Main drain plug removal

May 7, 2014
6
Fort Worth, TX
Hello All and thanks in advance for any help you can give.

So, I have a HUGE crack in my pool and I'm working on getting that repaired. I had someone come out and give me an estimate for installing staples and a header plate, etc..., etc.... I said "When would you be able to start?" Reply "Thursday." Me "Great!" Well he can't start Thursday and it may actually be a couple weeks. No big deal except... I, maybe foolishly, went ahead and drained my pool.

So I told him and he said you better put water back in it or take out the plug in the main drain or your pool could "pop." I know what this is and understand all the physics behind it. Trouble is I cannot get the plugs out. It appears as though they may have been cemented/plastered in, residually/overflow speaking. I cannot do it by hand and have found it impossible to do with any tools I own. They are Hayward main drains with plugs instead of/in place of hydrostats. See photo.

So... I cannot get them out and have been unsuccessful in finding a tool to help.

Am I really in danger of the pool popping is the real question. I live in Fort Worth, TX. We are and have been in a drought for some time now. I also live about 200 yards from a creek that lies below the depth of the pool and is virtually dry. My thoughts are that, being so close to the creek, the water table must be below or equal to the water level in the creek due to equalization. Is this crazy thinking?

I know i tend to ramble with stream of consciousness. Sorry.

Long to short. How do I get the plugs out? Likelihood of my pool popping?

Thanks

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Re: Main drain plug remGreatoval

This is going to sound so wild and crazy but I saw an episode of that Vanilla Ice guy and they were rehabbing a house with a pool and trying to get the plug off like you have... The one guy notched the top a 2x4 and stuck it in the hole and twisted the cap out. I don't know if it'll help you but that's what your post reminds me of! :lol: If you can't get the plug out, fill the pool! It's better to be safe than sorry!!!

Welcome to TFP! Hopefully someone will have an answer for you other than my ramblings of Vanilla Ice and his home improvement show. I can't even remember the name of it but it's on the DIY Network. :goodjob:
 
Re: Main drain plug remGreatoval

:lol: Let us know if it works! :mrgreen: Can't wait to see the update! :goodjob:
 
Re: Main drain plug remGreatoval

Casey - Tried the 2X4 method to no avail. Likely because I couldn't get the proper strength behind it due toi recent shoulder surgery.

duraleigh - Thanks for the link. Perhaps I'll use in the future.


As Murphy would have it, it started raining 1st thing this morning. GO FIGURE! Anyway... The combination of Casey's suggestion and the tool linked by duaraleigh got me thinking. Went online to check out one of the local big box hardware stores and came home with this

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add a steel rod for twisting and plugs came out in 10 seconds flat. All in $26.00.

Cheers
 
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