Improper draining can also create basement flooding, a backup or flooding of yards. MSD recommends homeowners slowly drain the chlorine-free water to a grassy area of their yard if it's large enough to absorb. They can also drain it into a sanitary sewer cleanout, if one is available on the property.
If your backyard is on a level surface you should be wary not to drain pool water on to the lawn all at once, since if the water has nowhere to travel before soaking into the ground there is a risk that flooding may occur, which can ultimately cause the grass to suffocate, leading to lawn damage.
Never drain pool or spa to a septic system. Drain your pool or spa water to your vegetated landscape, lawn or rocky areas on your property that allow the water to percolate into the ground. Salt or saline pool water contains higher concentrations of salts that can be more damaging to plants and soils.
You can use pool water in a safe way for grass irrigation by reducing the chlorine amount before draining it. In order to drain it safely, you must pump the drainage well to avoid clogging, and lastly, to remove the chemicals you must dilute the excess chemicals.
If you have a typical rainfall, or even several inches, your pool should be fine, since drains and skimmers are designed to remove the excess water. In most cases, your pool can even handle rain from most tropical depressions and hurricanes.
In addition to debris being blown into the water by the wind, the rainstorm can dilute the previously in-balance chemicals, impacting your pool water's pH and alkalinity.
Keeping water in the pool helps to prevent the liner from drying out, shrinking and cracking. An empty pool is far more prone to liner wear and damage. Additionally, even with a cover, an empty pool is more at risk for damage from debris.
Using a submersible pump is the fastest way to drain your pool. It acts like a vacuum to remove water quickly, but you'll need to monitor it while it's running. A garden hose siphon is another option for draining out water, but it will take much longer.
If a sanitary sewer clean-out is not available (e.g., the house has septic tank), clean pool water (i.e., de-chlorinated/dibrominated, and containing no pollutants, such as sediment, diatomaceous earth, algae, etc.), may be discharged to the right-of-way, provided the flow rate is less than 50 gpm, and the chlorine ...
Your water should only be drained so it sits just below the skimmer and jets. This helps make sure that no water can get into the pumping system. You may also need to drain a few extra inches of water, depending on the type of pool cover you're using.
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. So if your pool is the normal 3” below the top, the rain would need to exceed 3” before any additional rain would be available to overflow onto the deck.
Timeframe – Never keep your pool drained for more than a day or two. This can cause the ground surrounding your pool's foundation to shift and change, which can cause extensive damage to your pool and the area around it.
Most inground fiberglass and concrete pools are built structurally to withstand the weight of the dirt against them when drained. However, if the groundwater is high enough, it can push the entire pool out of the ground. The pool shell acts like a ship and floats up in the groundwater.
If you drain your pool during the hot, dry Arizona summer months, you risk causing expensive damage to your swimming pool . The floor of the pool can crack due to the heat and lack of moisture.
Your pool size will also determine how long it takes. If you're pumping at 30 gallons/minute, or 1,800 gallons/hour, and you have a 25,000 gallon (94,635.3 L) pool, it will take roughly 14 hours to drain the pool.
A pool is rather like a fish tank…
Swimming pools don't actually need to ever be drained, which may come as a huge surprise to overzealous pool owners. Even if your pool water is absolutely gross, a thorough cleaning regimen of vacuuming, filtration, and several days of shocking the water, should be sufficient.
The liner will shrink and crack as a result of drying out. Other potential damage includes tears and rips caused by debris during harsh weather in winter. If you are using a standard floating winter cover in your in-ground pool, drain the water so that it is no further than 6 inches below the bottom of the skimmer.
A: It's not a good idea to drain an above ground pool for winter. Snow, ice, extreme cold and errant debris will likely cause significant damage to a pool sitting out exposed to the elements. It's also expensive and time consuming to refill and chemically balance a new pool full of water in the spring.
After your pool is drained, go ahead and give it a good cleaning, make any necessary repairs and fill it back up with clean, clear water. Once the chemicals are added and balanced, you should be all set to enjoy another few years of splashing in the sunshine.
Shock the pool
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.
This generally happens after lots of rainfall or flooding, causing particulates to become suspended in your pool. In other instances, however, some pools turn brown when there are higher levels of metals present in the water.
What Does Baking Soda Do For a Pool? Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate is naturally alkaline, with a pH of 8. When you add baking soda to your pool water, you will raise both the pH and the alkalinity, improving stability and clarity.