How Draining Your Pool Properly Can Protect Your Pool Deck
Draining the pool doesn’t come to mind often. Learn how you can drain yours correctly and why it’s necessary.
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An empty pool is one of the last sad signifiers of the end of summer. An essential part of winter prep for homeowners, proper pool closing must be done carefully to avoid damage to the liner, your yard, and your concrete pool deck.
In this article, we’ll go over what can go wrong when draining and shuttering your pool, and how to avoid pool deck cracks and other damage to the surrounding area.
Why Drain your Pool?
Draining your pool heading into the off-season is an essential step of proper pool maintenance. Here’s why:
- Poor Water Quality: Over time, debris, algae, and contaminants can build up in pool water, making it cloudy, unsafe, and difficult to treat effectively with chemicals. Draining and refilling restores clean, balanced water.
- High Cyanuric Acid Levels: Excess cyanuric acid (stabilizer) reduces chlorine’s effectiveness, leaving your pool vulnerable to bacteria and algae. When levels get too high, draining is the only way to correct it.
- Evaporation & Chemical Imbalance: As water evaporates, dissolved minerals and chemicals concentrate, throwing off pH and hardness levels. Draining helps reset the balance and protects pool surfaces and equipment.
- Regular Maintenance: Periodically draining allows you to inspect, clean, and repair pool surfaces, tiles, and equipment. It’s a crucial step in long-term pool care and upkeep.
- Prevent Pool Deck Cracks: Excessive water pressure or imbalance between pool and ground water can strain the surrounding deck and structure. Draining helps relieve this stress and prevent cracking or shifting.
What to Do Before Draining the Pool
Find out from your local municipality where you should drain the pool water. Many towns and cities have regulations that prohibit people from discharging water into storm drains. Consider the levels of groundwater in your area. A high water table can cause an in-ground pool to flood on the ground. If the level of groundwater is high, it’s advisable for you to drain the pool partially.
Do you have a fiberglass or vinyl liner pool? Don’t drain it completely. Otherwise, you’ll damage the integrity of your pool. Both types may eventually form cracks or bow. The best thing to do is to drain these pools partially (up to a one-third of the way). If you’re not sure of how to drain the swimming pool safely, contact a trusted local pool repair company to assess the situation.
How to Drain Your Pool
- Turn Off All Pool Equipment: Shut down pumps, filters, heaters, and automatic cleaners to prevent damage while the pool is emptying.
- Use the Right Pump: Attach a submersible pump with a long hose to remove water efficiently. Avoid using your pool’s filtration system for draining.
- Choose a Proper Drain Location: Direct the hose or submersible pump discharge line to an approved area such as a sanitary sewer clean-out or a grassy section that can absorb the water slowly.
- Monitor the Process Constantly: Keep an eye on the pump, hose placement, and drainage flow to prevent flooding or soil erosion around your property.
- Stop Before Fully Emptying (if possible): Leave a few inches of water at the bottom to avoid structural pressure issues, especially for in-ground pools in high water table areas.
- Clean While Drained: Use this opportunity to scrub walls, remove stains, and inspect for cracks or damage before refilling.
- Refill and Rebalance: Once maintenance is complete, refill the pool, restart equipment, and test chemical levels to ensure a safe swimming environment.
- Avoid Draining During Rainy Weather: Heavy rain can increase ground pressure and risk the pool lifting or cracking while empty—always plan for dry conditions.
What Are the Risks of Improper Pool Drainage?
Improper pool drainage can cause serious structural and surface issues around your pool area. When a pool is drained incorrectly or too quickly, the surrounding soil can shift due to changes in water pressure. This imbalance can cause the concrete deck to settle unevenly, resulting in cracks, sinking slabs, or gaps between the pool edge and the deck.
Fortunately, polyurethane foam injection offers an efficient and noninvasive solution to repair and restore damaged pool decks. This process involves injecting a lightweight, expanding foam beneath the concrete slabs to fill voids, lift sunken areas, and reestablish a level surface. The foam hardens quickly and provides long-lasting stabilization, preventing further movement caused by soil shifting or moisture changes.
Contact JES For Lasting Pool Deck Repair
If your pool deck has begun to crack or sink due to drainage issues, JES Foundation Repair can help. Our team specializes in polyurethane foam injection and other concrete lifting methods designed to restore safety, function, and curb appeal to your pool area. Contact JES today for a free inspection and learn how our experts can bring your pool deck back to life.
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