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ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - As the cold temperatures descend upon Central Florida, pool experts say there are a few basic tips to follow to avoid some very costly pool repairs.
Brian Hoey with Certified Pool Pros says there’s one thing pool owners need to remember.
“You want to make sure that you have circulation in the pool , especially the pipes, you have to have the water flowing so it doesn’t freeze,” Hoey said.
That means turning on your pool pump before you head to bed -- in newer pools the pump should cut on automatically when it gets to a certain temperature, but experts say it's still always good to check.
“If it’s not flowing and it gets down to 32 degrees for four to six hours, you’re going to get busted pipes and that’s what you want to avoid,” Hoey said.
If you have a heated pool it’s also important to make sure your heat pump is also turned on.
“You want to make sure that there’s water running through the pipes and the heat pump,” Hoey said.
He says homes with solar panels also need some special attention.
“You want to make sure the solar valve is on, so it’s running through those pipes up there, it’s a really thin tubing up there, and they’ll crack first,” Hoey said.
Experts remind homeowners if they're not sure if their pool pump is on, they'll know by if they see water circulation in the pool.