and cover came off on a portion of it! I couldn’t believe it!! I learned two things, the cover needs to be bigger if you’re using the pillow and the wrap gets wind caught up under the rail and pulls it off. I’m not sure if I’ll order more wrap and try to go wider (top/middle) or what, but really not confident this will stay on and we can’t seem to tighten cover as my more. Did you weave the cord on the cover in/out the pool posts along with the grommets? I just thought of that. Could that work to secure it better?
I didn’t weave mine, but I can see where that would work too. Wrapping further down would help also. I have heard of using gallon milk jugs with water and antifreeze mix, then tying them to the tarp with rope… sorry to hear the wind got to it so easily😞
Is it just me, or does it seem like the winterizing process is more work than just taking the pool down and putting it back up in the spring?
IMO, it takes me 1.5 to 2 hour to winterize it. It would take several hours to empty, break down, dry out and lug the whole mess to garage for storage, and next season ya got to do it all over again. I think winterizing is a better option personally.
@@Yellowdogsworld we just took ours down.....takes several days with draining, wiping and air drying. I live in Mn where we have double digit negative temps and mass amounts of snow. Do you think I should just winterize my pool or is taking it down prob the best option.....Its so much work and then we need to put it up again next yr.
@@Nikibaby74 i live in chicago we put up a 16×48 intex this past memorial day weekend i was in it today 9/25/20 water was still crystal clear and 74 degrees air temp was 81 but i ve decided to keep ours up for winter going to drain it below the 2 inputs bought a heavy duty payloader inner tube going to tie it off at all 4 corners then put cover over it with the cable that come with it I've saved about 15 gallon plastic jugs from the liquid chlorine so i might fill them half way with water then attach to the grommets of cover for added weight for cover to stay down TOO MUCH work to take whole thing down and then put back up in spring hope it works good luck to you as well!!
That looks way easier. I think about reopening the pool and cleaning the bottom. Plus putting it up again. I just bought everything to winterize my pool
It's you , I'm watching this cause to take it down as well as pay for pool water to be delivered to fill it again at 410.00 each summer I am watching this to do the same with my 15'*48" insta wave
You lucky guys that don't have to totally take a Intex/Summer Waves pool totally down for the winter. I'm new to this pool this but it looks like here in Eastern Canada we have no choice these type of pools.
I must admit it's a lot easier when you don't have to worry about your pool turning into a solid block of ice 😀
I live 6 miles from 3 ski resorts, our Intex freezes completely solid and thaws out nice and clear in the spring. I just haven't figured out how to keep snow and ice off the cover 🙃
Hi I have a pool same size as yours , my water isn’t as clear 😩how do you treat your water or how often ? Or is it because I use the filter pump that it came with ? Thanks !
From my experience with the filter pump they - JUST - DON'T - WORK. The main reason I think they come this way is for water conservation and cost. Plus you will either have to constantly buy replacements or clean the ones you have. A higher volume sand filter pump in my experience is the first step to getting these pools to function properly. Treatment wise I backwash about every 2 weeks, maintain a chlorine tablet in a floater, and maybe add 1/2 lb of shock once a month. Vacuum as needed to remove any debris off the bottom. It stays crystal clear for the most part.
YellowDogs World thank you so much !
So I have a sand filter too and I was wondering when I would change out the sand from the filter. If I need to at all. Thanks
I've been told the sand really doesn't need changing but every 3 - 5 years believe it or not. The last 3 years I've checked the level and topped off as needed, but so far its still filtering just fine. As long as you backwash and rinse regularly that's about all you have to do.
It just need deep cleaning so opening taking 6 way vsulve of and puting a garden hose in the sand and washing the sand
We live in PA and took our pool down. Was wondering where you live and if it was possible for us to keep our pool up. We were worried about the Winter. Get cold here degrees.
I'm in South Carolina, our winters may get into the 20-30s but not to the point where things freeze up like what you would see in PA. Opinions on closing pools in the north go both ways, unfortunately. I've seen comments from people who have had success at it, and some that say don't do it. I think it really comes down to personal experience and what "chance" your willing to take. One thing I do know, its a lot less work to close it out and open it back up, than taking it apart and setting back up, to the point that if it were me, and I lived in a colder climate, I might be willing to take that chance.
@@Yellowdogsworld thank you
@@Yellowdogsworld but setting up is like 1 hr tops.. especially if you have done it before. I'm in Ma & I'm on the fence about leaving mine up.. setting up isn't an issue but storage is.. would hate to drag this thing to the basement.
