How to drain a swimming pool

There are many reasons why you may want to drain the water from your swimming pool. Perhaps the minerals in the water have become too concentrated, making it difficult to maintain a healthy chemical balance, or you may want to make repairs to the pool's surface.

No matter what the reason for your job, if you want to take all the water out of your swimming pool, you may wonder just what kind of equipment to use to get the job done.

A submersible pump can be used if you have a concrete or gunite pool.

However, if your pool is vinyl lined or made from fibreglass it might be better to call in the professionals as these linings can tear, rip and collapse if the job is not done correctly. 

Before you begin to undertake this task, you must think about where the water will go. In some places it may be a violation of local codes or regulations to send water down the gutters or storm drains as the volume could be too high for these structures to handle.

If you decide to attempt to drain your pool yourself, here is a guide. 

Use as much of the water as you can in your lawn or garden. You can use the backwash pump to send it to this area, but you will want to make sure the water's chemicals will not damage any plants in your garden.

Next, check all of the pipes for obstructions and clean them if necessary.

It is vital to turn the power off to prevent any electrocution risks, and so no electricity is wasted on the filtration system, circuit breaker or automatic water fill valve.

Ensure you are aware of all the manufacturers' instructions and warnings before you commence use and make sure you know how to turn the machine on and off.

Once everything is set up and ready to go, you can then plug your submersible pump into an electrical outlet. Make sure you use one equipped with a working ground-fault circuit interrupter.

Attach the drainage hose to the pump according to the directions and set it to pump no more than 45 litres per minute.

The pump should be located into the deepest part of the pool and the drainage hose near the sewer clean-out.

Make sure all connections are secure and that the pipes won't disconnect when the water begins to flow.

Remember, there should not be any water flowing out of the sewer clean-out when water is flowing from the pool. It is recommended you regularly check to ensure it is running smoothly.

Most pumps are designed so they stop when the water level is too low, at which point you will need to flush the remaining debris out with your household hose.