Want to drain my pool a little, before the storm hits

[TimRock]

Hope i'm posting in the right section. Getting ready for the storm here in Tampa and i want to make sure my pool doesn't over flow. Problem is, this is my new home for only a couple of months now and i haven't had to drain a pool before, i haven't had to do anything for a pool yet. After i finally get settled i do plan to maintain the pool myself, but for now, with work and some other stuff, i haven't been able to dedicate much time to learning. So i am hoping i can get some help here. Attached are some pics. I don't want to drain it completely, just get it down to a decent amount to where i don't have to worry. Forecast are predicting about 2 feet of rain. Can someone please let me know what i have to do drain it? I

Thanks, and please let me know if any more information is needed.

 

[Texas Splash]

So you and I have the same filters. Other than perhaps an original spigot at the bottom of the housing, usually our cartridge filters provide no way to move water to "waste" quickly. But your pool was installed with that drain line at the outlet of your filter with the ball valve (red handle). So with pump on, you should be able to turn that handle 90 degrees and let water flow out. Give it a shot and let us know how it works.

 

[mknauss]

Be very careful lowering the water level before a rain storm. If the ground gets saturated before the pool fills to the top the pool could pop out of the ground.

It is not advisable to drain any water from a pool before a storm. Does the pool have an overflow?

 

[wireform]

Overflow? I think what I see in one of the pictures if you were facing the wall looking at the filter to the right coming out of the wall looks like possibly an overflow. What else can it be. Looks like water comes out of it at times because the dirt beneath the pipe has been displaced so to speak due to a water stream.

 

[homegameroom]

Nice pool!

I'm in the same boat with Dorian lurking around the corner. I never drain the pool; i just let it overflow and take care of it after the storm has cleared. It doesn't look like any overflowing water will hit your house, so just batten down the hatches and let Dorian do its thing. We have had a lot of rain; i might lower it a bit when i get home tonight, but I never lower it more than 1/2 way up the skimmer. Personal experience has taught me that it will not rain for weeks if i drain the pool too much!

Lower the level after the storm. The valve with the red handle will probably do it for you.

 

[wireform]

The valve with the red handle will probably do it for you.
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The valve with the handle will need to be turned parallel to the pipe and the pump running.

 

[TimRock]

Overflow? I think what I see in one of the pictures if you were facing the wall looking at the filter to the right coming out of the wall looks like possibly an overflow. What else can it be. Looks like water comes out of it at times because the dirt beneath the pipe has been displaced so to speak due to a water stream.

thanks. is there something i should do about that dirt beneath the pipe? Is it an issue?

 

[TimRock]

Nice pool!

I'm in the same boat with Dorian lurking around the corner. I never drain the pool; i just let it overflow and take care of it after the storm has cleared. It doesn't look like any overflowing water will hit your house, so just batten down the hatches and let Dorian do its thing. We have had a lot of rain; i might lower it a bit when i get home tonight, but I never lower it more than 1/2 way up the skimmer. Personal experience has taught me that it will not rain for weeks if i drain the pool too much!

Lower the level after the storm. The valve with the red handle will probably do it for you.

thanks. thats exactly what i want to do, lower it to half way up the skimmer. right now, its all the way up to it. So am i correct in assuming that i need to attach the hose to the pipe that currently has water dripping from it, turn the red valve 90 degress and let it do its thing? Do i need to turn anything off before starting the procedure?

 

[wireform]

thanks. thats exactly what i want to do, lower it to half way up the skimmer. right now, its all the way up to it. So am i correct in assuming that i need to attach the hose to the pipe that currently has water dripping from it, turn the red valve 90 degress and let it do its thing? Do i need to turn anything off before starting the procedure?

If you use the pipe with the red handle you will use it in conjunction with the pump running. The dirt isn't a problem as far as water coming out of that overflow pipe if that's what it is. Look around your pool somewhere near the top you should be able to see where it ties in to the pool for it drain off. Not sure as I've never seen one just heard about this kind of overflow. If it's dripping as you say it will be where your water line is now.

 

[PoolGate]

Your pool overflowing is not going to hurt anything. And if you have a flood where the water level is higher than your pool edge, it will get swamped anyway. Last I saw Miami was not going to be hit but I am assuming you'll get rains anyway.