@@teenice894 To be Honest, putting it away and storing is my biggest hang up to... getting it dried out so it doesn't get moldy, cleaning the dirt off the bottom etc... just seems simpler to leave it be.
@@Yellowdogsworld if I lived in south Carolina I wouldn't think twice about leaving it up. Lol.... very informative video you got. If I leave it up, I'll post how it worked out in new England
Where did you get the wrap to go around the pool at?
Bought it on amazon,
www.amazon.com/Horizon-HVWCS-12-Winter-Sealer-500-Feet/dp/B00ESYOH5S/ref=nav_signin?crid=S7VADBW770WT&keywords=pool+wrap+for+above+ground&qid=1568032652&s=gateway&sprefix=pool+wrap%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-3&
I have a 15 foot it looks the same as this last year I cleaned it and drained it I like in Roosevelt Utah we get very hard winters afraid of it icing up a splitting the sides cause we have down to 20 to 15 below Can I do this with mine please let me know...
I know the manufacture recommends taking it down, since this is the best way to prevent it from getting damaged. I Cannot speak from experience since I live in the south east. Our winters reach the 20's and 30's Fahrenheit.
I kept my 24 ft up in Chicago winters for several years, until I finally took it down!
Thanks for posting this. I would like to have seen more clearly just where you put that cable around the pool. Did you put it on the outside of the poles or weave it inside?
I ran the cable on the outside of the post, It didn't occur to me to try and interlace the cable within the post. that may actually be a good idea. It would help prevent more sever winds from getting the best the top.
How did it work out for you during the past winter ?
It worked out very well, i uploaded the follow up video this spring. Here's the link if you'd like to see it.
ruclips.net/video/wjuqfGp83fc/видео.html
I have an intex above ground pool 12ft x 30” ! Is it better to take it down or use the same process you showed in this video? I live in northern n y and the temps at times get into the teens in the winter.
I live in the south where were it doesn't get cold enough, long enough to freeze pools solid. If your pool wont freeze up too bad... you might be fine with closing it... Taking it down, drying it out and storing just to put it all back up is a ton of work IMO. Closing it may be worth a try.
YellowDogs World
Thanks for the input bud! And stay safe!,
I don't have a pool so help me understand - why do all that work and cost why not just drain and disassemble the whole thing
After you’ve taken one down, dried it out packed it up and put it away, just do the reverse in 6 months you will realize the work involved to do all of that is way more than leaving it in place and winterizing it. These pools are heavy for one thing, and you run the risk of tearing a hole in the membrane. It’s just not worth it.
A lot of people report that the pool lining was damaged from the folding and unfolding. It's made from a hard rubber like material, and the more you fold it, the more there is a chance in damaging it. People in the comments and from personal experiences have kept their pools for ten years without disassembly.
How did this hold up last winter? Can I ask what your climate is like? I have a 9 by 18 rectangle pool I don’t want to take apart. We live in KS and I’m worried it will freeze.
Specifically asking about the water on top of the tarp.
It's done well the last 2 winter, but we don't have real cold winters, if the pool freezes at all it wont be a solid sheet.I live mid state in SC.
Awesome tutorial! Very much appreciated!
You're very welcome!
What type of vacuum are using or recommended? I've been struggling with vacuums for my intex.
I used the pentair little shark vac for several years, it’s not as expensive as some other vacuums. I upgraded to a robot vac this past year.. it works good as well, it covers good but is not as efficient with the really small materials.. the shark vac excelled in this, but sometimes missed areas all together… so to be honest I think I’m going to order me another shark vac.. so i think the shark would be a good purchase as long as your pump is about 2000 gallons per hour or larger.. they don’t work well on small pumps
intexcorp.com/products/above-ground-pools/pool-accessories/maintenance-cleaning/auto-pool-cleaner/ This is what I use for our 12' x 30" Intex pool and LOVE IT! It's just so easy to screw into the outtake and let it do the work on it's own. I leave the vacuum and hose on a table right next to the pool, so it's easy to throw in, hook up, turn on the pump and walk away. The only thing I "have" to do, is remove surface debris with a net and occasionally take the screen off the vacuum and rinse it off. That's it! I will NEVER go back to using anything that requires me to walk around the pool and "manually" vacuum. Waste of time. It's also nice because if you get algae, when you treat the pool, the vacuum stirs up the algae on the bottom and therefore helps to circulate it, and helps get rid of it.
