As a swimming pool owner, there will come a time when you will be required to drain the water from your pool. This could be due to a variety of reasons. For example, you may need to repair your pool’s floor or walls. Additionally, your pool chemicals may need to be rebalanced. It could also be for a simple reason such as the need for deep cleaning.

In case you feel the need to drain your pool you should read on for important tips on how to do so.

Risks To Draining Your Swimming Pool

First of all, before you drain your pool you should recognize that there are risks to doing so. Water usually protects the pool floor, therefore, draining your pool exposes it to damage from the sun and other elements.

It is important to follow proper safety procedures when draining your pool to prevent injuries and even death. For example, only use water pumps that are connected to a grounded electrical line to prevent electrocution.

Instructions For Draining A Pool

Use a proper pool draining pump such as a submersible pump. The cheapest option would be to rent one from a local hardware store such as Home Depot. Do not drain your pool using its backwash valve. Doing so will damage the valve and replacing it is far more expensive than renting a proper pool draining pump.

Always ensure that your water pump is primed i.e. that it has water. If your pump runs dry it may get damaged. Once the water level of the pool gets low you should drop the pump to a lower position in the pool to ensure it stays filled with water.

Drain the last bit of water out of the pool. If the pool has too much debris it is better to let it dry out and then scoop the muck out. Trying to run dirt through a pump may clog and damage it. In case there is only a small amount of dirt left on the pool surface you can use a water hose to wash the debris down the drain.

Once the pool is dry you can clean its surfaces using a power washer for normal surfaces or acid if the surfaces were stained and dirty. Whenever you use an acid such as muriatic acid to clean dilute it with water using a 50/50 ratio. Dish detergent can also be added to acid cleaners to prevent them from damaging the plaster in your pool.

Refilling The Pool

Once you finish scrubbing the pool you can hose it down to rinse off all the dirt. After the pool is clean it is now time to refill it. The tap water used to fill the pool must be converted into swimming pool water using proper chemicals including chlorine. You most likely will need to shock the pool after refilling so don’t swim right away.

Seek Expert Advice

If you own a pool you should arm yourself with knowledge on how you will properly drain it should the need arise. For further information about draining your pool or swimming pool construction and maintenance, contact our team of expert pool builders at Teserra Outdoors. They now have offices in Orange County and Palm Springs.

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