What happens if you empty an inground pool?

When one drains the pool and there happens to be water under the shell (like in the rainy spring when people want to clean up the pool) the entire pool shell can heave. This is because the water under the pool creates an upward hydrostatic force (through buoyancy) and the pool is lifted out of the ground.

Why is it bad to drain an aboveground pool?

Aboveground Pools. After draining, the liner can shrink which may then tear when refilling. The older the liner, the less it will stretch when refilling. Do not drain the pool in cold weather as this also reduces the stretching capability of the liner.

What happens when you drain a concrete swimming pool?

When the pool is drained it can cause the walls to collapse or groundwater can cause the liner to float; neither of which are good for swimming pools! In-ground, concrete pools are built structurally to withstand the weight of the water pushing outward on the shell, and that water weight helps keep the shell in the ground.

What happens to your pool liner when you drain it?

Depending on the type of pool, draining it can cause serious damage to its structure. After draining, the liner can shrink which may then tear when refilling. The older the liner, the less it will stretch when refilling.

Which is the most dangerous pool to drain?

In-ground vinyl liner swimming pools are the most dangerous to drain because the older pools may not have been built structurally to hold back the weight of the dirt against it when the pool is drained.

What happens when you drain a swimming pool?

You are draining the pool much faster than water can flow through the hydrostatic valve, which is designed to equalize the water level in the pool to the groundwater to compensate for a small leak or water loss.

What happens to groundwater when you drain a pool?

That water is heavy and presses on your pool. When your pool is full of water, the pressure of the pool water balances the groundwater. But once the pool is drained, there is nothing pushing back against the pressure from the groundwater. If you do need to drain your pool, you will need to remove the groundwater around it.

How do you drain water from an inground swimming pool?

However, if you are confident that your pool can withstand the draining process, rent a sump pump and connect it to the sewer drainage pipe. Place the pump in the deepest part of the pool and turn it on. Once the pool is drained, don’t leave it empty of water for too long because the liner may begin to dry out and crack in the sunlight.

Is it OK to drain a pool without opening it?

If you have hydrostats in your pool, never drain the pool without opening them. The other danger from hydrostatic pressure is the weight of water around your pool. If the water table is higher than the floor of the deep end of your pool, water in the ground around your pool will put pressure on its walls.