We’ve had rain for about 24 hours and it will continue into the night. I suspect that it will hit the coping and may even overflow overnight. Would you get out in the rain and pump it our let it happen and deal with it in the morning. Since there’s no danger of freezing, I’m wondering if there’s and risk in letting some water get under the coping. Just hate to get an electric pump out in the rain but will if I’m putting the pool or concrete around it at risk.
Much rain. What would you do?
- Thread starter pb4uswim
- Start date
It will probably find its way out through cracked mortar under the coping. This one time it won’t be the end of the world slowly draining under the patio base. Come winter time you don’t want it doing it many times, or for an extended time because it will eventually erode the base. Freeze / thaw / heave is no bueno either if it’s cold at the time.
My Cart filter had a waste / bypass valve plumbed in just before it. I didn’t use it often but it was worth it’s weight in gold at times like this, and for draining at closing.
If your yard can handle the runoff somewhere I’d install one as it’s a PITA to break out the submersible pump.
If your yard can handle the runoff somewhere I’d install one as it’s a PITA to break out the submersible pump.
Being coastal South Carolina, I've had to drain my pool many times to keep it from overflowing. One storm, I had to drain it five times including the initial drawdown to the lowest point to allow for skimming. I have a completely walled off backyard except for the wooden gates from the side of the house, making my back yard a "punch bowl". The salt water is a secondary issue as I don't want my plants sitting in it.
My yard is sand. It can handle all the water I can throw at it. My concern would be what the salt water would do to my grass and, more importantly, what if it leached into the beds where the plants are. I’d not want to lose those.
- Nov 30, 2019
- 852
- Pool Size
- 8500
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Has anyone ever documented an adverse reaction to the ‘salt water’ draining onto their grass or into flower beds? I haven’t seen it.
I'm not sure either, but my case is that mine wouldn't drain and it would just sit in the salt water. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I should be in a similar Hardiness zone as you and where my pool dumped was hands down the greenest part of my yard. Anything downhill LOVED it. Yes the Hardiness zone is for the cold, but to handle our cold all the plants/grass need to be more robust in the first place so i’d assume yours could handle it too.
I imagine it wasn’t the salt aspect of the water that helped the grass, but the nuetral PH.
also full disclosure I am coastal so everything we have might just be used to the salt. Lol. Your stuffs might beg to differ.
I imagine it wasn’t the salt aspect of the water that helped the grass, but the nuetral PH.
also full disclosure I am coastal so everything we have might just be used to the salt. Lol. Your stuffs might beg to differ.
This made me think. I have laminars. I could just point them out of the pool and turn them on if I had to get the water out using the main pump. I might do that.
A simple screw in pipe from a return would be the Po Mans way. Lol.
Have you concocted your winter draining rig pipe yet ? Bring a threaded return with you if not and concoct 2 things. A short ‘L’ pipe from the return that a roll out hose attaches to will work wonders if you don’t get around to adding a waste valve for a season or 6.
Tcadwall0
Gold Supporter
- May 19, 2021
- 207
- Pool Size
- 12900
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-20
I always watch and pump out before I hit the top of the skimmer. Definitely before the coping.
I have clay, and I have a sump pipe for my FG, but still I would rather control where the water goes than having it wash under my decking.
If I had sandy soil, I would even be more concerned since sand is more likely to wash out. Just my 2c
I have clay, and I have a sump pipe for my FG, but still I would rather control where the water goes than having it wash under my decking.
If I had sandy soil, I would even be more concerned since sand is more likely to wash out. Just my 2c
panic_button
Bronze Supporter
- Jun 23, 2019
- 348
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Centipede had issues growing by my overflow in the yard, planted St Augustine and it has no issues.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,059
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
If we get the rain they are predicting tonight, there's a good chance my pool will overflow. It's right at the coping now. This is the highest it's ever been. I've not had to drain it at all this year just topped it up once. I'll drain tomorrow for sure. It's never bothered my grass.
Tcadwall0
Gold Supporter
- May 19, 2021
- 207
- Pool Size
- 12900
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-20
Just checked mine. Top of the skimmer, opened my waste valve and set a timer on alexa.
I don't know about documented but I've backwashed my saltwater pool onto the same location over the last 15 years. The grass is still growing.
I like to get a little head start on it. I used to just let it go over, but it definitely killed the grass (St Augustine grass in FL).
We got a couple hour break in the rain, so begrudging, I got the submersible pump out. It’s going now. A solid hour should get me back under the top of the skimmer. I’d like to see it skimming if possible.
Tcadwall0
Gold Supporter
- May 19, 2021
- 207
- Pool Size
- 12900
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-20
You don't have a way to divert from your pool pump?
I am glad that I had my PB put in a valve for that; you may be able to add that if you have space and an appropriate place to run a drain. I let mine run just now for 10 min, it went from the top of the skimmer to about 1/3 down from the top. I only opened the valve, so my returns and SWCG were still running.
I have a collapsible hose clamped onto the PVC and running to where one of my french-drain pop-ups sits. Unfortunately, the water really runs across my neighbor's yard. but that is how my yard always has drained (as well as his own front yard draining to the same location) so this isn't any additional run-off. Our fescue seems unaffected by the pool water as well, but I typically only drain while it is raining. Since it goes to the same location that all run-off from his yard and my yard goes, that is additional dilution.
Eventually all of this water makes it to a culvert that joins a lot of other run-off water. It doesn't pool up anywhere fortunately.
I've got a hose bib plumbed in on the output of my filter and just run a hose out to the St. For the past few weeks, the hose has been connected and just coiled up until needed.