Anderson Winter Duck Plug Check Valve, Fits 1.5 in. PVC

The Anderson Winter Duck Plug is a winterizing plug for 1.5 in. PVC return lines with a duck-bill check valve built in. It lets you blow the return plumbing out with a blower and then holds the water out of the line, so the pool can be closed without dropping the water level below the returns.

How it works

Thread a plug into every return. The double seal makes a watertight barrier at the faceplate or inside the fitting. Run a blower through the plumbing: the plugs create enough back pressure that all of the returns clear at once, without the burping you get from open lines. After the lines have bubbled for several minutes, shut the blower off and the duck-bill valve closes, keeping pool water from re-entering the pipes.

Optional steps

For added protection, add pool antifreeze to the lines and run the blower again until a small amount of antifreeze enters the pool. Finish with the included yellow caps if you want a tidy look; they are decorative and not required for the plug to work.