Retire Pool For 15 Months. Drain Pool?

skn38 · Postby **skn38** » Mon 03 Aug, 2009 19:05

I just bought a house with an in-ground pool at the back of the house in Orlando, Florida. The pump is stolen and the water is now green. We won't be 'regularly using' pool and can do without the use of the pool for about 12-15 months. Can I just drain the pool and leave it dry? (as i Don't want to 'maintain'' [with clrorinator, chemicals, etc] it while we are not using the pool) The walls in this pool is tiled and not lined. Would it be wise to do that instead of continuing with the chemicals and running the pump?

If the pool is a lined pool, can I drain the water completely, at all? Any expert advice is much appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

Newbie

Crimson · Postby **Crimson** » Tue 04 Aug, 2009 10:15

I think the problem with draining here in Florida is the risk of popping the pool. The water table is so high here that if you drain it, and don't have a plug at the bottom of the pool, it could pop out of the ground (Yes, in-ground concrete pools can do this.. ) Best bet may be to cover it and dump some chlorine in every month to keep it somewhat under control.

That being said, I just purchased a short sale house and the pool finish was ruined by not maintaining it for nearly a year.. I had to replaster.. So if the finish is in good condition and you want to keep it that way, you might consider getting it fixed up and maintaining it. If it has to be refinished already, just dumping in a couple gallons of chlorine a month would probably be fine to keep bugs and such under control.

Postby **czechmate** » Wed 05 Aug, 2009 14:05

Covering pool and dumping low chlorine bleach in the middle of summer in Florida is asking for a big trouble.
Algae will establish itself in the matter of a weeks. (This recipe may work in the wintertime in Texas with high grade chlorine). Without scrubbing and circulation it will penetrate the plaster in the depth of 4-6 inches. You will then be really searching the web and then your packet book to fix it.
If you pull the hydrostatic plug in a high water table, pool will fill with a junk water easy to 4ft depth or more.
That untreated water may ruin your plaster color permanently. (Even acid wash may not cancel the rim mark). Pool ownership does not offer too many short cuts that will not be adverse to the lifespan of surface of plaster. It is like pay me now or pay me later saying. Pool is similar to a sailboat. Only the owners know how much work and money lies behind that pretty snapshot.