Draining Pool To Sewer Cleanout

[lasvegas1976]

Has anyone here drained a pool to a sewer cleanout?

My pool is being remodeled and re-plastered at the end of the month.

In Las Vegas, the law is to drain out a pool to the sewer's cleanout.

My only concern is the possibility of the house being flooded if water starts coming up the other way.

The company handling the pool project is likely the biggest in town and also have a large office in Los Angeles.

There are warnings on the official Las Vegas Water District's website, about possibly flooding the home during a pool drain if the pumping rate is too high. They recommend no more than 12 gallons per minute and even less if possible to be safe. I've never had a pool drained before, so I have no idea if they place a pump in the pool that regulates how fast the pool is actually drained?

 

[mknauss]

I drain to the sewer clean out. It is correct you need to limit the flow rate to keep it from backing up. Depends on how clean the sewer line is to the main.

 

[lasvegas1976]

I drain to the sewer clean out. It is correct you need to limit the flow rate to keep it from backing up. Depends on how clean the sewer line is to the main.

The sewer line is pretty clean (or should be). We don't toss anything other than toilet paper that breaks down quick.

How many gallons do you think you do per minute?

 

[mknauss]

I use a little sump pump. Puts out about 5 gpm.
A contractor will want to use a gas powered pump. Likely putting out close to 40 gpm. They will likely have a person there and thus want it done quick.
I feel everyone should have a sump pump if they own a pool. You could get one from Amazon or harbor freight and drain it yourself.

 

[Newdude]

+1. It's like a shop (wet/dry) vac. You don't need it until you NEED it. Then it's worth it's weight in gold. It also comes in handy plenty of other times

 

[lasvegas1976]

I use a little sump pump. Puts out about 5 gpm.
A contractor will want to use a gas powered pump. Likely putting out close to 40 gpm. They will likely have a person there and thus want it done quick.
I feel everyone should have a sump pump if they own a pool. You could get one from Amazon or harbor freight and drain it yourself.

A plumber said to me "as long as your floor is higher than your cleanout, the water would back out of your cleanout before it backs into your house" - not sure what that means exactly but that's better than going in the house.

 

[Newdude]

A plumber said to me "as long as your floor is higher than your cleanout, the water would back out of your cleanout before it backs into your house" - not sure what that means exactly but that's better than going in the house.

It means water is lazy. If the clean out is open and below anything you cared about, all that stuff would be high and dry as the water that exceeded the flow limits exited the low spot.

If the levels were close, flooding would still be a concern once the puddle grew large enough. If it's sloped away, it's somebody else's problem downhill.

 

[lasvegas1976]

It means water is lazy. If the clean out is open and below anything you cared about, all that stuff would be high and dry as the water that exceeded the flow limits exited the low spot.

If the levels were close, flooding would still be a concern once the puddle grew large enough. If it's sloped away, it's somebody else's problem downhill.

The cleanout is probably about 6-7 feet away from the house. I live on a private gated block, so if it started coming out of the cleanout it likely slope in the direction away from the house and then follow the drain path on the street to wherever the sewer is (not sure where it is but certainly not on my block).

 

[JamesW]

You have to use an air-gap to prevent any possibility of pressurizing the waste line.

If the waste line backs up the air gap *should* prevent any pressure from building and forcing the waste into the house.

The service people might have a pump that can do anywhere from about 60 GPM to 200 GPM, so you have to check what pump they intend to use and monitor it for problems as it runs.

 

[JamesW]

The cleanout is probably about 6-7 feet away from the house.

What is the pipe diameter?

 

[Newdude]

The service people might have a pump that can do anywhere from about 60 GPM to 200 GPM, so you have to check what pump they intend to use and monitor it for problems as it runs.

+1. I bought a rinky dink 1HP submersible that does 60 GPM if I use a 1.5 inch discharge pipe. The pool folks likely have bigger pumps because time is money.

 

[JamesW]

This pump is probably doing about 100 to 150 gpm.

150 GPM is 9,000 gallons per hour.

 

[lasvegas1976]

What is the pipe diameter?

I believe the sewer line is either 3 or 4 inch ABS

 

[lasvegas1976]

This pump is probably doing about 100 to 150 gpm.

150 GPM is 9,000 gallons per hour.

My friend used the same company that I hired, he said his draining took over a day. I think they left it and came back the next morning, so I assume it must not do that many GPM. He said the pump looked smallish and the hose was 1.5 or 2 inches at most.

 

[lasvegas1976]

You have to use an air-gap to prevent any possibility of pressurizing the waste line.

If the waste line backs up the air gap *should* prevent any pressure from building and forcing the waste into the house.

The service people might have a pump that can do anywhere from about 60 GPM to 200 GPM, so you have to check what pump they intend to use and monitor it for problems as it runs.

I spoke to my personal pool guy. He said he's drained 100s of pools over the years and only once did the water start coming back to the home, came up through a bathroom sink and they then ran it to the street. However, that cleanout was located in the home, against the wall I think, not outside in the ground.