Overflow plumbing

[gman4dx266]

Good evening all. I have a concern about my pools overflow setup. This is a new construction home we have been here since December 2022. We had our first hard rain this past Sunday and Monday. Monday evening I got home from work and my pool was about 1" from overflowing itself. I wanted to know y'all's thoughts on how the overflow is installed and if maybe it should be lowered. I'd also like to know how it works. I don't have any grade to my lot and my pool is not elevated so it's tough for me to believe it's working as it should. I have a pipe behind the pool paver deck that looks like two 90's put together but I don't know where it goes. In the pool, on the wall I have a port with maybe a 1" hole and a snap-in grate over it that I believe is hooked into that pipe in the grass. I had to pull the drain plug out of my filter housing and run the pump for a minute or two and let it flow out into the side yard, which alone was sketchy because it almost comes back into the pool. I'm open to any suggestions, advice or information.

Also the other hole in my skimmer floor is not hooked to anything because I've been told that's usually an overflow.

 

[proavia]

In the bottom of the skimmer are two holes. One is plumbed back to the equipment pad. The other (usually the one closest to the waters edge) is either plugged (not used) or is plumbed to the main drain. However, some main drains (if the pool has them) are plumbed back to the equipment pad, bypassing the skimmer (this is the preferred way).

As for an overflow line, those are usually either in/near the waterline tile or in the rear of the skimmer or autofill at about the water level.
Where exactly in your pool is that grate shown in pic #2?

Post a picture of your equipment pad from a few different angles.
Post a wider pic of your pool and surrounding yard. For the most part, water is supposed to flow away from the pool.

 

[Toxophilite]

Good to want to know if have overflow setup and how it's set up if so, but doesn't look like any of those pics can be part of it. Also, pools still overfill with an overflow depending on rain intensity and duration, and the overflow system will eventually remove excess water. The opening, inlet, will be above waterline, either in skimmer on along wall at tile line. If can't find where drains to, you could stick a garden hose in front and see where water exits the yard.

 

[Jimrahbe]

gman,

The back to back 90's set the height of where the water should start to overflow out of your pool.

If it stopped 1" below the coping that I don't see the problem.

But.. the real key is where do the 90's go? Obviously, one side goes the overflow port in your pool. But where does the other side go? It needs to go to a drain system or daylight. If it just goes to a dry well, with some rocks in it, that is not good enough.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[gman4dx266]

gman,

The back to back 90's set the height of where the water should start to overflow out of your pool.

If it stopped 1" below the coping that I don't see the problem.

But.. the real key is where do the 90's go? Obviously, one side goes the overflow port in your pool. But where does the other side go? It needs to go to a drain system or daylight. If it just goes to a dry well, with some rocks in it, that is not good enough.

Thanks,

Jim R.

My guys at work have told me many in this area go to a rock and sand pit in the yard. This sounds terrible to me and hard to believe that it works when we get rain everyday during the summer months. (I am in southwest Florida near Fort Myers.)

 

[gman4dx266]

Good to want to know if have overflow setup and how it's set up if so, but doesn't look like any of those pics can be part of it. Also, pools still overfill with an overflow depending on rain intensity and duration, and the overflow system will eventually remove excess water. The opening, inlet, will be above waterline, either in skimmer on along wall at tile line. If can't find where drains to, you could stick a garden hose in front and see where water exits the yard.

I don't have anything above normal water level, but I'm fairly certain that round port I have pictured is connected to the pipe in the yard. I have no jets on that side of the pool or anything over that way

 

[Toxophilite]

I don't have anything above normal water level, but I'm fairly certain that round port I have pictured is connected to the pipe in the yard. I have no jets on that side of the pool or anything over that way

I understand your design now. The drain is always full and field drain end would then be open and a equalized level to pool level.

 

[Toxophilite]

gman,

The back to back 90's set the height of where the water should start to overflow out of your pool.

If it stopped 1" below the coping that I don't see the problem.

But.. the real key is where do the 90's go? Obviously, one side goes the overflow port in your pool. But where does the other side go? It needs to go to a drain system or daylight. If it just goes to a dry well, with some rocks in it, that is not good enough.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Do you know why this setup would be? I'm basically a flat-lander on the coast myself, and still, with normal pool elevation and a little slope, all that's needed here is a vented drain opening above waterline with the end of drainpipe out somewhere and below waterline. I had forgot about seeing this in a way back prior discussion, and even then, wondered why a direct connection to pool volume.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tox,

Two different set-ups that both work.

I have an overflow grated opening in my tile line that allows excess water to drain out into my deck drains. More of a fixed level that is not easily adjustable.

Others have an opening in the side wall of the pool connected to a pipe outside the pool that goes up to the level where you want the pool water to be. Excess water goes up the pipe and then, in theory, to some kind of drain system. With this system, you 'could' adjust where the water level should be.

Thanks,

Jim R.