Should your swimming pool be drained? Express Pool Care service contractors explain
Draining a swimming pool isn’t something that many pool owners will be faced with. If you ever wonder, should your swimming pool be drained, be aware that it is not something the “average” pool owner should do on his own without the assistance of a Phoenix, Arizona swimming pool service contractor. The pool contractors from Express Pool Care say that if you’re not familiar with pool drainage techniques, you can seriously damage your swimming pool if you drain it without understanding the intricacies of the task.
Should you drain your swimming pool?
It’s dangerous and could damage your pool if you drain it without knowing how:
- Draining an in ground pool with a vinyl liner is one of the most hazardous types of pools to drain and should only be done by a swimming pool professional. If you drain it incorrectly, the walls
could collapse. Vinyl liner pools are backfilled with dirt as the water levels rise to equalize the pressure. Today’s vinyl liner pools are not designed to hold the weight of the dirt without water in the pool. Keep in mind that if you drain the water, the liner will float away from the wall. Ground water that might have seeped in and under the liner will also cause it to float and wrinkle. - If you have to drain an above ground pool and refill it, keep in mind the liner can shrink during the draining process and lead to tearing when the pool is refilled. The older your pool liner is, the less it will stretch during the refill process – and this could lead to tearing. Don’t drain a pool in cold weather as this will also reduce the “stretch-ability” of the liner. After the pool has been drained and repairs completed, refill it as quickly as possible. Recruit friends to help keep wrinkles out when refilling. Add only an inch or two of water at a time to keep the liner from shifting.
- When draining a fiberglass or gunite pool you run the risk of groundwater problems. If the fiberglass pool was constructed properly, it should have the structural integrity to withstand the weight of the dirt that was backfilled. If, however, ground water has built up and is high it could push the entire pool casing out of the ground.
When you’ve decided your pool needs to be drained; or if you pool professional has told you it needs to be drained, know that while it may be a large undertaking, it is likely necessary to address an issue which could lead to bigger problems if not addressed properly. your pool contractor does not take the draining of the pool lightly — it is a delicate act that requires skill and experience.