Drain Pool Fast

by Den Barrington
(Florida)

What is a quicker and better way to drain your pool other than by backwashing during a bad storm that threatens to fill up the pool and overflow toward the house?

Hi Den

I would need to know more about your filter and how it is hooked up to the pool to give an exact answer but here are a few possibilities.

One way of getting water out of an above ground pool fast would be to hook your vacuum hose up under the skimmer. This would allow you to direct the water to a more convenient location than around your house. It would also drain the water very quickly and not require the use of electricity during a storm. This will only be an option for you if you use the flexible pool hose for your filter setup.

If you are using solid PVC pipe you could install a T under the skimmer. The T in the fitting could connect to a pipe and be run anywhere in the yard you wanted, or to a clean out, the alley or the street. This pipe could be on top of the ground or buried. You would have a valve under the skimmer, or anywhere along this pipe, that gets opened only when you need to release water fast.

A return fitting could be installed into the pool wall, at a location away from the house. It could be set high up the wall, just below the top rail. This fitting would have a hose, or pipe, connected to the outside to get the water away from the pool. It could always be left open and act as a safeguard against over filling the pool, or it could have a valve placed in the line and only be used when needed.

Most sand filters have a by-pass position in the valve assembly. This position is preferred over the backwash for pumping out a lot of water fast. If your electrical is safe to run during a storm this might be the best solution.

Draining An Above Ground Pool

by Don

How do I empty an above ground pool? I have a pump, what do I do?

Hi Don

There are several ways to empty an above ground pool. The most commonly used method is the siphon hose. You take a garden hose and hook it up to your hose bib. The other end goes into the pool. I usually wiggle the end of the hose under the ladder to keep it on the bottom of the pool. You then turn the water on and let it run for a couple of minutes. Shut the water off, unhook the hose from the tap, and the water should start flowing backwards. This is a slow way of doing it, could take several days. The main advantage is that by moving the hose around enough, you can water your entire property. The ground will soak up the water without flooding.

Another way to empty a pool is to rent a submersible pump. All rental shops have them. You can drain a pool in a few hours this way. The best way to handle this much water is to drain the pool into your sewer cleanout. Most cities frown on dumping pool water out into the street.

The last way of draining an above ground pool is to use the existing pump. In order to do this you need to attach your vacuum hose directly to the front of the pump. You should then be able to fill the hose with water and start the pump. Be sure to weight the hose to the pool floor. Once you loose your prime it can be hard to restart. It does not work to use the vacuum hose into the skimmer, like you were cleaning the pool. As soon as the water gets below the skimmer air starts to get into the line and you loose your suction. If you get the flow going this method works much like a submersible pump, it will drain the pool quickly, so you need to be able to deal with the water.