A pool in the backyard or at the rooftop is an excellent addition to your family’s fun and enjoyment. Just imagine a moment- an enjoyable holiday and you are with your kids in the pool. Life cannot be better than that.
However, at times you may need to drain it- be it an above-ground or in-ground pool. It is essential to clean the pool from time to time and maintain hygiene, which requires removing it first.
But do you know how to drain an above-ground pool? Or even do you know how to dump the last few inches of water in the Intex pool?
Maybe you know one but have little knowledge about the other. Also, there are multiple techniques to drain or vacuum an above-ground and in-ground pool. These methods include the use of a pump, water hose or adapter, sand filter, and so on.
For your ardent convenience, we are going to describe all of these possible draining techniques of above-ground pools one by another. So, either way, this article ardently covers your necessity.
Reasons for Draining an Above Ground Pool
Let’s admit it; you will rarely need to drain an above-ground pool totally. So, why is it essential to remove water from an above-ground pool?
Here’s the answer.
- Overtimes the pool liner gets damaged, and a compromised pool liner isn’t good for the pool water health. Of course, you can repair it with a reputable brand. But it’s best to replace a damaged pool liner. And for this, you need to drain the pool water.
- From time to time, you will need to replace the pool water with fresher ones. And it is needless and inappropriate to say that to replace the old pool water with freshwater, you need to drain the pool at first.
- Sometimes chlorine imbalance or locking in the pool water can wreak havoc on your health. While most chemical imbalances can be treated without draining the pool water, chlorine locking is a different story. You need to consume every inch of pool water for it.
- At times, especially during winter, you may want to store the pool. Furthermore, you may require relocating the pool for unavoidable reasons. Either way, you need to vacuum the pool water at first and proceed to the next steps from there.
Two Techniques on How to Drain an Above Ground Pool
To be honest, you pretty much have two alternatives when it comes to draining or vacuuming an above-ground pool water. These are:
- Draining the above ground pool with a hose or adapter
- Draining the pool water with a pump
While the pump vacuuming is necessary to pump out every bit of water from the pool, the garden hose or adapter technique is used to drain the pool partially.
We have covered both the aforementioned techniques and the bonus, sand filter, and cartridge technique in the following sections.
Technique One: The use of a Pump to Drain the Pool
When it is necessary to replace the pool water or treat the chlorine and pH imbalance, you will require emptying the pool firstly. At this moment, the use of a submersible pump or vacuum is by far the most efficient and fastest process to vacuum the pool.
You will require the following things for the pool draining with a pump.
- Electric cord extension
- Submersible pump
The steps of draining an above-ground pool with a pump are:
Step 1: Unrolling the pump hose
You need to unfold the water pump hose so that it reaches the center of the pool water. However, if the tube isn’t long enough to reach the pool center, make sure it goes as close as ardently possible. Next, submerge it in the water.
Step 2: Picking the draining area
Next, you need ardently to figure out where to drain pool water. For this, check your city rules first. Some city corporations will ask you to dump the pool water in a sewage line, particularly when you have to empty the water sufficiently.
That’s being said, make sure the outlet water hose of the pump reaches far enough so that it doesn’t flood the pool area. Ideally, it should take the drained water outside of the home.
Step 3: Turing on the pump
Before you turn on the water pump, make sure your hands are dehydrated. It is crucial since you will be working with electric pumps. Then connect the pump power outlet with the proper power source. You might profoundly need an extension cord to reach the power outlet.
Step 4: Start the draining process
Next, confirm that the pump is running at the intended speed. Then begin the water vacuuming procedure.
Continue the draining until the stage where the motor will be unable to pump out any more water.
Step 5: Finishing it off
When the pump reaches its maximum cleaning level, turn it off and clean it. Your pool will still have a few inches of water left inside.
You will require applying a different technique to drain such a low amount of water level from the pool (We have it covered in the relevant section).
Technique Two: How to Drain an Above Ground Pool without a Pump
Investing in a pump to drain an above-ground pool is a costly expenditure. Also, it is rarely necessary since, in most cases, you will be vacuuming the pool water partially.
Thus, we recommend you siphon the pool water with a garden hose or adapter. It is inexpensive and straightforward. So, we are describing the steps on how to drain a pool with a hose or without a pump.
