The Summary:
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Extend your skating season by weeks with a simple three-step process.
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All you need is a garden hose and a battery-powered water transfer pump.
- Works best on a YardRink. Since the tarp is on the outside, it allows easy access to super-cold under-ice water.
The Full Story:
What’s one thing all rink owners can agree we want more of?
More time on the ice, of course!
We’re all at the whims of the weather when it comes to backyard rinks, and it’s not like winters are getting any longer.
What if we told you that there is a simple “hack” to keep your family skating longer every winter?
We discovered a simple three-step method that has proven to extend skating seasons by weeks on a YardRink.
We’ll tell you exactly how to do it in this article – your rink’s best season yet starts here.
How to Use YardRink’s ESD Method to Extend Your Skating Season (3 Steps)
All you need is a garden hose and a battery-powered water transfer pump for this to work.
You can use it for other rinks, but it’s most effective on a YardRink (more on this later).
The steps below are for YardRink’s backyard ice rinks in particular.
- Place a garden hose in the gap between the outside of a YardRink Panel and the Tarp to access super cold water from under the ice. When the ice is thin, you can just push the hose through it. As it thickens up, you may need to drill through the ice to access the water. Connect the hose to a water transfer pump (a battery-powered pump may be the most convenient).
- Turn on the pump to draw near-freezing water from under the ice to spray a thin layer onto the rink surface. Over a number of days, this significantly builds up the thickness of the rink ice. You should perform this procedure every evening with expected freezing temperatures - it takes about 10 minutes each night.
Here’s a video demonstration that explains each step:
[Note: One advantage of the ESD method is avoiding adding extra water to your rink from your house. Instead, why not just fully freeze the water already in the rink into a completely frozen block?]
The Cold-Hard Science Behind This Game-changing Innovation
When ice first starts to form on your rink, even a thin layer traps heat in the water below. That makes it harder for cold nights to build thicker ice.
YardRink’s unique panels fix this problem.
They have built-in channels that let you easily access the super cold water from under the ice. You can then spray that cold water back on top each night.
The result?
The water freezes quickly, layer by layer, using the cold ambient air more efficiently.
In just a few days, you’ll have stronger, thicker ice that lasts longer — which means more skating time for your family!
Can This Method Be Used on Non-YardRink or DIY Products?
You can try this cold-water layering method on other backyard rinks, but it won’t work as smoothly as it does with a YardRink.
The difference is in the design.
YardRink places the tarp on the outside of the panels, so you can access the cold water under the ice without touching the skating surface.
Most other rinks, however, place the tarp on the inside of the boards.
To access the cold water under the ice, you would need to drill directly into your skating surface. This risks puncturing your liner and can create raised mounds of ice around the drilled hole.
So while the method can technically be done on non-YardRink setups, YardRink’s tarp-on-the-outside design is what makes the process easy, efficient, and effective for extending your skating season.
It Really Works!
During winter 2024, backyard rink owners in the US and Canada averaged 57 days of skatable ice, while one YardRink owner enjoyed 100 skating days using the ESD method!
In the previous (warmer) winter of 2023, one YardRink owner appreciated his 40 skating days while others in his region only got a couple of weeks on the ice.
It’s truly transformative for rink owners who, some winters, have to cram their ice time into a short period.
Backyard rinks aren’t cheap, so the more ice time you have, the greater return you get on your investment.
By using the ESD method with YardRink, you’re empowered to take advantage of more skating days – to advance your kids’ hockey skills and make lasting family memories on the ice.
Photo courtesy of Dave K., Illinois YardRink Owner Since 2024.
Ready for More Ice Time This Season?
More skating time is within your grasp - we hope you’re ready to take action and turn this season into your best one yet on the ice.
If you have any questions about the ESD method or YardRink’s authentic, hockey-style rinks, reach out to us, and one of our friendly representatives will gladly assist you.
customercare@yardrink.com
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