Main pool drain cover broken

[Sarahdeakins]

We have recently purchased a home and are first time pool owners. We found the round pool drain cover that goes over the main drain at the deep end of our pool resting next to the drain one morning after we ran our pool cleaner. We attempted to reattach the cover but the housing where you screw the cover in is broken. For now, we have put the drain cover back in place, but it's not secured.

2 questions:

(1) what purpose does the drain cover serve? Is it there for safety or to keep debris out of the drain (or both)? Wondering if this not being secured over the drain has/is causing any problems we should have checked out.

(2) to repair this will we have to drain the pool? (say it isn't so!).

 

[atttech-2]

The covers primary function is safety there have been fatalities with older designs and/or broken covers. 2 things to be concerned with one is entrapment from the suction from the pump and the other is finger entrapment. New pools are required to have 2 drains that are connected to the same line but are separated by a minimum distance so that suction entrapment is almost impossible if a kid covers one the suction just comes from the other that is out of reach. Newer covers for both new and old pools are dome shaped with a grill structure that would be difficult to impossible to get fingers into. The dome shape helps prevent suction entrapment so for an older pool it is a good upgrade since you can't add another drain without major construction, if you ever replaster they may require you to add a second drain.

You absolutely need to have a safe secure cover if your pool has a separate valve for the main drain I would shut the drain off until you get it fixed. As far as how to fix it you can drain or suba or if you know a strong swimmer it is possible to free dive but that could be an exercise in frustration its not going to be easy and I would not recommend it.

Edit: oh and yes it keeps debris that is too large from getting sucked into the pipe and causing a cloge.

 

[Sarahdeakins]

Thank you, the cover does have a dome shape so if we were able to screw it in that would be great!

My my husband is a strong swimmer and might attempt the repair if it's not too complicated, but what we don't know now is how to remove the housing the drain cover attaches to. Does anyone know how that would work?

 

[atttech-2]

I would do a google search for pool drain retrofit kit as it sounds like what you have and see if you see something similar and/or post a picture.

I have a new pool so mine just screws into the original base. My guess on the retrofit style is the base attaches with screws to the screw sockets of the original plate and the new cover attaches to that.

You may have to get a mask and just dive down and see what it looks like.

 

[proavia]

Since the cover is not attached - pull it out, take a picture of both top and bottom, upload the pics to Photobucket and link them to this post. Maybe someone can tell you - what it is, if it's compliant with current entrapment guidelines and how to fix it or replace it.

I'd lean toward replacement - no need to have an unsafe main drain cover.