How To Drain A Pool

Draining your pool is something you ideally should only need to do every few years – it’s not a weekly or monthly task. General maintenance and chemical balancing for your pool should mean that, even if things get a little out of hand, you can easily put them right again.

However, when it does come time to drain your pool, you’ll need to be prepared since it’s not a small or simple job! So, with this in mind, this month at Morehead Pools, we’ve created a guide for everything you need to know about when to drain your pool, how to do it, and how to refill it. 

Why drain your pool?

There are several reasons you might want to drain your pool and start afresh. Firstly, the total dissolved solids level may get to a critical point after a few years, meaning you need to start over again. On the other hand, you might need to carry out repair work that requires an empty pool or simply want to refinish or repaint things.

At the end of the day, when you’ve got a luxury pool in your backyard, it’s worth keeping on top of maintenance, even if it’s something you only do once every few years.

When to drain a swimming pool

Timing is everything when it comes to pool draining. This is because you never want to leave your pool empty for any longer than you have to. An empty inground pool could see your lining or shell crack. The bottom of the pool could also rise – sometimes known as ‘pool pop’. It’s all to do with the surrounding ground, which is normally kept in check by the pressure of the water in the pool. 

If you’re unsure about the water levels in your area and how draining the pool could impact the structure, be sure to contact a professional instead of taking a chance trying to drain the pool yourself, as you could do more damage than good.

The sun can also wreak havoc if it’s too hot, so while it might seem like a nice idea to do this when the sun is out, think again. Try to plan your pool draining and refilling for when it’s not raining, but also for when it’s not too hot. Anything over 85 degrees could cause problems once your pool is empty and exposed. Similarly, avoid freezing or near-freezing temperatures.

It’s hard to pinpoint a specific season or time of the year since temperatures fluctuate and weather conditions can vary – it’ll be up to you to choose a cool, dry time to carry out this process, but we recommend the milder weather of early spring or the fall. 

Here are some other things to factor into your timing:

• It can take anywhere between eight and 18 hours to drain a pool, with just as much time needed to refill, so make sure you set aside time to get it done without leaving the pool sitting empty for too long. Draining time can depend on the rate at which you’re pumping and the type of hose you’re using.
• You obviously can’t drain water that is high in pool chemical concentration due to restrictions that may be in place in your area, so letting your pool water go to a neutral pH level and easing off the chemicals is a good idea before draining.
• If there has been heavy rain, wait a couple of weeks for things to dry out. This is because the ground surrounding your pool has soaked up a lot of water and will put more pressure on an empty pool.

How to drain your pool

There are some basic steps you should stick to once you’re ready to drain the pool, but some stages will depend on the type of pool you have and the equipment you can get your hands on.

1. Turn off timers – this is for both the pump and the lights, preventing any damage to the system when the water is gone
2. Hire a submersible pump (most ordinary pumps won’t cut it)
   1. Place the pump in the deepest end of the pool
   2. Connect the hose to the sewer system and start things up
   3. Keep an eye on things – don’t leave this setup unattended
3. Once fully drained, open the hydrostatic relief valve if present
4. Perform cleaning or maintenance works

How to refill your pool

Now that the hard part is over, you can start with the refilling process, which should go a little like this:

1. Replace the relief valve
2. Refill the pool with your garden hose (multiple hoses and connections will help speed this up)
3. Balance your new pool water – do this in the same way you would when opening the pool for the new season

Once refilled and balanced, you can start enjoying your pool once more, safe in the knowledge that you won’t need to do it again for several years.

Pool maintenance from Morehead Pools

Pool draining can often be a little, well, draining! And while it’s possible to do it yourself, there are many risks involved and a lot of time that has to go into the process. 

Here at Morehead Pools, we offer a maintenance program that will help to keep your pool in top condition all year round – including balancing the chemical levels in your pool, as well as brushing and vacuuming to reduce the frequency of pool draining required. We’re Master Pools Guild members operating throughout Shreveport and Bossier City, LA, as well as the surrounding areas.

Contact our team today to find out more about our range of pool maintenance and repair services to help your pool live up to its full potential.