We get asked this question every time there is a heavy rain. That answer is pretty simple when you think about it. The pool will only overflow by the amount of rain in excess of the amount of rain needed to fill the pool to the top.
The best measure to keep your pool from overflowing and causing damage is to make sure that your yard drains properly; try running a hose to see where the water runs to and how fast. Make sure the deck is pitched slightly away from the pool to keep contaminants flowing out of your pool rather than into it.
If the pool overflows, now only will the pool chemicals be diluted, but they may contaminate the pool deck and surrounding landscape. Removing excess water quickly is important to prevent this.
But large quantities of precipitation combined with an overflowing pool and poor drainage can cause problems such as flooding, structural damage to the surrounding buildings as well as out of balance swimming pool water chemistry. No fun.
If your pool pump manufacturer has declared your pump is rain safe, you can leave it on in rainfall. Nevertheless, during a thunderstorm, it is highly recommended that you switch off and unplug your pool pump to prevent any costly and irreversible damages to your pool equipment.
You don't need to drain your pool, as there is no risk to your pool by it being full. The only thing you lose with a pool filled to the rim is your skimmer's surface cleaning action. Overall, it still draws water and the equipment is just fine.
If your swimming pool is one of those designed with a filtration tank that can hold and recycle excess water, the pool overflow will go to the tank. The tank's filtration system will then process the water to get rid of debris and bacteria before it is pumped back into the pool when necessary.
Since the pool is already full, the incoming water automatically spills over into the water tank, creating the overflow effect. Although the circuit is “technically” not closed, it is always the same water that flows in and out of the filtration system. So, no need to worry about issues of water consumption.
Rainfall dilutes pool chemistry levels and lowers the readings for pH, alkalinity, hardness, stabilizer, and chlorine. Rainfall does not contain chlorine. As well, rainfall brings with it small amounts of contaminants that are washed into the pool.
When preparing your pool for a storm, leave it uncovered. Installing any kind of cover across the pool will not do much to protect against dust and contaminants because storms often bring strong winds and heavy rain that can cause the cover to lift off your pool.
Remember, rain is acidic. Hence, pool overflowing from rain causes the Alkalinity and pH levels to lower. Very low pH causes pool water to turn very clear and acidic, which destroys your pool surface and equipment.
Give your pool a good shock treatment 1 to 2 days before the storm hits. You can bring the chlorine level up pretty high to prolong the pool being depleted of chlorine.
If you get more than five inches of rain in an hour, or if your pool wasn't properly designed with sufficient overflows, then your pool may overflow, which can put you at risk of water getting inside of your home and causing serious damage.
The skimmer can be found under the top edge of the swimming pool. This is the main distinction between the skimmer pool and the overflow poo,l where the surface of the water is even with the edge of the pool deck. With smaller skimmer pools, water is drawn from top to bottom in order to be cleaned.
Every pool must turn over at least once a day, so most pool pumps should run approximately 8 hours a day. But here's the thing: you don't have to run your pool pump consecutively. You can choose to run it for three hours in the morning before you leave for work and another 5 hours in the evening.
Shock the pool
It's not time to fix your pool chemistry just yet – that said, there's nothing wrong with giving your water a little boost. After heavy rainfall, your pool's chlorine levels will be much lower from fighting off contaminants. Shocking your pool replenishes the chlorine lost from the rain.
Answer: It should not matter much. It could help to filter debris and contaminants the rain washes into the pool. However, lightning can be a concern with the filter running.
It's best to run your pool pump during the day
Not only does sunlight give fuel for algae to grow, it also destroys your pool chlorine and this is why you should always run your pool during the day!
One of the most significant consumers of energy in homes with swimming pools are pool pumps, which keep pools clean by circulating water through filters. Pool pumps can consume 3,000 to over 5,000 kWh per year.
The size of your pool, the efficiency of your pump and filter, and how dirty your pool is are just some of the factors you need to consider. Nevertheless, most pool cleaning professionals would advise against running a pool pump for more than 8 hours a day.
Without Chemicals
If a parent chooses not to use chemicals in the kiddie pool, the water must be drained after the children are done using it. This should occur within 24 hours. That means the parents must go through the hassle of filling the pool with fresh water each day.
With a rain storm, any number of contaminants can be washing into your pool – acid rain, pollen, insects, tree droppings, dust, sand and even phosphates. Any one or combination of these things in rain can make your pool cloudy.
Why Your Pool Turns Green and Cloudy
While the rain itself doesn't generally harm your pool, it can dilute the carefully balanced chemistry in the water. This can alter your pH levels and dilute the chlorine or other sanitizers, allowing algae or other contaminants to gain a foothold.
Shock is liquid or granular chlorine. You should add one gallon (or one pound) of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water every week to two weeks. During hot weather or frequent use, you may need to shock more frequently.