Pool Pump & Filter System Winterization Made Simple

Before You Winterize The Pump & Filter

If you have an in-ground pool filter system and you need to winterize it, You can do so in three easy steps. You will need a few basic hand tools and about an hour of time. One thing to remember is that if you live in an area where you get snow or ice, you will want to bring the pump and filter inside during the winter. If you live in a southern state that does not get snow, you can leave the filter outside but you should bring the pump in so its protected. If you are homeowner reading this article and you are not sure how to preform the following steps after reading the article, you can always hire a pool guy to help you close and winterize your pool.

Step One:

Unplug The Pool Pump & Remove The Drain Plugs

The first thing you will want to do is shut the pool timer and unplug the pool pump. Once you do so you will can sure that the pump cannot kick back on while you are trying to winterize it. Once you have the pump unplugged you will want to remove the drain plugs from both the pump and the filter. The pump will usually have two drain plugs and the filter will have one drain plug. If you have a multi-port valve you will also want to remove the sight glass, drain plugs and pressure gauge from the multi-port.

Locating The Pumps Drain Plugs

If you have never removed pool pump drain plugs before and this is your first time winterizing a pool pump have no worries.

Locating The Filter Drain Plugs

Each pool filter brand will have the drain plug in a different spot. Here is a short list based on brand, of the most common places you can find the filters drain plug .

• Hayward Filters  = Drain Plug Located On Side / Bottom Of Filter Tank
• Sta-rite Filters = Drain Plug Located Center Bottom OR Side Bottom
• Pac-Fab Filters = Drain Plug Located Bottom Center / Side Bottom
• Generic Pool Filters = Drain Plug Usually Side Bottom

When draining your pool filter you will always want to make sure to open the air relief valve on the top of the filter. By doing so, air will be let in the top of the filter and help the water flow out of the drain opening more easily.

Step Two:

Disconnect The Plumbing Connections & Store Equipment

Once you have drained the pump and the pool filter, you will now want to disconnect the pump and the filter from the swimming pool plumbing so you can store it in a safe place during the winter. If you are a pool guy / gal or other professional, The reason you will want to do this is to protect the customers pool equipment from the harsh elements of winter such as ice and snow. Failure to properly store the pump and filter for the winter could result in a broken filter tank or pump volute / strainer housing when the time comes to open the pool.

So What you will want to do is to loosen the plumbing unions that connect the pump, filter and multiport to the plumbing pipes coming out of the ground. You will need to use a large sized pair of channel locks most likely to loosen the union fittings. You will need to turn the unions counter clockwise or to the left and spin them until the union collar becomes free.

Once you have loosened all of the unions, you will want to place all the equipment in storage at this point. If you have a D.E. or cartridge filter set up, you may also want to read “how to clean my pool filter” and then place pump and the multi-port in storage for now and then go and clean the filter before storing  it. It is a very good idea to clean your pool filter before placing away all winter long.

Step Three:

Blow The Water Out Of Lines & Plug Inlets

The last thing you will want to do after you have drained and disconnected the pump and filter is to blow the water out of the swimming pool plumbing and also you will want to plug the skimmers and Gizzmos.

You can blow out the swimming pool lines with an air compressor or a high powered blower. You will want to make sure that you fully blow all of the water free from inside of the plumbing pipes. Then you will want to plug the returns and also plug the skimmers with Gizzmos. For a better explanation, please see the article on “How To Blow Out Swimming Pool Plumbing”.

Thanks for reading and if you need any additional help, please post a topic on our forums or use the “ask the pool guy” link to submit a question to the pool guys.