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Dealing with D&O
Enforcing House Rules
Pool Closing
Snow - How to plan for the inevitable
What is a Management Company?
What Your Manager Should Know
Self-Management: Risky Scheme?
Why Bother to Budget?
Review Your Record Keeping
What Are You Getting for Your Management Dollars?
Article: Pool Closing
By: Alvin Wasserman
From Habitat Magazine
Alvin Wasserman is director of Fairfield Property Services in Commack, N.Y.
A swimming pool is a valuable asset that provides enjoyment and enhances the beauty and value of a property. With the fall season upon us, preparations to close a pool is close at hand. There are important steps to be taken when closing a pool to protect it from damage over the winter. These steps will prolong the life of a pool and minimize maintenance expenses over time.
The water in the pool needs to be drained below the skimmers. A compressor is then used to blow out the lines. If water is left in the lines it can freeze and cause them to burst. No water should remain in the lines. This includes lines that feed outside showers and inside the pool house. Some pool houses have electric heaters to keep the lines from freezing. This can be used as secondary protection. Primary protection is no water in the lines. Water should be shut off to the whole system, preferably at the curb stop, if one exists.
Once all of the lines are blown out -- the skimmer, return and feed lines should be plugged to prevent water from getting in from any external source. Traps cannot be blown out so they need to be handled differently. Water should be drained from showers, tanks and bowls and dry the surfaces. Non-toxic anti freeze approved by the Department of Environmental Conservation can be poured into the traps, tanks and bowls as an additional precaution. When the pool is opened in the spring the anti-freeze can be flushed.
Water needs to be drained out of sand filters and, as mentioned earlier, water shut off to the system. Diatomaceous earth filters need to be opened and cleaned. Filter screens should be acid washed at the end of the season otherwise they may dry out by the spring.
An inspection should be made of the area where the concrete meets the pool coping. Look for a proper seal so water cannot get in between the wall of the pool and the ground. The wall of the pool can be damaged if water gets in and freezes during the winter. An exterior silicone sealant suitable for freezing temperatures can be used to seal any gaps.
Outdoor furniture should be cleaned and stored. It is debatable whether awnings should be taken down or not. Some believe there is less damage from mildew and the wear and tear of installation when awnings are left on as long as snow is not permitted to accumulate. Exposure to the wind is potentially damaging if awnings are left in place.
Electric should be turned off to the pool pump as long as it does not also feed a heater. If you are depending on an electric heater as a primary or secondary source of protection then the power to that unit must remain in service.
The phone service for emergencies in the pool area can be suspended for eight or nine months as long as it is not tied in to an extension somewhere else on the property. This will save a few dollars and protect against misuse of the phone.
Taking the proper precautions when closing a pool will extend its life and provide years of enjoyment at reduced maintenance costs.
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