Non stop rain filling pool almost to coping

[CarolineM]

Being a new pool owner, I am not sure what to do.

It started raining non stop this morning in MD to the point my pool water is an inch away from the coping and over the top of the skimmer. This morning before the rain started, the water was only covering a 1/4 of the skimmer. The rains are suppose to continue for the next several days.

Should I be draining water from the pool to keep it from overflowing? Are there dangers in having the water overflow? If I should drain some of the water, where should I drain it down to?

My pool is a Fiberglass Pool, if that makes a difference.

Should I leave the pump running with the water being so high?

Should I increase my SWG? Or should I being adding bleach during all of this rain?

Suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thank you

caroline

 

[douglasj76]

There really is no exact answer. Just depends on how much rain you get. Drain enough so the skimmer can function properly, keep an eye on the chlorine level by testing it once / twice a day and sumpliment with additional liquid chlorine as needed.

 

[mknauss]

Are you sure your pool does not have an overflow? Most pools in areas were it rains much an overflow is installed.

If not, yes, you should drain some water. Do you have a hose spigot on your pool plumbing? If so, you can use that to hook up a hose and run it to your rain gutters.

If you replace a lot of water, once the rain stops, be sure to circulate the pool for an hour or so and test your CYA and FC. Adjust them as necessary.

 

[CarolineM]

Thank you Douglas and Marty. We do not usually get this much rain, we are just coming out of a drought. No overflow that I am aware of.

I will drain some water so that it doesn't overflow and keep a watch on my FC. Once the rain event is over I will run a full set of tests and go from there.

The rain has not let up today and it is suppose to rain for the next several days. I'm sure my water will not be balanced by the time this is over.

Caroline

 

[vbertone]

I am also here in Md. I drain mine until it gets below skimmers. I still run my pump as it’s important to keep water moving with warm air and water.

 

[vbertone]

Are you sure your pool does not have an overflow? Most pools in areas were it rains much an overflow is installed.

If not, yes, you should drain some water. Do you have a hose spigot on your pool plumbing? If so, you can use that to hook up a hose and run it to your rain gutters.

If you replace a lot of water, once the rain stops, be sure to circulate the pool for an hour or so and test your CYA and FC. Adjust them as necessary.

What did you mean run it to your gutters? I like it just don’t understand it. Do you mean the pipe out of the ground from the gutters?

 

[Neemer]

I’m a little south of you and just finished draining about 5” out of mine. The water level was below the mid-point of the skimmer before all this started. My sump pump is running nearly non-stop.

 

[mknauss]

What did you mean run it to your gutters? I like it just don’t understand it. Do you mean the pipe out of the ground from the gutters?

The street. I live in the desert. We rarely see rain. Actually got some today. We went out side and stood in it.

 

[vbertone]

I am also here in Md. I drain mine until it gets below skimmers. I still run my pump as it’s important to keep water moving with warm air and water.

I didn’t mean below skimmers, I meant below the top of the skimmer.

 

[CarolineM]

Thank you everyone, I have drained it to midway of the skimmer. I will have to keep an eye on it.

 

[ChuckTin]

In Florida we drain a lot. Just did our pool, took out 1, 1.5 inches. Inside of a week it's up again.
Our filter has a hose bib on the back side and the previous owner had put in a 50' run of garden hose down to the street hooking that up and running the pump for 45 minutes brings the level down.

 

[kimkats]

Here is a link just for this kind of thing!

Pool Renovation Go to post 18

Kim

 

[getreal720]

We've been getting a lot of rain water here in PA lately. It's got my pool skimmer almost constantly to the tippy top.

I have a sand filter with a multi port valve, which means I can easily either backwash the filter or waste water directly through the pump and out of the pool. The main concern with having the water level be above the top of the skimmer is that it won't be able to "skim" your pool as effectively any more. The surface of the water won't get cleaned nearly as well (or almost at all).

When I notice it's about an inch or less form the top, I'll waste water down to just above the mid point of the skimmer mouth.


Chemically, I'd just keep up on the testing. For me I'd be diluting my pool about 5% of the total volume (maybe a tad less) if I were to drain from nearly the top of the skimmer to the mid point. I do this maybe 3-4 times a season. Diluting down my water by 20% at max isn't going to majorly swing anything. As long as your testing as soon as you can after the rains stop, then you should have little to worry about.

If you want piece of mind, you can dump in enough chlorine to bring your levels up close to your shock level. Since you won't be in the pool for a few days (assuming your not swimming on rainy days), you can rest easy knowing you'll have plenty of FC to go around and have no fear about dropping too low.

 

[CarolineM]

Thank you all very much. I drained it half way down the skimmer and within a few minutes the rain started again. I just drained it again. I tested my chlorine and its 7.5, CC 0. I turned up the SWG. I will now go add bleach to bring it higher.

Kim, thank you for the link to the post, it was very informative. I'm now heading out to shut off the SWG and use bleach for now.

 

[Perpetual summer]

If your pretty sure your going to be getting the rain, drain more than halfway down skimmer face. Rain will fill up not as fast and you won’t have to go out so often to drain.