the overflow drain on my new pool appears to be just about a 3-4 foot pipe that is run directly into the ground. i was under the impression it would be run out somewhere where it could flow, but my pb says they are all like this???

it's just stopped up and will never really work like this right?

It has to go somewhere. It can't just stick into the ground. Where will all the water go? I could believe it if it had several sections of perforated pipe on it running underground.

Ha, yes, mine was like that too. It connected to a flex pipe that went UP into the landscaping. So dumb.

It cost me $2K to get that line run to the street.

One more thing, do start testing all the sprinkler lines where they ran the heavy equipment. Ours and the neighbors were crushed in a lot of places.

2Gs??? i live out in the country somewhat and if my pb still refuses to fix it, i can run some extra pipe, but i can't believe he told my wife that's how the overflow drain is supposed to function.

$10 a foot, tree roots, sprinkler lines, cutting and patching the curb. Also tying in one downspout with a catch basin that I can cover in drought so rain pours in yard not to street in that case.

I watched the pool overflow once, before it was installed. Would it flow to the backdoor or around the house? Hard to say, not 1/4"difference between those spots. Went around the house that time but hard to say which way it would go in a hurricane with debris floating in the pool. Nice to be able to take a summer vacation and not worry that the pool might flood the house.

I am having a ball valve installed on the overflow so I can keep it closed and not lose water from normal use and splashing. Will be able to open it when needed. Am I the only one that has done this? My PB wasn't big on overflows because of water loss and he suggested the ball valve.

Greenhaw

I have considered just inserting a piece of acrylic behind the grate to raise the lip of that by maybe 1/2", for that reason. The skimmer won't mind that level and I hope that may save a bit of refilling.

i was thinking of doing something like that too. mine is a waterway brand 2" X 4" drain feeding a 2" pipe. i don't think they make a cover for it, but i might try to make a cover i can snap on and off as needed.

My overflow will be piped into the same line that the deck drains tie into, which goes out into the yard to a pop up (french?) drain. I also installed a ball valve on the pool overflow for the very same reasons as I don't necessarily want it open all the time, but when I am away from the house or not using the pool I will have it open. It just provides more versatility.

just wanted to say thanks to all yall who mentioned installing a ball valve. it took me quite a while but i located the drain pipe stuck in the mud. i put in a 2" ball valve and housed it in one of those utility boxes because it was about 3-4 inches underground and piped the rest to the back of my property. now i have control over spill out.

just wanted to do a followup to my ball valve installation on my overflow drain. i'm so glad i did this. now when it rains 2" or less i just leave the valve closed and collect all that rainwater so i don't use nearly as much water from my autofiller. i've only had to open the valve once when it rained about 3" in one day. the 2" drain pipe brought the level down pretty quick. i highly suggest anyone building a new pool with an overflow drain to install a ball valve on the line.

Figured I'd add a followup to my drain cover as well. We did add the acrylic to the back side of the drain cover in the pool. It is halfway up the drain cover. This has raised the max level of the pool by about one inch. Nice to be able to catch some free water from the rain. After that inch is retained, any further rain goes out the overflow to the street.

When the pool is that full, the skimmers still work but do have a harder time of it. The Polaris also will tend to climb up onto the swim out ledge and get stuck. Both are minor issues that do not last for more than a day typically.

I would like to see a picture of your acrylic addition to the back of the drain cover. I dont have access to add a to the piping to add a ball valve and have been using duct tape over the cover which looks very tacky.

Great idea on the ball valve. My overflow just drains into the ditch and I could easily put in the ball valve in 10 minutes. Thanks!