Draining your pool after a rainstorm involves a sequence of tasks essential for its upkeep. Begin by tidying the pool deck to eliminate potential debris and ensure a safe environment. Direct attention to the pool itself, manually removing any remnants of the storm to lay the groundwork for a thorough cleaning process. Activate the pump and filter, initiating crucial water circulation. Next, employ a brush to enhance overall water cleanliness, setting the stage for a comprehensive maintenance routine.
These initial actions form the basis for ensuring a pristine swimming experience in the aftermath of heavy rainfall. To effectively drain water from your swimming pool after rain, meticulously follow these 7 steps below.
1. Clean The Swimming Pool Deck
Initiate the process by sweeping up debris from the pool deck, utilizing a garden hose to eliminate any dirt. It is crucial to sweep and spray away from the pool to prevent debris infiltration into the water.
2. Manually Remove Debris From The Swimming Pool
Equip your telescopic pole with a leaf net or flat skimmer to systematically remove leaves, twigs, and other debris from the water’s surface. Take care to clear skimmer and pump baskets, ensuring an unobstructed filtration system.
3. Turn On The Pool Pump And Filter
Restart the pool pump to facilitate water circulation, effectively eliminating the contaminants introduced by rain. In case of a power outage, prioritize manual debris removal to prevent accumulation at the pool’s bottom.
4. Brush The Swimming Pool
Utilize a high-quality pool brush to meticulously displace dirt and debris away from the pool’s steps and ladder(s). For pools with a drain at the bottom, push debris towards it for efficient removal.
5. Vacuum The Swimming Pool
Employ an automatic pool cleaner if the pool bottom has minimal debris; otherwise, resort to manual vacuuming. Set the filter to “waste” mode to prevent debris from entering and simultaneously drain excess water.
6. Drain Some Of The Water From The Pool
If vacuuming alone doesn’t achieve the desired water level, persist until reaching the halfway point on the skimmer plate. Alternatively, use a backwash hose connected to the filter’s waste port or employ a sump pump with a garden hose.
7. Test and Balance the Pool Water
After a heavy rain, it’s crucial to test and balance the pool water to maintain optimal conditions. Here are the recommended values for pH, alkalinity, and calcium levels listed below.
- pH: Aim for a pH level between 7.2 and 7.6. This range ensures a slightly alkaline environment, promoting water comfort and preventing corrosion.
- Alkalinity: Maintain alkalinity levels in the range of 80 to 120 parts per million (ppm). Proper alkalinity acts as a buffer, preventing rapid changes in pH and ensuring stability.
- Calcium Hardness: Keep calcium hardness levels between 200 and 400 ppm (mg/l). This range helps prevent corrosion of pool surfaces and equipment.
Regularly testing and adjusting these pool parameters will contribute to a well-balanced pool, ensuring a safe and enjoyable swimming experience.
Why Do You Need To Drain Your Pool After Rain?
Draining your pool after a heavy rainstorm is crucial for maintaining water balance and chemical levels. When a significant amount of rainwater inundates your pool, it dilutes the chemicals and disrupts the pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer levels. This imbalance can affect water quality and potentially lead to issues.
If the rain is substantial enough to obscure the skimmers above the water line, debris like leaves and twigs, which likely entered the pool during the storm, cannot reach the skimmer baskets. This debris remains in the water, impacting the pool’s cleanliness until excess water is removed.
How To Prepare Your Swimming Pool For A Rainstorm?
Preparation your swimming pool for a rainstorm is key to minimizing post-rain cleanup. Here are 4 tips how to prepare your swimming pool for a rainstorm.
- Secure outdoor furniture, including patio furniture, grills, lounge chairs, and decorative items.
- Store pool accessories like floats, toys, and maintenance equipment indoors.
- Disconnect all electrical and gas lines to the pool, ensuring the pump is turned off.
- Balance the pool water and consider adding algaecide to combat contaminants brought in by rain.
Optionally, lower the pool water level by about a foot to accommodate potential overflows.
Should You Shock Your Pool After A Rainstorm?
While not mandatory, it’s advisable to shock your pool after draining excess rainwater. Shocking helps eliminate bacteria and contaminants that may have entered the pool during the storm. After draining, balancing the water, and lowering the risk of contaminants, apply pool shock. Maintaining these practices ensures your pool remains in optimal condition after a rainstorm, safeguarding water quality and minimizing potential issues.
We suggest reading our blog and using the search feature to find more information about maintaining your pool. If you need help taking care of your pool, just contact us on social media. We’re here to help you out.
