However, if the pool has a stone or Pebble Tec finish, it is pretty safe to drain a pool during the summer months, Good said.
Does my pool need to be drained before cleaning pool tile or cleaning pebble-tec? No! - We lower your pool water just enough to expose all the pool tile calcium and pebble-tec calcium. In an effort to conserve water, We Never Need to Drain Your Pool.
The Problem With An Empty Pool
When that amount of weight and pressure is removed from the structure, the pool can actually pop out of the ground due to ground pressure forcing it up. This can compromise its structural integrity, damaging the walls, floor, liners, and even the deck itself.
Modern concrete pools can usually stand being drained for as long as needed, but there'll still be a risk of popping if the ground water level is high. Fibreglass pools are less resilient. The floor may come loose and float to the top when refilled, even after a short period.
The answer is always NO. Above ground pools need the weight of the water in them to provide an optimal level of stability. Without water supporting the wall you run the risk of the pool wall coming out of the track. Also without water in the pool the liner can shrink and no longer fit your pool.
An empty pool (or as little as 1/4 filled) and an exposed liner on a hot day can cause the liner to shrink from the heat and deem the liner useless. An empty pool is also susceptible to collapse. Especially, in high winds and/or bad weather.
It's not good to leave your pool empty when the weather gets cold. Leaving your pool filled with water can help prevent your vinyl or concrete foundation from being damaged.
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.
As with any pool, a Pebble Tec pool needs to be drained before you clean it. Once drained, take the opportunity to survey it carefully for loose pebbles or cracked spots. You'll be pressure washing the Pebble Tec pool on very low pressure, so you'll need to use soap to loosen up the dirt before you start.
DO. allow time (approx. 28 days) before assessing your final water and finish colors. The start-up and balance will allow the water and finish color to change over this period.
If the pool ever needs to be drained to replace the water or to maintain the plaster, it should never be left empty for more than eight to ten days at the most. More than this may cause the plaster to dry out and crack. Keep your pool full for best results.
If your pool has outlived its usefulness and it would cost more to repair than you can afford, you can cover it. Building a deck over a pool presents a challenge similar to any raised deck, so be prepared for hard work, sore muscles and a great sense of accomplishment.
Filling your pool with dirt is the fastest and most affordable way to get rid of a pool because there's no need to remove your concrete or metal shell. This saves on both labor and hauling costs. However, filling a pool with dirt is still a delicate process that requires careful preparation, drainage, and demolition.
Usually, the cheapest and easiest solution is to remove just the top layer of the pool and any tiled or decked surrounds and fill it in with the appropriate compacted material and soil. Holes will need to be punched into the remaining pool floor to prevent it refilling and flooding the area.
When one drains the pool and there happens to be water under the shell (like in the rainy spring when people want to clean up the pool) the entire pool shell can heave. This is because the water under the pool creates an upward hydrostatic force (through buoyancy) and the pool is lifted out of the ground.
Whether you drained yours partially or completely, the rules for refilling an above-ground pool are the same. At the end of the day, a pool is designed to be full of water.
There are plenty of ways you can convert an old inground pool, such as building decking over the old pool, turn the empty pool into kids playing space, or turn the old swimming pool into a skateboard park. The first solution that comes to the minds of many is demolishing and filling up the pool.
For example if our pool is 30′ long, 20′ wide' and 6′ deep, it has a total volume of 3,600 square feet (30x20x6). The total square footage divided by 27 is 133.33, this indicates that your pool will need 133.33 cubic yards of material to fill it in.
Most deckovers cost between $10,000 and $12,000, or $20 to $30 per square foot, and can vary depending on factors such as engineering requirements, various asthetic considerations and optional features.
So what defines an old plaster pool? As a rule of thumb in our 62 years of experience, we do not drain plaster pools older than 8 years (others may determine is safe) or any plaster pool in temperatures above 80 degrees (high) unless it's an absolute must.
Durability: A Pebble Tec surface should last 20+ years with the proper care and maintenance. A plaster pool should be re-plastered approximately every 5 years.
Brushing a Pebble Tec surface is also very important, especially during the first few weeks after application, but also afterwards, to keep dirt and algae from building up on the slightly irregular surface.
Add muriatic acid to your Pebble Tec pool two or three times per week during the first 30 days after installation. Keep stains from forming on the pebble finish of your Pebble Tec pool by using a pool stain remover.