How to Drain an Aboveground Pool

Most above-ground swimming pools hold 10,000 to 30,000 gallons of water, which carries a weight of approximately 80,000 to 250,000 pounds. Safely and efficiently removing this much water so you can clean, repair or winterize your pool is important because large amounts of water--if not carefully routed to a drainage point--can seriously damage lawns, garden beds and building foundations.

Things You'll Need

• 4-inch non-perforated drainage tile
• Submersible sump pump
• Outdoor extension cord
• Garden hose
• Wet vac
• Push broom

Instructions

Preparatory Steps

1. Check with local officials about ordinances concerning water drainage. Urban areas will have regulations you must follow, as may some rural areas.

2. Locate a safe, legal place as near to the pool as possible where you can drain the pool water. The spot needs to be level with or lower than the pool's pad. If you live in the country, it may be a gully or culvert next to a road. If you live in a city, a street sewer may be the best spot.

3. Make sure you have enough drainage tile to reach from the pool to the drainage point you have identified.

Draining the Bulk of the Pool Water

1. Unplug your pool pump.

2. Shut off any skimmer or return hose valves your pool may have.

3. Run the drainage tile from the side of the pool to the drainage point.

4. Unhook the skimmer hose(s) from the pump and insert the end of the hose(s) into the drainage tile.

5. Open up your pool hose valves, and the water will start draining from your pool. Depending upon the width of your pool hose, the water will drain at a rate of about 50 gallons per minute. This means that draining 1,000 gallons of water will take about 20 minutes. The pool water will drain down to the level of your lowest hose coupling, which is usually 1 to 4 inches from the bottom of the pool.

Draining the Remainder of the Water

1. Remove the skimmer hoses from the drainage tile.

2. Look for the deepest portion of the remaining water. Although pools are supposed to be level on the bottom, most above-ground pools sink in spots a little bit over time because they are usually set on sand pads.

3. Wade into the pool and place the submersible pump in the deepest area of the remaining water. It is safe for the insulated electric cord to get wet, but make sure the plug at the end of the cord stays outside the pool and does not touch any water.

4. Attach the garden hose to the submersible pump.

5. Get out of the pool and insert the loose end of the garden hose into the drainage tile.

6. Check to make sure the sump pump's electrical plug has not gotten not wet.

7. Plug in the submersible pump, using an outdoor extension cord if needed. The pump will start draining the remaining water.

8. Bring the push broom with you back into the pool, once the pump has drained all but about 1/4 inch of the remaining water.

9. Go to the point in the pool furthest away from the pump and use the broom to push the water toward the pump. Keep moving the water toward the pump, and within 10 to 15 minutes you'll have to start moving closer and closer to the pump as the water is drained.

Finishing the Job

1. Get out of the pool and unplug the submersible pump once the pump can no longer drain any more water. There will still be thin puddles of water in the pool.

2. Plug in the wet vac, using an extension cord if necessary. Make sure that the cord's plug stays out of the pool so it does not get wet.

3. Bring the wet vac into the pool, turn it on and vacuum up any remaining water. Depending upon how much water was left, you may have to periodically empty the wet vac. A full wet vac is heavy to lift out of a pool, since 5 gallons of water weighs about 43 pounds. If needed, you can submerge the sump pump into the canister of the wet vac to pump out the water.

Tips & Warnings

• If possible, drain your pool on a warm, sunny day. The sun will help dry out the pool quickly as you remove the water. Sump pumps and wet vacs can be rented from most equipment rental yards. Give yourself a full day to drain a 30,000-gallon pool.

• Always check electrical cords before using them in or around water. Do not use a piece of equipment that has a damaged cord.