How important is draining pool water level?

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miles267

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Sep 5, 2016
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New pool. Water level generally stays in center of waterline tile. Waterline tile is 6 inches, so 3 inches below the coping or center of skimmer opening. However we do not have any "overflow" drain that I'm aware of...or it's standard building practice that I'm just unaware of.

When it rains, the water level does get higher but the pool level certainly hasn't ever reached the top of decking and overflowed. But being winter the evaporation is slower.

I monitor chemistry closely, skim and vacuum daily. Should I make a point to keep a hose hooked up to siphon water out into yard or allow nature to manage water level for time being?


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Does your pump have a hose spigot attached to it on the discharge side before the filter? Many pools do because that's how the plumber does pressure testing. Typically left in place after a build. I use that on my setup to drain when necessary.


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Here is my equipment pad. If you zoom in near pump, would it that small white "cap" to left of pump?



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I've not ever opened the drain plug as the base of my filter either. Currently don't have an ideal place to redirect water. It will flow to my neighbor's house. Was considering adding gravel around edge of equipment pad to create some sort of drainage for condensation from heater at least.


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It looks like this -

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Looks like they didn't leave one on your setup. That's annoying. And you have a cartridge filter which means no multi port valve or backwashing.

Siphon hose may be the only way or buy a small submersible pump and keep it on hand.


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Now I am annoyed too [emoji51] am checking w PB to see if they would add it. The few times I've siphoned w small garden hose it takes forever.

If I must go submersible pump, is there one you'd recommend?


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miles267 said:
Now I am annoyed too [emoji51] am checking w PB to see if they would add it. The few times I've siphoned w small garden hose it takes forever.

If I must go submersible pump, is there one you'd recommend?


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Click to expand...

Sometimes PBs take them off because they can develop leaks. Then customers get ticked off that they were left on. My PB asked me about it and I asked him to leave it (but they did a lousy job not leaving enough pipe to make it easily removed).

Anyway, if your handy with PVC pipe and glue, it's stupid-simple easy to add on your own and probably less than $50 in parts at the local hardware store.

Just get any small (1/4HP or so) sub-pump. They cost about $30. You can get one on Amazon. If you want to have a super-super sub-pump capable of draining the pool in a few hours, those cost about $100 or so. I have one on hand as they are quite useful around the yard for draining water in places you don't want it.


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I have an overflow (no autofill as we do not have a sprinkler system) but I have never seen any water flowing out of it, not even a trickle. The water has never been allowed to reach the coping. It's come within an inch or so a couple weeks ago but not higher. Could this be why I haven't seen it work? The water eventually evaporates down and we add water from the hose when it gets too low.

Hope this post is ok and not hijacking, as I have the very same questions as the OP.
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Jim, I do have an autofill in my pool deck. It's the simple, float valve version like a toilet fill valve. I believe if water level got too high, it would just come out the top of the Pool Miser cover and run off the deck. For that to happen the water level would have to get quite high. Well above middle of waterline tile. Will take a pic.


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Nursenini said:
I have an overflow (no autofill as we do not have a sprinkler system) but I have never seen any water flowing out of it, not even a trickle. The water has never been allowed to reach the coping. It's come within an inch or so a couple weeks ago but not higher. Could this be why I haven't seen it work? The water eventually evaporates down and we add water from the hose when it gets too low.

Hope this post is ok and not hijacking, as I have the very same questions as the OP.
Please delete if otherwise.
Click to expand...

Look for a shutoff valve. Some PBs install them with a simple PVC ball valve to shut them. Would be buried in a small irrigation box near the overflow.


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JoyfulNoise said:
Look for a shutoff valve. Some PBs install them with a simple PVC ball valve to shut them. Would be buried in a small irrigation box near the overflow.


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Nope. Just an open pipe leading past the deck to the grass. We recently made sure it was cleared of any mud, cut out the area around it, laid a piece of stone under it and put lava rock on the side to keep the dirt at bay. Not pretty but a better solution than we were left with. I'll get a picture in a bit.
 
Nursenini said:
Nope. Just an open pipe leading past the deck to the grass. We recently made sure it was cleared of any mud, cut out the area around it, laid a piece of stone under it and put lava rock on the side to keep the dirt at bay. Not pretty but a better solution than we were left with. I'll get a picture in a bit.
Click to expand...

Stick a garden hose in the overflow drain in the pool and turn it on. Does water run out of the pipe or back into the pool?

PB may have stuck a rag or something into the pipe to keep debris out during construction and then forgot to unplug it.


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Also here is my Pool Miser autofill. No water source is connected to it yet back at the equipment pad. Just a conventional toilet float valve. Am not sure what the other white pipe in the center is? Is that an overflow?
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miles267 - In answer to your original question, the real concern is more about your water surface. As long as the water is below the level of the top of the skimmer, so that your water is getting the leaves and other small debris removed, that is all that I would think you need. If it's above that, then the pump and everything will work just fine but the surface won't be cleaned. If it's too low, then it might suck air. So that's why we say to shoot for somewhere in the middle of the skimmer opening.
 
miles267 said:
In this pic is there a reason why the valve is at a high point in the plumbing rather a lower point? Just curious.
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Nope. Plumber just glued the Tee on that way. Makes very little difference as you drain while the pump is running. It's not a siphon effect but a direct drain while the pump is running.


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miles267 said:
Also here is my Pool Miser autofill. No water source is connected to it yet back at the equipment pad. Just a conventional toilet float valve. Am not sure what the other white pipe in the center is? Is that an overflow?
b87f96536d43888ba686c252debb64ca.jpg



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Click to expand...

The center tube is an overflow drain. Most autofill pots have some kind of opening at the top or a center tube to allow for excess water to drain. If the that pipe is capped off at the bottom, then no drain was connected to it and it is useless.


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