Closing an Intex Pool for the Winter

I have a 18'x4' Intex inflatable ring pool. We live in Indiana where we do get cold, snowy and icy winter weather. We were going to attempt to keep our pool up through the winter.

We were wanting to lower the water level below the inlet and outlet valves but when we do that the sides of the pool get lower too causing the valves to still be down in the water. There is no type of cover or seal that is sold that we could put inside the pool on the inner side of the valves to keep the water from entering the valves.

We were trying to think of a way to safely prop up the valves from the outside of the pool to keep them up out of the water. Do you have any ideas or suggestions on how we can keep water from entering our valves inside our pool? Thanks!

Hi

I don't have any ideas that would help you with your problem. It is my understanding that soft sided pools should not be left up for the winter in climates that have snow. If I were you I would take it down for the winter.

If any one out there has any success with leaving an Intex inflatable ring pool up during the winter please let us know how you do it. Thanks.

Closing A Problem Pool

by Frustrated
(Columbia, TN)

We bought a house with an above ground pool and discovered that it was slowly losing water at the rate of almost an inch a day. This pool was not used last season and had a foot of algae water when we looked at the house.

The previous owners cleaned and filled the pool before we moved in. We have been battling algae ever since and filling the pool every few days. We discovered several small pinholes at the bottom of the walls (where the algae seems to form first) and have decided that we will replace the liner next season.

My question is how to close knowing that we will be replacing the liner and that there is a slow leak. The water level is already below the skimmer and pool has some algae. Do we need to fill and clean before adding winterizing chemicals?

Unless we are checking it every few days - the algae will return no matter how much shock, algaecide and cleaning we do. I really do not want to pay for all the water just to keep it up until we fix it. What should I do?

Hi

If the pool were mine I would put a cover over it and forget about it for the winter. The leaking will slow down the lower the water gets and it will probably still have at least a foot of water in it come spring. The cold weather will also slow down the algae growth and it will probably not look bad when you remove the cover.

Re-Opening My Pool

Hello, I have an 18 ft. round Intex pool. We closed the pool for the winter but did not drain it. I ran the pool pump occasionally over the winter and added chemicals a couple times but despite my efforts the water still grew algae and was disgustingly dirty when we uncovered it to re-open it.

We have added all the proper chemicals and I have even gone to the pool store and had my water tested. They say the chemical balance is fine but the water still has a light green tint to it. Nothing I have tried has taken that tint out of the water.

Do I need to drain this pool and start over for the season?

There are a lot of leaves in the bottom that we can not get out without physically getting in it and netting them out but we do not feel safe getting in it with the water this color. Please any suggestions at this point would help us out.

Hi

If it were my pool I would add some algaecide and run the filter non-stop for a week or so. Keep the filter clean and running strong, cleaning it as often as needed. I would also remove as many of those leaves as possible from the inside of the pool. A leaf skimmer on a pole should reach most of the pool.

Leaves in the pool could be contributing to the algae, getting rid of them should help a lot.

Leaving Intex Pool Up In Winter

by Lynn

We have an Intex above ground pool, 16x48. We live in Saskatoon Canada. Is there a way we can leave it up in the winter?

It is very cold here. We have been taking it down and keeping it in the basement. When we go to put it up in the spring it has a few pin holes where we have folded it for storage. We want to eliminate this problem. Anything to suggest?

Thank you, Lynn.

Hi Lynn

It would seem to me like you might be better off leaving it up all winter. Hopefully someone from the cold country with an Intex pool can help us out here with some advice.

Have you asked at the local pool stores if leaving it up would be a problem? They might be able to offer advice.

If you do have to take it down again you might try rolling the liner as opposed to folding it. A loose roll would take up more space but it might prevent the cracking in the creases.