CAN YOU PLEASE INFORM US, THE MODEL NUMBER UPC, ETC. THAT YOU OBTAINED. BECAUSE I AM LOOKING ON AMAZON AND IT SHOWS YOU SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS... THANK YOU
Here ya go.
Pool Cover - www.amazon.com/dp/B008R6ODAM?ref=pd_basp_dp_primary
Wrap - www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESYOH5S?ref=pd_basp_dp_primary
Winterizing Kit - www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WKSDAK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Milk jugs with a 50/ 50 mix of anti freeze keeps the cover on real good
Great tip!
Did you place milk jugs on the tarp inside the pool?
What you mean 50/50 mix ?
How did all those leaves in the pump basket get past the pool strainer ? or did you remove the strainer and now have direct flow into the pumps leaf basket ??
I removed the strainer on the pool fitting for 2 reasons,
1. it got in the way of the pool sharks fitting to plug in.
2. the strainer got stopped up way to fast with debris, the pumps pre-filter does a better job.. in my opinion anyway
Could you tell me/link me to the red strap that you're using to secure the pool cover on? I want to use that this year.
the strap came with the cover as a kit
Yellowdog02 Could you tell me or link me to the kit you used?
Yellowdog02
bellow is the link to the cover I ordered,
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R6ODAM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Wish I could have kept mine up. Last year we had a solid month where is never got above -30. The pool would be a huge glob of ice. I don't think it could survive a winter.
I don't envy you living in that type of cold... best of luck with the winter :)
@@Yellowdogsworld What are the temperatures in winter where you live?
I live in the southeast U.S. We may see 20-degree temperatures and rarely getting into the teens. Most winters average above freezing temps.
Nice! Unfortunately, I live in a freezing north (Ontario) where the temperatures are often -15C (and lower) during the winter. I guess I will have to disassemble the whole thing...
@@jmarkh01 well now.... if we got that cold here... I guess hell would freeze over next LOL
Where did your purchase the winterizing kit? 🙂
I have another question lol, we just got a pool so we’re new 😳😅 do we have to worry about super super cold conditions? I live in Michigan so it’s super cold here.
I ordered from Amazon, (In the Swim) was the brand. They have different kits sized for the pool. Since I don't live in the colder climate its difficult for me to say. I have seen other comments where this process has work for them up north... but I can't speak from experience.
YellowDogs World okay awesome, this video did help me. Thank you so much😄
I love your videos. I have an Intex 14 x 42 that I love but will be leaving it up this winter. I understand all of what you performed, but have a question about your tarp. Looks like your pool is a 15 or 16 foot, how big of a tarp is that? 18 foot or more or less? Keep iT up big guy😀😀😀😀
My pool is a 15 foot diameter, the tarp itself I believe is closer to 20 feet in diameter, there's a lot of overlap.
Is 14 ft by 42 big im deciding to get that?
I have a 14x42 pool also. I bought a 15 foot cover because they don't sell 14 foot. It fits fine
Where did you purchase your cover sealer? The ones I would on amazon had bad reviews. Can you post the link? TIA
the one I purchased was from amazon, unfortunately I don't have the information as to what company made it... I know it was a heavier one with black on the bottom side and blue on top.
Is your tarp the same size as the pool or did u go a little bigger with the tarp so it can fit better?? Awesome video by the way!!...
I think it was sized for up to 18 foot pools, so it has some extra to it.
What size is your pool?
its 15ft x 48in about 5000 gallons.
@@Yellowdogsworld ok thanks
What size is that pool?
15 x 48 about 5000 gallons
This was great….thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Doesn't it bend all the support legs when it freezes? We had over a month of below -30. Can these pools survive being completely frozen?
Fortunately we dont have weather cold enough to find out here. I have seen a could of videos of these type pools with a lot of ice that haven't had an issue. So my guess if properly winterized they will do just fine.
In that environment, you are better off draining the pool and tearing it down. Intex recommends this when temps drop below 41 degrees for a significant period of time. The pool itself is just a vinyl shell which can be damaged by ice.
I live in Pennsylvania where we get some pretty harsh winters and we leave our Coleman 16'×48" Steel Frame Pool up all year round. The first year we had it we took it down for the winter, but it was a huge pain in the ass so for the past 3 winters we left it up all year with zero problems and over the winter the water gets completely frozen solid. We disconnect the filter and store it indoors, drain half of the water, add winter chemicals, and cover it with a winter cover. It saves so much work, I'll never take it down for the winter again.
