When and Why You May Need to Drain Your Pool

On average, it costs approximately $1,400 per year to maintain a pool.

If you have to have a pool draining this year, those costs will be quite a bit higher. But how do you know when you need a pool draining?

Pool draining doesn't need to be completed often, but it does need to be done in certain circumstances. Failing to do so could lead to more expensive problems down the road.

To learn more about why and when you need a pool draining, keep reading.

Why You Need a Pool Draining

Pools don't need to be drained regularly, but some circumstances absolutely require your pool to be drained, either partially or fully. These circumstances include certain types of repairs, refinishing or repainting your pool, or when total dissolved solid levels (TDS) get too high.

Among these, TDS levels and high Cyanuric Acid levels (CYA) are the top reasons why you would need to drain your pool. TDS are substances that build up in pool water over time. When the levels reach over 2500 ppm, they make it impossible to balance your water and keep it clean and sanitary. High Cyanuric Acid levels are usually attributed to Chlorine tabs. The ideal CYA level is roughly 30 PPM (parts per million). Chlorine tabs are approximately 50% Cyanuric Acid and over time that 30ppm creeps up. When those levels grow above 100ppm it becomes very difficult to fight off algae, especially in the hot Summer months in Las Vegas. We're in the middle of a chlorine shortage as well so this can become very expensive. 

You'll notice that you're using an increasing amount of chemicals to balance your water, and that leads to high levels of cyanuric acid. This can be damaging to your water and to your health, causing skin irritation and even damage the pool.

When to Drain Your Pool

Regardless of whether or not your CYA and/or TDS levels are high, most pools require draining every 3 to 5 years. Of course, that will depend on the type of pool you have. 

There are certain times of year that are better for draining your pool than others. This mostly has to do with outside temperatures. Anything above 85 degrees or near or below freezing is not a good time to drain your pool, either partially or completely. 

That means that the best times of year to drain your pool are spring and fall. However, if you decide to do a pool draining in the fall, you'll need to partially refill it. That's because it's not safe to leave your pool empty over the winter months.

How to Drain a Pool

Without professional expertise, it's difficult to drain a pool. Pools can be easily damaged if you don't know how to drain them properly.

Indeed, a professional pool service will be able to do any work that needs to be done, usually without removing all of the water. But if you decide to do it yourself, make sure you know how to drain the type of pool you have.

Alternatively, if you're dealing with high CYA levels, you might consider switching to a saltwater pool. Saltwater pools do not require the use of chlorine tabs, which is where cyanuric acid comes from. Without using chlorine tabs, you'll never have to worry about high cyanuric acid levels.

Professional Pool Service

Pool draining is not a pool maintenance item that needs to be done regularly. But if you're doing repairs, repainting, refinishing, or you have high CYA or TDS levels, you'll need to drain your pool.

But pool draining isn't a job for the uninitiated. For professional help, contact us.