Pros and cons to draining an inground to clean it

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Needsinputguy

Pros and cons to draining an inground to clean it

Postby Needsinputguy » Sun 29 Apr, 2012 11:55

Im wanting to drain my pool ... It looks like a swamp lol is it a good idea to drain it , clean it and refill ( in less than a day ) some people say no ( cause it will pop up ) others say drill a hole in the bottom ... Umm not an option lol .. Others say it wouldnt hurt anything .. Need some input and i do live in louisiana if that
Makes a difference


czechmate
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Pros and cons to draining an inground to clean it

Postby czechmate » Mon 30 Apr, 2012 19:33

First of all, all pool with main drain have a hydrostatic plug wich will alow you relieve a water pressure of the existing pool table.
Picking a correct time to do it when the soil is not soaked with a recent rains will insure the lower level of a water table.
Word of caution: Often the opening below the 1 1/4" plug may be plugged up with a 1/4 - 1/2" concrete sediment giving you the wrong impression of no water below the pool!
Have a rotary hammer ready to drill through it, to let the table water to flow in.
Usually you will collect around 2-3 ft of dirty water. Since you need an auxilliary pump to drain the pool anyway, use it to pump out this messy water to limit staining of bottom. Use pressure washer to wash the walls while running the auxilliary pump.
Get a fresh main drain plug to make sure it will not leak and you may consider a new main drain cover as well.
It is calculated on a diving depth of the pool, that it would take more than 4 feet of accumulated bottom waterpressure to raise the pool, calculating the weigth of the gunite shell, beam with connected deck and also the friction of settled soil on the outside shell, which is never smooth.
So with plug nicely open and water flowing in, you have not much to worry about.
Bottom line is, that it is in my opinion the most efective, quickest and most economical way to clean the gunite, while introducing new *spamm* water without the bad levels of CYA and CH!!
Rbbie

Re: Pros and cons to draining an inground to clean it

Postby Rbbie » Mon 02 Nov, 2015 08:55

We routinely drain wash and fill inground concrete pools that do not have a valve in the bottom. The pools are all infinity edge pools so the slightest movement of the shell would ruin the overflow.
I have yet to come across a pool that had shifted when empty. Our pools are all concrete fwiw.

Rob
sarena82
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Re: Pros and cons to draining an inground to clean it

Postby sarena82 » Fri 22 Jan, 2016 05:06

Most inground pools are available in an endless variety of shapes, sizes, depths and configurations. Included are commercial and residential, outdoor and indoor, community and private and big and small. The pools can be constructed from a variety of materials such as: steel, aluminum, concrete, plastic, wood, cement blocks and fiberglass. The walls can be covered with masonry finishes, tiles, vinyl, fiberglass, paint and other coatings. Some types of pools are better suited for certain uses and/or locations. Inground pools can be accessorized with a full range of convenience features. Different types of pools can encounter or require varying maintenance requirements.
Honey
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Re: Pros and cons to draining an inground to clean it

Postby Honey » Mon 25 Jan, 2016 00:33

constructed pool with concrete and walls are covered with tiles. Initially I little bit confused about concrete and steel but at the end I go with concrete construction.
Glen123
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Re: Pros and cons to draining an inground to clean it

Postby Glen123 » Thu 11 Feb, 2016 04:49

Nice Word of caution by czechmate and the point is informative that "Often the opening below the 1 1/4" plug may be plugged up with a 1/4 - 1/2" concrete sediment giving you the wrong impression of no water below the pool!"


Yeah i also have concrete pool...
Glen123
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Re: Pros and cons to draining an inground to clean it

Postby Glen123 » Thu 18 Aug, 2016 02:38

My friend have a small inground pool (12' x24') and he would like to be able to swim continuously, without having to turn around. He have seem add-on pump systems from nyc sewer, that create a current so you keep swimming straight ahead. However, the cost is more than I am prepared to spend. Are there less expensive options.

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