Pool Era field notes · Care and ownership
Freeze Week: Protecting Pool Equipment in a Hill Country Cold Snap
Is a hard freeze on the way, and you're not sure what your pool needs? Out here we get only a few nights that cold each winter. That is why the plan is easy to forget.
Here is a plan for the days before the cold, the freeze night itself and the morning after.
Short answer
Keep the water moving.
Keep the pump running through the freeze, so water keeps moving in the pipes. Pentair says to turn on freeze protection if your pool has automation, and to run the equipment around the clock until temperatures return to normal if it does not.[1] If the power goes out, call your pool pro about draining the exposed equipment.
How cold
When pipes are at risk.
Texas A&M AgriLife says water pipes can freeze and burst when it gets down to 20 °F or below, and it lists pool supply lines among the pipes most at risk.[2]
Freezes are rare here, but they do come. The National Weather Service says that from 1991 to 2020, the first freeze at Austin came on December 1 on average, and the last one on February 15.[3] Your yard may run colder than the airport, so plan for the whole window.
Field note. Exposed pipe above the ground at the equipment pad is usually the weak spot. Look at yours on a mild day, before a freeze is in the forecast.
Before, during, after
A freeze checklist.
| When | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A few days out | Check that the pump runs and the freeze setting (if you have one) is on. Find the main water shut-off. Wrap exposed pipe and valves. | Fixes are easier on a mild day than at night in the cold. |
| The night of | Leave the pump running. Keep the skimmer and pump basket clear so water can flow. Do not run a heater with no water flow. | Moving water is much harder to freeze than still water. |
| Power out | Call your pool pro about draining the pump, filter and heater. A portable generator goes outside only, far from doors, windows and vents. | Still water in equipment can freeze and crack it. Generator exhaust is deadly indoors. |
| After | Look for cracks and drips at the pad before you restart. Check the pressure gauge. Test the water. | A small crack can turn into a leak once the system runs. |
On generators, the CPSC is blunt: never use a portable generator in a home, garage, basement or shed, and only use it outside, far from windows, doors and vents.[4]
Salt pools
Salt cells in the cold.
Pentair's quick start guide for its IntelliChlor salt cell says a cold-water light comes on when the water drops below about 52 °F.[5] Many salt cells cut back or stop making chlorine in cold water. Ask your pool pro how your model handles cold water, and test the chlorine during and after a long cold spell. Our guide to salt or chlorine pools covers more.
Common questions
Freeze questions.
Should I run my pool pump during a freeze?
Yes, in most cases. Pentair says to run the equipment around the clock until temperatures return to normal, or to use freeze protection if you have automation.[1] Water that keeps moving is much harder to freeze.
The power is out on a freeze night. Now what?
Call your pool pro. Draining the pump, filter and heater may be needed so trapped water does not freeze and crack them. If you use a portable generator, the CPSC says to run it outside only, far from windows, doors and vents.[4]
Can I put antifreeze in my pool lines?
Not in supply lines. Texas A&M AgriLife says not to put antifreeze in pool and sprinkler supply lines, and to drain them following the maker's or installer's directions.[2]
Should a Hill Country pool be closed for the winter?
Most pools here stay full and running through the winter. The freeze plan above is about the few hard nights. Ask your pool pro if your equipment or your area calls for more.
What should I check after a freeze?
Look for cracks, drips and wet spots at the equipment pad before you restart. Watch the pressure gauge once it runs, and test the water. A slow drop in the water level after a freeze can be a leak; our bucket test guide explains how to check.
Before you need it
Plan the freeze now.
Every pad is set up differently, so the right plan depends on your pipes, equipment and power. We can look at your pad and write down what to do on a freeze night.
Related
More field notes
Care and ownershipIs My Pool Leaking or Just Evaporating?How to run a bucket test, and the signs that point to a real leak.Read 
Care and ownershipSalt or Chlorine: Choosing a Pool System in the Hill CountryHow salt and chlorine pools differ, and what hard water and limestone change.Read 
Care and ownershipAfter a Hill Country Storm: Debris, Runoff and Cloudy WaterWhat to check first after a storm, and how to clear muddy, cloudy water.Read
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Pentair: Pool Freeze Protection (eight tips)
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (Texas Extension Disaster Education Network): Winter Storms: Preventing and Thawing Frozen Pipes
- National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio: Austin Climate Summary (freeze dates, 100-degree days, Flash Flood Alley)
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Generators and Engine-Driven Tools (carbon monoxide)
- Pentair: IntelliChlor Salt Chlorine Generator Quick Start Guide
Sources checked October 25, 2026. Rules, fees and water stages change; check the source before you rely on a number.
Before you rely on this. This field note is general information, not professional, engineering or legal advice. Every pool and every site is different. What Pool Era does on your project, how and with what warranty, is only what your written agreement says. Local codes and HOA rules change, so check with your city, county or HOA before you rely on anything here. Website terms
