Draining the water from a pool is necessary from time to time. The reasons for this are numerous and deep cleaning or replacement of the liner, preparing for winter storage, and concerns over the water quality.
It is essential to know how to drain a pool and get every last drop of water out of it to reduce the possibility of damage. Once the water has been drained from the pool, it is also exposed to new potential damage if the reason for draining is not quickly addressed.
Learn about how to drain a pool the right way below.
Draining Pool Water Using a Pool Pump
Using an electric pump to remove the water from a pool is simple. There are even filtration systems that are made so that an outflow hose can be attached, and it will pump the water out of the pool.
When using a pool pump, drop the intake hose of the pool pump into the water. Try to get it as close to the center of the pool as possible.
Next, lay the outflow hose so that it will pour the pumped water away from the pool. Try to choose level ground to avoid flooding the yard. It may be necessary to move this during the draining process to keep the water from accumulating in one area.
Now it is time to turn the pump on and get the water out.
While it is not necessary to watch the water as it pumps out, check to ensure that the water level is beginning to drop before leaving the process unattended. Do not go so far away that you cannot hear and see what is happening and make sure to check back often to catch malfunctions before they become big problems.
Once the water level gets too low to drain further, turn the equipment off. There will generally be around six inches to a foot of water left on the bottom of the pool depending on the pump used and the length of the intake hose.
How to Drain a Pool with a Hose
You can also use a standard garden hose to remove the water from a pool. These can be used with a siphon or a specially-designed hose siphon can be bought for this specific purpose. to remove the water from a pool. It is a much slower process but works just the same. If you do not have a mechanical siphon, you can also start this process by sucking on the outflow end of the hose until water starts to drain, it will continue on its own.
As with the intake hose of the pool pump, drop one end of the garden hose into the water and lay out the other end as you would the outflow hose of an electric pump. Using the siphon – or your own suction – draw the water into the hose and allow it to flow out into the drainage plain you have chosen.
While there are fewer parts to malfunction, it is still important to monitor the draining process with a garden hose siphon. It may be necessary to restart the siphoning flow of water or adjust the placement of the intake end of the pool drain hose during the draining process.
Again, this way of draining a pool will not get out every last drop of water. In fact, it leaves about as much as mechanical pumping does.
Draining the Remaining Water from a Pool
You cannot leave a few inches of stagnant water at the bottom of a pool. That means you will have to find another way to get the remaining water out. There are a few options available to you to accomplish this task.
If you are draining the pool to replace the liner anyway, you can always pull out the liner and flip that water over onto the property beside it. A liner can always be put back down after doing this – as long as it is not damaged in the process – so this method can be used even if you are not replacing the liner.
If the drain of the pool’s filtration system is at the bottom of the pool, the remaining water can be swept down the drain. Use a push broom or squeegee to get the rest of the water down the drain.
Finally, the stagnant water remaining can be sucked up with a wet vacuum.
Pros/Cons of a Pool Without Water
While draining the water from a pool completely is easy, it is not risk-free. Some maintenance concerns should be taken into consideration.
Water helps to protect the liner of a pool from sun damage. Without the water, warping and other damage from the sun’s UV rays can set in quickly.
Once the water has been drained from a pool, it becomes a breeding ground for molds. Taking steps to completely dry the liner before storage will help to prevent this. There are also commercial treatments that can be used to reduce the chance of mold growth.
The water in a pool helps it to hold its shape. Thus, when a pool is completely drained of water it begins to lose its form. If left standing without water for too long, it can become permanently warped.
For pools that stay erect throughout the colder months, winterizing is important. This involves leaving enough water to avoid the above issues while draining some to allow for expansion due to freezing.
Summary
Draining the water from a pool is simply part of owning one. Some pools need to be taken down every fall and stored away until the weather warms up. Others need to be prepared to withstand the winter months. Still, others need repair and maintenance that requires it to be empty.
Whatever the reason is that a pool needs to be drained, it is important to do it right to avoid damage. If there are any questions or doubts, consulting a pooling expert is a viable option.
