Main Drain Cover?

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denisbaldwin

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Mar 23, 2010
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As the last of the dirt makes it's way into the main drain, I'm curious where I can buy a main drain cover. Mine has the pipe in the bottom exposed. Others I've seen have a cover with slits in the top and sides to keep big debris out so it only pulls in dirt. Are all of these covers the same? Where would I get one? Do they just pop on or screw into place?

Denis
 
An uncovered main drain is a fairly dangerous situation. Drain covers are specific to the drain that is installed. It's possible that if your drain is older that there might not be a compliant cover available, and no one will sell a non-safety compliant cover.

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They are normally secured with a few screws to fit. Mine has two. What you can probably do is make sure the pump is off, get in there and count the number of screw holes that you have and measure the distance across between the screw holes. Then you can go to a pool supply place and find one that will match up.

I do not think that I would let anyone swim in there until you have that drain covered.
 
257WbyMag said:
I do not think that I would let anyone swim in there until you have that drain covered.
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Alright.. I feel like I'm missing the obvious. Why should no one be in there until the drain is covered? It's just a hole with the PVC tube in it. Could someone hurt themselves on it? or something else?

Denis
 
The worry is that swimming with an open drain or with one of the old "non-safety" covers in place is that someone could get caught by the suction from the drain, not be able to free themselves, and drown. That is why the new safety covers are required by code in most, if not all pools in the United States now.

I recently installed the new covers on my two main drain pipes just to be safe and also due to the fact that we do have parties with lots of little swimmers. Now, when my pool is running and swimmers are in there, I always have the cleaner line and the main drains completely off and I always have. The new covers are just an added safety feature.
 
It's all related to the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act. But it suction-related accidents can and do happen in residential pools, especially older ones that don't have the appropriate safeguards. IF you could possibly take a picture of your main drain maybe someone can suggest an appropriate cover...
 
frustratedpoolmom said:
It's all related to the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act.
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Thanks FPM!! I could not, for the life of me, remember what that piece of legislation was called. I knew that it started with a real drowning event but I just couldn't place it.
 
bk406 said:
The law only applies to commercial pools, not residential. But..its a good idea to get one of the covers. I'm going to pick one up for mine. It's $50! :rant:
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I dont know about that.. Anytime i replace a liner i have to install the new style maindrain covers. Same as any new Pools that are built, which also MUST have a svrs (Safety Vacuum Release System)
 

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Heckpools said:
I dont know about that.. Anytime i replace a liner i have to install the new style maindrain covers. Same as any new Pools that are built, which also MUST have a svrs (Safety Vacuum Release System)
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So, in your opinion should it be fairly simply for Denis to retrofit this older pool with a compliant cover?
 
Yes, it's a fact. The Federal law does not apply to residential pools, although the language is such that is a bit ambiguous. Now, a state can enact the same law, but mine hasn't as of yet. Besides, what would be the enforcement mechanism on an older pool? The government can't shut down a private pool, at least not yet :wink:
A new build sure, if the state/town requires a final permit sign off. My understanding is that you cant get those grate type of covers any more and all that are sold are the safety covers. So...new pools would have the safetly covers, but as older pools have no mandate for it as of yet.
Yes, in answer to the question, you can buy a safety cover for any main drain. My main is a side wall suction, 1.5 inch. The original cover was a grate that screwed in. Now the safety cover has several hundred little holes and is about 4 inches in diameter. Same 1.5 inch threads and screws in the same way.
 
While the water was out of the pool today, I got dimensions. The hole is 6" around and 2.5" down to the pipe. With the lip, it is 6 3/4" wide. Where can I Buy a cover for the main drain that will fit? What's involved in installing it? I didn't see any screw holes in the drain hole.
 
VGB act, if I sell a liner and the pool has a main drain, or two. I have to sell a new compliant cover(s). If we go out to a home just to do some work on a pump or filter, and that homeowner has an old drain cover, we will NOT do any work on site until that cover is changed. Because after we leave and an accident happens that involves the old drain cover, it's our fault. Even though we weren't even there to mess with it anyway, we could've prevented something from happening. It ALWAYS goes back to the last man on site.
 
I just went through this whole drain cover retrofit thing. See this thread.....

http://www.troublefreepool.com/need-to-replace-broken-floor-drain-cover-update-replaced-t20203.html

Your drain is a bit different than mine; Yours=A bucket like resevoir, Mine=a dug out resevoiur that was plastered in.
I might venture to guess that there is something to retrofit yours with a compliant cover, possibly not. If not get out the saw-zall, fab something that will make a compliant cover work, glue it in and swim!

SW
 
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