Winterizing an indoor pool

15 years ago

We have an indoor pool which even though we live on a lake in Ontario Canada my wife uses the pool year around which she finds therapeutic for her aches and pains. Because of the high and getting higher cost of oil which we use to heat the pool, we are planning on shutting down the pool from this fall through to next spring. Our concern is will the water freeze if we turn off the heater for the winter considering that the pool is indoors and the only heat would be from the ground that the pool sits in and heat from the sun that comes in through three very large windows and two glass sliding patio doors. One end of the pool room consists of large granite boulders which hold heat when the room is warm from the sun and helps to heat the room when the sun goes down. Also the winter can go down to 20 degrees below zero. If necessary I can keep the heater on to keep the water a few degrees above zero. Since moving water will not freeze I can also keep the circulating pump on and/or get a bubbling machine which some people use in winter to keep the water from freezing around their docks. The representative of the company that services the pool feels confident that all things considered the pool won't freeze if left to its own devices but some more opinions would be appreciated. I'd hate to find out the hard way that he's wrong.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

dpdp
15 years ago
I would just put a thermometer in the water and wait and see. But I live in vegas and my outdoor pool attempts to freeze twice in January. I just turn the pump on.

If the water gets below 33F or 1 in C turn the pump on. Much lower turn the heat on. If the heat is automated set it for 35F or 2 C.

It seams to me the house would be mighty cold by then also.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
When I lived in Oklahoma our pool would freeze up pretty solid on top, enough for my Great Danes to walk on it which was not a good thing when it started to thaw! We did a full winterize on that pool every year, shut down, drain lines,etc.

Here in Texas my pool which is all automated has a freeze detect/protect in the system which test the pool water temp and when it gets to the temp we set, just above freezing, it kicks on the pump and circulates the pool water till the temp gets safe range again. That is a great feature, but it sure does not get very cold here compared to what you have up there.
Would it be possible to put some type of heat source in the room itself to keep the ambient temps warmer in there?
Related Professionals
Grandview Swimming Pool Builders · Gurnee Landscape Contractors · Lantana Landscape Contractors · Pine Hills Landscape Contractors · Vacaville Landscape Contractors · Weslaco Landscape Contractors · Westchester Landscape Contractors · York Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Algonquin Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Aventura Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Centennial Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Fishers Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Pueblo West Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · West Chicago Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Pleasant Grove Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures
canadave
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanx dpdp and ravencajun for the input. For starters I could just keep my eye on the temperature and then do whatever has to be done with the pump and heater.

Ravencajun ... I envy your having two Danes. I've had Danes since I was a kid and as you know they're such lovable gentle giants. We were going to get one when we retired and moved to cottage country 10 years ago but shortly after we arrived we came across a stray black lab that was about to be put down so we rescued him with the intention of finding him a home but three days later he was a keeper.
dgmarie
15 years ago
even my hot tub has a sensor which runs the pumps if it ever gets too cold. Seems to me that you could simply set yours to a low temp low enough to reduce oil costs but prevent it from freezing.