Things you will need:
- Garden hose or adapter
Ideally, if you can attach more than one garden hose, it will be more efficient and less time-consuming. The steps include:
Step 1: Fix the water draining place
The last thing you wouldn’t want is to flood the pool area with the drained water. So, fix the place where you want to put away the water. You can stretch the water hose end to your house draining line for this purpose.
Step 2: Starting the siphon process
While many people choose their mouth to siphon the garden hose, we discourage it. You may end up swallowing the dirty pool water and cause diarrhea. Instead, use a full garden hose attached with the water faucet.
Or you can cut the garden hose at 6ft to 8ft in length for the draining purpose. Once you cut the tube at your desired length, cover its one end with hand. Then, pull the tight end of the hose quickly from the pool water. Next, place it downward so that it reaches below the level of the pool surface.
This way, you can siphon the water tube or create a vacuum to suction the water.
When you use a complete water hose, attach its outer end with the water faucet. Use a clamp to hold the garden hose snuggly with the valve so that it doesn’t get detached from the pool water flowing pressure.
Step 3: Drain the pool water
Now it’s time to prepare the siphon procedure to drain the pool water. For the partially cut hose, once you have submerged the hose end in the water, remove your hand. The vacuum created within it will start sucking the water and drain it through the other end of the hose adapter.
When you use a complete hose, submerge it in the pool water and then remove the mounting clamp from the faucet connection. It will drain out the water.
Once you lower the garden hose from the above-ground pool level, the water will start flowing towards the desired draining position.
However, likewise, with the use of the pump, the garden adapter won’t be able to drain the pool completely. For this, you need to follow a different technique.
Tips on How to Drain Last Few Inches of Water From an Above Ground Pool
Investing in a pump to drain an above ground pool is a costly expenditure. Also, it is rarely necessary since, in most cases, you will be vacuuming the pool water partially.
Thus, we recommend you to siphon the pool water with a garden hose or adapter. It is inexpensive and straightforward. So, we are describing the steps on how to drain a pool with a hose or without a pump.
Things you will need:
- Garden hose or adapter
Ideally, if you can attach more than one garden hose, it will be more efficient and less time-consuming. The steps include
Step 1: Fix the water draining place
The last thing you wouldn’t want is to flood the pool area with the drained water. So, fix the place where you want to put away the water. You can stretch the water hose end to your house draining line for this purpose.
Step 2: Starting the siphon technique
While many people choose their mouth to siphon the garden hose, we discourage it. You may end up swallowing the dirty pool water and cause diarrhea. Instead, use a full garden hose attached to the water faucet.
Or you can cut the garden hose at 6ft to 8ft in length for the draining purpose. Once you cut the tube at your desired length, cover its one end with hand. Then, pull the tight end of the hose quickly from the pool water. Next, place it downward so that it reaches below the level of the pool surface.
This way, you can siphon the water tube or create a vacuum to suction the water.
When you use a complete water hose, attach its outer end with the water faucet. Use a clamp to hold the garden hose snuggly with the valve so that it doesn’t get detached with the pool water flowing pressure.
Step 3: Drain the pool water
Now it’s time to prepare the siphon procedure to drain the pool water. For the partially cut hose, once you have submerged the hose end in the water, remove your hand. The vacuum created within it will start sucking the water and drain it through the other end of the hose adapter.
When you use a complete hose, submerge it in the pool water and then remove the mounting clamp from the faucet connection. It will drain out the water.
Once you lower the garden hose from the above-ground pool level, the water will start flowing towards the desired draining position.
However, likewise, with the use of the pump, the garden adapter won’t be able to drain the pool completely. For this, you need to follow a different technique.
How to drain last few inches of water from an above ground pool
Whether you apply a pump or garden hose adapter to vacuum or drain the above-ground pool water, it will still leave a few inches of water in the pool. So, it is a major concern for a high ground complete draining.
So, here are our expert tips on draining the above-ground pool completely.
Technique 1: Use a wet vacuum
The easiest and popular method to obliterate the last remaining water is the use of a quality wet vacuum. It is a super handy electric tool and is optimized to remove a large amount of water in a relatively short time.
What’s more, it is easy to use on any surface.
Technique 2: Use the main drain
Sometimes an above ground pool may have a second water inlet or drain. You can use it to remove the last few inches of water from the pool surface. You will only require to open the drain, and that’s all.
Technique 3: Use of water trench
If you are going to replace the old pool liner with a new pool liner, we recommend you to use a water trench to remove every bit of pool water.
