North Texas doesn’t get many hard freezes, and that’s exactly why they catch pool owners off guard. Most winters bring a handful of nights below freezing, usually over by midday. Every so often we get something bigger. The February 2021 winter storm left much of the state below freezing for days, often without power, and a lot of pool equipment across the Metroplex cracked as a result.
The good news is that freeze damage is very preventable. Here’s how pool freeze protection works, and how to protect your pool before, during and after a North Texas freeze.
Why Freezing Weather Damages Pool Equipment
Water expands when it freezes. The pool itself usually handles cold just fine because it holds so much water, and a thin layer of surface ice won’t hurt a plaster finish. The trouble is the small volumes of standing water in your equipment and plumbing: the pump housing, filter tank, heater, valves and any above-ground pipe. When that water freezes, it can split a pump volute, crack a filter tank or burst a pipe fitting. Often nobody notices until the thaw, when the leaks start.
Moving water is protected water
Water that’s circulating is far less likely to freeze in the lines. That’s the core of pool freeze protection: keep water moving through every pipe while temperatures are near or below freezing, and have a plan for what to do if the power goes out.
Before the Freeze: Get Ready
Test your freeze protection
Most pool automation systems have a freeze protection setting that turns the pump on automatically when the air sensor reads near freezing, typically somewhere in the mid-to-upper 30s depending on the system. Many variable-speed pumps have their own freeze mode too. Check that it’s enabled, and make sure the air temperature sensor isn’t sitting in direct sun or against a warm wall where it will read high.
Make sure every circuit gets flow
Freeze protection only protects the pipes water actually moves through. If you have a spa, a waterfall, a separate cleaner line or other water features, confirm they get flow when freeze mode is active. Valves left closed after summer are a common reason one line cracks while the rest survive.
Insulate exposed pipes
Wrap exposed above-ground plumbing with foam pipe insulation, especially on the north side of the house or anywhere that catches wind. Don’t seal the pump motor in plastic or blankets. Motors need ventilation, and trapping moisture around them causes its own problems.
Top off the water and clear the baskets
Keep the water level at the middle of the skimmer opening so the pump doesn’t pull air. Empty the skimmer and pump baskets before the cold arrives. A clogged basket during a freeze means weak flow exactly when you need strong flow.
Have a manual plan
If your pool doesn’t have automation or a pump with freeze mode, plan to run the pump manually around the clock whenever temperatures are forecast at or below freezing. It costs some electricity, but far less than a new pump or filter.
During the Freeze: Keep Water Moving
- Leave the pump running. Don’t turn it off to save power overnight. The coldest hours are right before sunrise.
- Don’t rely on the heater alone. A heater can help, but circulation is what protects the plumbing. Some equipment makers also warn against running certain heaters in extreme cold, so follow your heater’s manual.
- Leave surface ice alone. Don’t chip at it with poles or throw things on it. Thin ice on a circulating pool usually melts on its own as the day warms up.
- Watch the pressure gauge. A sudden drop in pressure or a pump that sounds like it’s pulling air can mean a basket is clogged or the water level has dropped. Fix it quickly.
What to do if the power goes out
Extended outages are the real danger, because freeze protection can’t work without electricity. If temperatures are well below freezing and the power will be out for hours, draining the equipment is the safest move:
- Switch off the breakers for the pool equipment so nothing restarts dry when power returns.
- Remove the drain plugs from the pump, filter and heater, and open the filter’s air relief valve.
- Let the water drain out of the equipment. Leave the plugs out and store them somewhere you’ll find them, such as in the pump basket.
- Do not drain the pool itself. The large body of water is not what freezes and cracks.
When power returns and temperatures rise, reinstall the plugs, close the air relief valve, prime the pump and restart the system. If you’re not comfortable doing this, call a pool professional before the storm, not after.
After the Freeze: Check for Damage
Once it thaws, walk the equipment pad before you assume everything survived. Look for:
- Water pooling around the pump, filter or heater
- Cracks in the pump housing, strainer lid or filter tank
- A pump that won’t prime or keeps losing prime
- Filter pressure that’s far off its normal reading
- Wet spots in the yard along buried plumbing runs
Freeze damage isn’t always obvious right away. A hairline crack may only drip when the system is under pressure. If something looks wrong, our pool equipment repair team can diagnose it. The visit starts with a $150 diagnostic, which is applied to labor if you have us make the repair.
Salt Systems and Winter Chemistry
Many salt chlorine generators stop producing chlorine once the water gets cold enough, so a salt pool may need chlorine added by hand through winter. Keep testing even when nobody’s swimming. Balanced water through winter makes spring start-up much easier.
Rural and Acreage Pools Need Extra Care
Pools on open acreage often take the brunt of a cold front. Around Springtown, Decatur and the acreage around Weatherford, where equipment pads tend to sit out in open wind, exposed pipes and long plumbing runs freeze faster than in a sheltered suburban backyard. If your equipment is in the open, insulation and a working freeze sensor matter even more. We service rural pools like these through pool service in Springtown, pool service in Decatur and Wise County and pool service in Weatherford, and we provide freeze protection guidance when a hard freeze is on the way.
Let Us Keep an Eye on It
With weekly pool service, your technician checks the equipment, baskets and water level on the same day every week all winter. That’s your chance to catch a disabled freeze sensor or a closed valve before the forecast turns. You’ll get a digital report with photos after each visit, and there’s no long-term contract.
Want a freeze-ready pool this winter? North Texas Pool Pros serves homeowners across Denton, Wise, Tarrant and Parker counties.
Call 833-NTX-POOL (833-689-7665) or request a free quote online, and we’ll confirm route availability for your address.
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