Do's and Don'ts when Draining a Pool

Draining a pool isn’t a simple job. On the contrary you must be prepared and well informed on the details of the job, and you must stay focused on what you are doing. Although draining a pool isn’t an everyday job (as long as you don’t do this for a living) it has to be done occasionally, especially in summer since the pool is used more frequently during this season.

Pump Capacity and the Sewage Capacity

While draining your pool always keep an eye on the pump capacity. Make sure that the water you are draining doesn’t exceed the water sewage line capacity. Also it is of utmost importance that any tools such as sewer pipes, garden hose or anything similar are only used for this type of operation and for nothing else because anything plugged in the sewage line should be considered contaminated for the purpose of hygiene and safety. So again don’t use them for anything else.

Laws

When considering draining your pool, first you have to check the laws and regulation in your district, area or country so that you won’t damage or contaminate any water lines, which will result in very hefty fines. Check also the acidity of the pool water. This is usually regulated by laws because the sudden shift of temperature or toxic minerals (such as chlorine which is essentials to keeping swimming pool’s hygiene at a standard) can kill aquatic life.

Time

Before draining the pool make sure that you let the water sit for at least a week, because as mentioned above, chlorine may still be considered to be a toxic mineral, that is, dangerous for the aquatic life, but not for human beings.

Draining Options

Where to drain the water? Normally you should have an access to a sanitary sewer system where, with the use of the pool filter or an access tube you can safely drain your water. If you don’t have access to a sanitary sewer system, then you could drain the water on your yard, preferably where there are no plant or flowers because chlorine kills vegetation. When draining the water on the yard, make sure that it doesn’t overflow into your neighbor’s yard or into a storm drain.

Get Help

It’s not advisable to conduct this operation by yourself because you need to keep an eye on many details. It will be much easier if you have someone to help you. If you think that you’re not up to it, don’t be stubborn. Contact a professional to perform the draining for you. This will certify that your water has been drained and recycled properly in the sewage system or yard.

What To Do after Draining the Water from Your Pool

An important factor to remember is not to leave your pool empty for too many days after you have drained it because the sunlight will damage the exposed plaster. Always remember, when filling your pool, to constantly check the proper chemical levels and add chemicals accordingly.