There are a lot of talks again in the news and online forums about draining pools and we want to set the record straight. Sure, it’s winter and what is considered the “safest” time to drain a swimming pool but are you going to achieve the best results? Are there still risks? Should you be draining a swimming pool when the water is so hard in many areas of the country? In the end, it depends on who you talk to. Many pool professionals and industry professionals will always tell you to drain a swimming pool but there is also a lot in the industry that will tell you to recycle the pool water if you can.
Why Is A Drain and Refill Recommended
With cooler weather across the country, most pool professionals will recommend a water change/drain and refill if your Calcium Hardness, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), or CYA levels are high. They suggest a water change because now is the “safest” time to change out the water in your pool but that isn’t necessarily the case and we hope we can use this blog post to educate you on why you shouldn’t empty your pool.
There are major risks and dangers anytime you plan on draining a swimming pool, which includes vinyl liner and fiberglass pools. Some of the risks of draining swimming pool water are summarized below:
- In-ground vinyl liner swimming pools are the most dangerous to drain as they do not have any physical structure to hold back the weight of the dirt when the pool is drained. When the pool is drained, it can cause the walls of the swimming pool to collapse, or groundwater can cause the interior finish to float. THIS ISN’T GOOD FOR THE SWIMMING POOL!
- Fiberglass pools are often inserted into an excavated area and then backfilled with dirt. Since the water weight is far greater than the weight of the fiberglass shell, removing the water weight in a fiberglass pool is extremely dangerous as it applies to these types of pools popping out of the ground. THIS ISN’T GOOD FOR THE SWIMMING POOL!
- In-ground concrete pools are structurally built to withstand the weight of the water pushing outward on the shell, and that water weight helps keep the shell in the ground. However, if the groundwater is high enough, it can push the entire pool out of the ground. Once a pool has popped out of the ground it will not go back down! AGAIN, THIS ISN’T GOOD FOR THE SWIMMING POOL!
- In-ground concrete swimming pool finishes (plaster) can also crack when the temperature is above 70-75 degrees and the surface of the swimming pool doesn’t remain wet. The swimming pool plaster has been wet since the day it was installed (it cures underwater) and contracts when the water is taken away. Once this finish rehydrates, it expands and the risk of delamination occurs. ONCE AGAIN, THIS ISN’T GOOD FOR THE SWIMMING POOL!
Do you see a theme? Why risk major damage when you can recycle the pool water instead? Pure Water Industries has successfully built over 30 mobile filtration trailers for use all over the country to recycle residential and commercial swimming pool water. This is the best alternative to a drain and refill. The interior finish is never exposed and we provide drinking quality water which is much better than tap water. So, no matter what industry professionals say, is it worth the risk?