How to Blow Out Your Pool Lines
Assuming you have the proper equipment, it isn’t too hard to get your pool ready for winter. Here’s how to blow out your pool lines. Follow these steps too prepare:
- Lower the water level 4-12″ below the skimmer, depending on cover type.
- Drain, hand pump or scoop water out of skimmers until almost empty.
- Set multiport valve to Recirculate, Filter position for slide valves
Blowing out the lines is a 3-step process. Blow out the suction side, then the equipment, then the pressure side.
Blow Out the Suction Side
This is all of your incoming lines. You most likely have one or two skimmers and a main drain line on the suction side of the pump. These pipes join together coming into the pump.
Got a second skimmer? Blow air from one skimmer to the pump and back to the other skimmer. Don’t forget to close the valve off at the pump. Or, you can pull off the pump lid and plug the port coming into the pump. This sends air through the other skimmer line.
If you don’t want to reach into the skimmer and plug it while it’s spraying water, you can use another hose to connect to the other skimmer. Blow air through the skimmer lines. Do this for about two-three minutes or until only a mist is blowing out.
When it comes to the main drain, re-position your valves to blow air back through the main drain.
You’ll see a very large plume of air rise up. When you do, allow 20 more seconds and then close off a positively sealing valve on the main drain line to hold the water back with a column of air.
If you have other suction lines (think cleaner line or a spa drain), turn the valves again to send the air from the skimmer to each of these lines separately.
Blow out Your Equipment
It’s time to blow air through the pump and filter valve.
Remove the drain plugs on your pump and let the air push the water out. Loosely replace the plugs.
Set your multiport valve to recirculate.
You don’t normally blow through filters, but if you have a slide valve, the air will go through it.
Remove your filter drain plug if you haven’t already done so.
Blow Out the Pressure Side
You’ve blown the air coming from the skimmer through the pump, filter and heater.
It’s time to send it back to the pool using your return lines.
Your return lines nearest the pump blow first. Wait about three minutes and plug the one bubbling the most. Then plug the others.
If your seal is tight, you won’t see any more air bubbles.
You should blow out your automatic cleaner line or spa return line separately.
If you have a spa blower on an attached spa, turn it on while you blow and plug the spa jets.
Before you get started, we recommend reading your owner’s manual or stopping by one our locations for more info. Not ready to do it yourself? Give us a call and schedule one of our experienced service technicians!