For it, dig an adequately deep trench under the pool. Make sure the pool water runs through the ditch to the desired place. Now, create a hole in the pool liner. It will permit the remaining water level to drain out through the trench.
Bonus Guideline on How to drain above ground pool with sand filter:
If you want more precision and refined pool cleaning with the least effort, using the sand filter for pool draining or vacuuming is your best option. The added filtering system of the sand filter helps you clean the pool water better and maintain it with ease.
What’s more, the sand filter is relatively inexpensive and is usable with a variety of settings with the pool vacuum or pump. The most common settings for the sand filter are:
- Rinse
- Backwash
- Filter
- Closed
- Waste
- Recirculate
The filter setting is the most standard above-ground pool draining mechanism. It is best applicable if the pool water hasn’t developed any algae formation. However, if you find the pool too dirty, we recommend you use the ‘waste’ setting.
The process will include:
- At first, turn off the pool draining pump.
- Roll the draining hose towards the draining position right from the center of the above ground pool.
- In the settings, you will see the filtration mentioned above options. Turn the valve port and select the ‘filter’ or ‘waste’ setting.
- Now turn on the pool cleaning pump and check that the power is at an adequate level.
- Now, start working with the pump and proper filtration setting.
- Once you reach the desired water level, turn off the pump.
- At this stage, there will be a few inches of water left in the pool. Use the ‘filter’ setting to vacuum the rest of the water and clean the pool water.
You need to follow the user manual provided by the sand filter manufacturer so that it remains reusable in the future.
Another Bonus Guideline on How to drain a pool with a cartridge filter
Some pools have a mounted cartridge filter for proper water maintenance. In this case, you need to adapt a different draining technique for the pool.
You can choose between two methods:
- Drain plug
- Drain valve
The processes are described below.
With the use of a drain plug:
- Power off the pool draining pump.
- The drain plug is screwed at the back of the cartridge filter. Reach the screws and use a wrench to remove the screws.
- Now turn on the water pump and work with it until you reach the desired level of water drenching.
- Then, remove the pump and screw the filter properly.
With the use of a drain valve:
Sometimes, between the cartridge filter and the water pump, you will find a valve. Then, instead of using the drain plug, you need to use the pipe.
- You need to rotate the valve so that it comes in a position to block the pool water from going to the filter.
- Then use the pump to drench the water.
- Lastly, place the 3-way water valve in its regular place so water can start flowing through the cartridge filter.
How To Drain Last Bit Of Water From In-ground Pool
If you have an in-ground pool, you may be wondering how to drench it to the last drop of water. Well, the process is similar to that of the above-ground pool. Once you have saturated the in-ground pool water to the 6” to 12” level, you can use Wet Vac or main drain or even a trench for it.
You shouldn’t feel much difficulty with the process.
Tips on How To Drain Intex Pool Without Adapter
Intex builds several pools with various functions and sizes. These are cheap and easy to dismantle for storing. So, homeowners with kids prefer choosing the Intex pools for their homes.
However, these pools need a special adapter for draining. It comes separately, and you may require to spend on it. So, we are putting a method here that will allow you to drench the pool with an adapter. Its process includes:
- You may want to start with the checking of pool water chemistry. If the pH level is right, you may use it to water the lawn grass.
- Find the valve outside of the pool and connect the female end of the garden hose with it. Then, attach the other end ardently of the hose with the sprinkler.
- Once you attach the pool valve with the garden hose’s female end, you can proceed to the draining.
Since the Intex in-ground pool grounding works against gravity, it is a long process. You may require from two to four hours for a small Intex pool drenching to as long as twelve hours to drain the largest ones. So, have patience during the entire drenching procedure.
Conclusion
This is our in-depth tutorial on how to drain an above-ground pool. We have included all the pool draining solutions in the guidelines, so it covers all of your necessities. Besides, we haven’t left out the in-ground pool vacuum as well.
Hence, we aspire that you now understand every possible technique to drench the pool. It will help you maintain, relocate, or store the pool during winter seasons or at times of necessity. Good luck.
Henry Jurk is an experienced architect with over 20 years of expertise in paving. He shares his knowledge and provides solutions through his blog posts at OkPatio.com. If you have any questions about patios, gardens, and outdoor spaces, you can find the correct answers from Henry. You can contact him via email at ar.henryjurk@gmail.com or through the website’s contact page.
