My pool overflows

[jlu]

We fill our pool up to about 2 - 3" below top skimmer level. Every time there's a heavier rain ( 2 - 3") my pool overflows by the skimmer. We always have to bucket the water out from behind the pool and I'm affraid it will sink in if it will keep happening especially in early fall when we get more rain. Is this normal? How to prevent this? We are going on vacation soon and I'm affraid what we'll find when we come home. Please help!

Thanks,
Jlu

 

[woodyp]

The top of my skimmer lid which has vents and such is about 3 inches below the top of my pool wall-------which in turn is at the top of the skimmer full level. Unavoidable with that much rain at a time I think. Can you trench it to flow elsewhere?

 

[waste]

Welcome to TFP!!

If the water in the pool gets higher than the top of the skimmer body (round part) it's just gonna overflow - no 2 ways about it.

What you can do is drill a hole near the top of the skimmer body and attach an 'overflow' hose to it which would run ~ wherever you want it to run, when the rains get torrential.

Things are 'pell- mell' here for the next few week, but i'll check in and see if you need more help with this.

 

[Richard320]

Welcome to TFP!!

If the water in the pool gets higher than the top of the skimmer body (round part) it's just gonna overflow - no 2 ways about it.

What you can do is drill a hole near the top of the skimmer body and attach an 'overflow' hose to it which would run ~ wherever you want it to run, when the rains get torrential.

Things are 'pell- mell' here for the next few week, but i'll check in and see if you need more help with this.

Great idea, Ted!

Before I started drilling, I'd find a fitting. Time to go browse the hardware store. Or if you want to pay top dollar, a marine supply store. What you need is a "through-hull fitting." I googled it and got a good hit right on top - pictures and everything. You can get garden hose size up to a over an inch, which could handle a downpour. Be sure you can find (and afford) enough hose to route the water away. Typically, one drills the holes, tests the fit, then goops it up with some sort of silicon sealer and wrenches it tight.

 

[jlu]

Thanks guys! I'm going to search around for something you recommended. I hope I figure it out as they are promising a lot of rain for next week when we won't be around!
While we are away (1 week), should we keep the pump running continuously or should we not? If we are not running the pump for a week I'm affraid we'll have a small lake with fish and frogs by the time we come home. :-D Any suggestions?

 

[zea3]

You can get an inexpensive timer to run the pump while you are away (if you plug the pump into an electrical outlet). There may be a similar solution if the pump is hard wired. Someone more knowledgeable than I can help with that issue.

 

[waste]

Great idea, Ted!

Before I started drilling, I'd find a fitting. Time to go browse the hardware store. Or if you want to pay top dollar, a marine supply store. What you need is a "through-hull fitting." I googled it and got a good hit right on top - pictures and everything. You can get garden hose size up to a over an inch, which could handle a downpour. Be sure you can find (and afford) enough hose to route the water away. Typically, one drills the holes, tests the fit, then goops it up with some sort of silicon sealer and wrenches it tight.

Given that the skimmer body is round, I wouldn't go with 1", you'll never get a full seal with tehe gaskets those come with.

I suppose I could come up with some epoxy or silicone 'work-arounds' But think that a 3/8" might seal sufficiently and still handle anything less than a 3"/ hr. rain.