Keeping an above-ground pool operational during the winter months takes a little more effort than simply lowering the temperature and throwing on a sweater. However, with some preparation and maintenance, your above-ground pool can be ready to swim in all year long. An In-ground pool is much trickier to drain and store for the winter. Not only do you have less access to the interior of the pool, but there are many factors that play into how best to drain it. The number of leaves, debris, trees nearby, and other environmental elements must be taken into account before making a final decision on how far to drain your in-ground pool for winter storage. If your goal is to keep maintenance as simple as possible while maximizing performance once spring returns — read on for everything you need to know about draining your in-ground pool for winter storage.
How Far To Drain Inground Pool For Winter?
Install a Suction Drain
The easiest and most efficient way to drain your in-ground pool for winter is to install a suction drain. A suction drain allows you to remove the water from your pool through a specialized suction tube, which can be connected directly to your pool filter. This is the best method for draining your in-ground pool because it doesn’t disturb the water at all, which means there is no damage to the pool walls and no risk of water splashback. Suction drains are fast, efficient, and completely risk-free. Suction drains are the best option for draining your in-ground pool for winter.
Hire a Professional
If you don’t want to spend a small fortune on installing a suction drain, you can always hire a professional company to drain your in-ground pool for you. Lots of pool maintenance companies offer winter pool services, including draining your pool and installing a winter cover. You can call around and find a company near you that offers these services. There are a few different options when it comes to hiring a professional to drain your in-ground pool. Some companies will come out to your house and manually drain your pool using a pump.
Use a Pool Skimmer
Another way to drain your in-ground pool for winter is to use a pool skimmer. Pool skimmers are designed to remove water from the surface of the pool. They are not designed to drain the entire pool, but they can be used to lower the water level. Pool skimmers work by creating a water current at the surface of the water. This current acts as a barrier between the water below and the air above. Anything that is heavier than water will fall down into the pool, while the water above the skimmer barrier will be sucked away through your filter and into your pump.
Use a Pool Blower
One of the quickest and easiest ways to drain your in-ground pool for winter is to use a pool blower. Pool blowers are designed to remove large amounts of water from the surface of your pool in a short amount of time. They are not designed to remove the entire pool, but they can lower the water level by several inches. Pool blowers work by blowing large quantities of air into the pool. The air bubbles travel down to the water floor where they break and create equal pressure on both sides of the pool walls. This pressure causes water to be forced out through the skimmers and into the pump.
Use the Shallow End
One of the easiest ways to drain your in-ground pool for the winter is to use the shallow end. The shallow end of your pool is always the last section to be completely filled with water. This area is usually only 3 or 4 feet deep, so it takes a long time for the pump to reach this level. For a quick and easy way to drain your pool, simply open the valve at the shallow end of the pool. This will cause the water flow to be directed away from the shallow end and out of the pump. You can also remove the water flow control valve and open the main drain to achieve the same effect.
Why Drain An Inground Pool For Winter?
It’s Safer
When you keep your inground pool open during the winter, you put yourself and your family at risk. You’re putting your health at risk by exposing yourself to harmful bacteria from the water, and you’re also putting yourself at risk of drowning if you have young children in the house. When your pool is open year-round, there is no natural way for the water to be filtered. This means that it gets dirtier much more quickly than it would if you had it closed for the winter. This dirty water can be harmful to anyone who enters the water.
It’s Healthier
You may have considered keeping your inground pool open during the winter because you think that it’s healthier to swim in cold water than to not be in the water at all. However, this is not the case. If you’re in good health and have the proper gear, swimming in cold water can have many health benefits, such as increasing your metabolism and helping you to burn calories faster. Swimming in warm water, on the other hand, doesn’t give you these benefits. You can keep your inground pool open during the winter and swim in cold water, but you need to keep the water temperature under 77 degrees Fahrenheit. When water gets too warm, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and microorganisms. When you’re in the water with these microbes, you may get sick. Keeping your water at a cooler temperature can help protect you from the harmful microorganisms that thrive in warmer water.
How To Know How Far To Drain An Inground Pool?
- As we mentioned, the depth of the pool is a crucial factor when considering how far to drain an in-ground pool. The first step is to determine the volume of water in your in-ground pool.
- The easiest way to do this is to use a measuring tape to determine the length and width of the pool. Then multiply those numbers together, and you will have the volume of your pool in gallons.
- This will give you a general idea of how much water is in the pool. You will also want to account for any water that will be lost to evaporation.
- A general rule is that, for every 10 degrees that the water temperature drops, about 2 percent of the water will evaporate.
When Should You Not Drain An Inground Pool?
- There are some cases where you may not want to completely drain your pool. For example, if you live in an area that receives a lot of snowfall, you may want to leave some water in the pool to help insulate the ground.
- Depending on how far you choose to drain your pool, you may be able to keep enough water to do this without having to cover the pool. If you do cover the pool, you will want to make sure to remove the cover before it snows to avoid damage to the cover and the pool itself.
- Draining an in-ground pool also has more significant consequences for people with wells. Removing water from the pool may lower the water table, affecting the amount of water your well can produce.
Tips For Draining An Inground Pool
- Consider the trees around your pool. You will want to avoid letting leaves or other debris fall into the water since you will need to remove them before completely draining the pool.
- When moving the water out of the pool, you will want to use a hose that is long enough to reach the outlet of the pool. However, you will also need to consider the pressure of the hose. The pressure of the hose will determine how quickly you can drain the pool. The higher the pressure, the more water you will be able to move out of your in-ground pool.
- If you have an in-ground pool with a filter and pump, you will want to move the water out of the pool before shutting off the equipment. This will give the water time to clear before you open the pool to begin draining it completely.
Conclusion
An in-ground pool is a great luxury, and its maintenance is something that should not be taken lightly. During the winter months, you will want to make sure to drain your in-ground pool as far as you can without sacrificing the functionality of the equipment. This will protect your pool from freezing and make it ready for the next warm season. An in-ground pool can be more difficult to drain, but with some foresight and preparation, you can avoid many of the pitfalls associated with the process. Now that you know how far to drain an in-ground pool, you can prepare your pool for a long winter’s nap.
