Draining An Inground Pool For Winter

You must keep at minimum a few inches of water usually six to 12 inches is safe covering the floor of the shallow end of the pool at all times.

Draining an inground pool for winter.

Steps to winterize a swimming pool. In ground pool draining requirements are similar to those of their above ground counterparts. Conducting an inground pool drain is something that all pool owners have to deal with at some point. If you have an inground vinyl liner swimming pool then you have a minimum safe water level that you must observe at all times.

A leak in the skimmer may not pose a problem but a leak in the pool light main drain or a rip in a vinyl liner can remove the supporting water level your pool. In ground pools can sometimes be susceptible to leaks and a leak during winter can cause problems so first and foremost find any fix any suspected leaks in the shell of the pool. But make no mistake. These steps do typically involve some draining.

Draining an inground vinyl liner pool for the winter. Drain the water down to no more than 6 inches from the bottom of the skimmer if you plan to use a standard floating winter cover. Lower the water with a pump. It also makes your job much easier when it s time to open it again in the spring.

The main drain of an in ground pool can do this using the pool pump draining from the bottom using the pump waste main control handle setting. The method described below whereby pool plumbing pipes are blown out and sealed first was most widely performed in new england and the east coast of the us. Or it works to setup a vacuum hose as if vacuuming using the skimmer suction so that the pump draws water from below the skimmer level. Use your pool filter switched to the drain setting to empty the pool water.

Closing your pool for the winter is an essential part of keeping your pool and equipment trouble free year round. In winter the water in your pool is still your friend. For example draining the heat pump to get rid of excess water or lowering the water below the skimmer level and jets to prevent plumbing freezes. Whether it is the end of the swimming season or the pool needs to be drained for some other reason you will have to get the water out at some point.

If you live in milder climates you can skip certain steps like adding antifreeze and you may even be able to keep your hoses and filters connected. Here s a guide on how to winterize a pool for the cold months so you can jump right into the summer fun next year.