To drain or not to drain???

[TF Tim]

I have a conundrum and hoping the forum can help me.

Situation
I have an older 20x40 Gunite pool. We had some one come in to look at resurfacing and retiling. They talked us out of that the resurfacing because it looked pretty good (thanks TFP!) so we are just planning to drain, pressure wash, and retile. Some small bulging in a couple places up at the water line, their advice was really no big deal just cosmetic. Pool is currently winterized - lines blown out.

We are going to put a pool house at end of pool requiring all plumbing to be disturbed. This will be a 90+ day project. We are in New England so warmer summer months are coming.

Question One?
Not sure how if we leave the water in the pool we are going to manage the bottom Main Drain? Is there a best practice on that? Do those lines usually run up close to pool edge - or get buried deep all the way to the equipment? Trying to figure out how to cut, move and cap that without creating a water siphon issue?
And taking this pathway I am then stuck with a covered, unchlorinated pool that will have old water drained at end of project and then replaced.

Question Two?
Would we be better just to drain the pool now upfront? The only concern here would be that the water creates some structure / support and leaving it unfilled for the long-term could create bigger issues?

Thanks for any and all feedback.
Tim

 

[ajw22]

I would not leave old plaster exposed to dry out. It may be good now but the exposure may kill it. If you want top save it then keep it wet.

Keep water in the pool. You can pour liquid chlorine in every day or two and stir it in with a pool brush and keep it from turning into a swamp. Or accept the swamp and fix the water later.

What is the sequence? Pool reno first or build the pool house first?

I would build the pool house then drain the pool and do the reno.

 

[TF Tim]

Thanks.
I had tje chance to talk to an experienced builder yesterday too (retired) and he also cautioned about the drained pool "floating". It's on a hillside with a lot of runoff in the spring.
My plan now is to drain it down 1/3 to 1/2...let it go for the summer while building project happens, and then drain all the way in fall (dry) pressure wash and refill.

 

[ajw22]

Draining the pool 1/3 to 1/2 will expose much of the plaster walls.

Why bother draining it down at all?

 

[TF Tim]

Draining the pool 1/3 to 1/2 will expose much of the plaster walls.

Why bother draining it down at all?

Great point. I guess I was worried about the main drain pressure. But as long as the pipe is cut and capped above the water line it should be fine?? Right?

 

[ajw22]

Great point. I guess I was worried about the main drain pressure. But as long as the pipe is cut and capped above the water line it should be fine?? Right?

Right!