I actually left a 12 ft easy set up for two years, until I got a bigger one. With this type, I have to be careful not to weigh down the inflatable ring top. I don't want to waste water, either, so I am trying a permeable cover and some vigilance with leaf and acorn removal. I'll see how it goes!
@@melaniebaker2012 you just answered all my questions and saved me time, thank you!
I live in Southern California and I could just leave my pool up all year long lol
In SoCal, you don't have enough winter to worry... if only we had that climate :)
Just no water to fill it!
How much water do you add on top?
To start with maybe a couple of inches.
Where and how much for pump
the pump came from amazon, its the intex 3000 gph pump...
Where do I get the clamps (helping hands) to hold the cover in place before ratcheting it? I’ll be doing this alone as well.
I found the ones I used at my local Lowe's hardware store.
Why would you add the chemicals and circulate....then later pump the water out a good foot to lower?
You just wasted the chemicals and pumped them out onto the ground
The idea is to get the chemicals evenly distributed throughout the pool first. So yes in theory I did waste some chemicals when I drained it down. At that point, it didn't really matter since it was already mixed with the remaining water. You could mix it after draining down as well I guess.
Tried the winter stain away, contrary to what YellowDogs World says, it actually tastes quite good
LOL.. well, everyone's taste buds are different.
Hey man, I hope you're not dead of old age yet! I noticed that you didn't wrap the valves- Was that a fluke or intentional? Also, viewing this 5 years later, what deep wisdom can you share, other than not drinking winterizer? Is the pool still there?
Still alive😊. I did replace the pool last year, it made it 4 years before some of the post rotted. The method I used is still working great with a few adjustments I’ve made over the years. I may make an updated video this year.
you could taste the tabs to see if they are indeed chlorine
😁 well, fortunately my sense of smell was working that day.. so yep, my nose confirmand they were indeed chlorine.
Great video thanks again
Tie some milk jugs to the tarp and I'll hold it down for the winter time
Seems like it would be less work to drain and disassemble. Why do most people do this?
What kind of motor system & filter do you have? Did it come with the pool or did you buy it separate?
I purchased the INTEX 3000 gallon per hour sand filter pump the 2nd year I had the pool, it came with a 1000 GPH pump, it wasn't nearly big enough.
I used a Hayward Easy Clear Cartridge filter system. I finally took my pool down when both the 1hp pump motor went out, and the automatic robot cleaner failed.
Thanks! I live in Illinois with some nasty winters. Your winters?
Our winters are nothing compared to Illinois, i'm in South Carolina, frozen pools and snow are things we rarely see.
I kept my 24ft up for several Chicago winters, until I finally took it down!
@@cjsp1977 Nice! I'm in Michigan and about to install a soft-sided above ground, metal framed pool similar to this and noticing others winterizing in our cold climates. Would you recommend anything you learned over the years that would be helpful?
@@joshhaas2410 im in chicago too have you decided to keep yours up for winter i will probably close my 16×48 intex pool first weekend in october been looking at alot of these videos going to keep ours up just drain a few feet below intake put pump and filter away in house bought a heavy duty cover from great escape going to put inner tube underneath cover treat with chemical and hope for best
Excellent thank you.
Your Welcome :)
I have a question on why do you drain yours down?
this was so It can be back filled with water to stop the wind from blowing it off.
@@Yellowdogsworld did you remove your valves and plug the holes with the black stoppers or leave the valves on? I'm 1 state above you and its iffy on what winter weather is like here in zoo city.
Good one Yellow Dog!!!
thanks :)
all them cems you put in the pool are they harmful to humans
I did it the year before as well, I haven't turned into the Toxic Avenger yet, so i guess it's no worse than anything else :)
clearly you dont get snow
Yep, not that much.... were more likely to get a monsoon than snow in the winter.
Why not just buy a dome for it or drain it then lay it down flat on the ground and cover it then
Here's a few good reasons not to drain it,
1. waste 4000 gallons of water,
2. seems like more work,
3.Odds are with our march winds the pool would not be where i left it with no water in it.
Your funny
The cover that came with the pool is junk. Winter in North Texas is not something to be respected, as anything can happen. I'll invest in a new, larger, and heavier cover.
You are right on with that statement, the original covers don’t do much for ya. 👍
ITS A paddling pool - just empty it and throw it away 🤷🏽♂️
This pool sells for around 400 dollars,That would be a huge waste of money, and material.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OX5BC82/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Yellowdog02 Also, the cost to fill it. This summer my 18 ft pool, 8500 gallon pool cost me over $500. It’s not just the cost, but why would anyone waste water like that!