How Low Should My Pool Water Be To Winterize The Skimmer?

[@Simon-im2zn]

I had paving done on top of the original brick that surrounded the pool as I did not want the brick disturbed in case of structural damage to the gunite pool, unfortunately the weir mouth sits a little low now, so when the water hits about halfway up you still have about 150mm of the pool wall exposed to the elements.

[@sandradyer5956]

Do you need to also lower the water below the pool returns? My returns are pretty low so I end up draining a lot of water out of my 40,000 gallon pool to get a few inches below the returns. I could leave a lot more water in the pool if I only had to drain a few inches below the skimmers. I do blow out the return lines and put in anti-freeze and plug.

[@Owenk23]

Do I need to keep the level below the skimmer over the winter by draining?

[@skybox-101]

What if my above ground pool does not have a skimmer? Can I just remove all hoses and plug the holes?

[@RickVenegas]

Is this applicable across the board in all areas of the US? I'm in Texas and winters don't get freezing Temps hardly ever or of they do they are not for long periods of time.

[@TheNine6]

Skimmer plug and bungee plug for the lazy closing. PN IGWM-WWF for a Jacuzzi. Doesn't work well with step jets or the absolute abomination that is the Aqua Genie.

[@loretospiteri3626]

You don't need to lower the water level. Install a stainless steel skimmer plate and then use a plug for the return

[@Swimmingpoolsteve]

You could also make a snorkel for the returns and only lower 3" to below the skimmer. Installing a SS skimmer plate is not needed to winterize most pools.

[@rossta129]

@@Swimmingpoolsteve agreed with skimmer plate not needed. but if you have an auto cover and it snows where you live lowering the pool water below the skimmer will cause too much stress on the cover.

[@LizAlexy]

@@Swimmingpoolstevewhen people say lower below skimmer, what do they mean? The skimmer has a place a box on the vinyl in the pool, and the skimmer body is like two feet high in my pool. My closing guy didn’t lower unground pool w mesh cover at all. Found myself during Thanksgiving using a slow pump from father to lower 8 inches out of the pool, but any more rain and snow, my skimmers will just fill again. I added rv antifreeze and tried to get water out the skimmers but there’s still water! Help!

[@ROMA--AETERNA]

And if you have a *fiberglass pool,* you must not lower more than an inch below the skimmer!