Every year, we get pool owners telling us that they drained their inground or above-ground pool for a variety of reasons: an extensive annual clean, to correct the pool pH, because the pool won’t be in use for a significant period of time—the list goes on and on.

The things is, completely draining your pool is almost never recommended. That being said, there are some specific instances in which you will need to know how to drain a pool and do so properly. While it’s usually best to call a professional pool company to address your issues, we are going to share our best advice for how homeowners can drain their pool.

WHY DRAIN AN INGROUND POOL

Pool owners should never drain their inground pool as part of regular swimming pool maintenance, as draining the pool can actual cause the TDS (total dissolved solids) factor to rise. This makes the chlorine in your pool less effective and can cause skin and eye irritation to swimmers and metal corrosion of your pool equipment.

Additionally, draining increase the risk of calcium deposits, brown manganese stains, and pool deterioration. Basically, if you need to clean your pool, do so with water in it, not out of it. If you aren’t sure how to get our Arizona pool clean, contact a pool professional for advice and service.

So when is it a good idea to drain? Inground pools should only be drained when you need to stabilize your pool’s TDS or if a repair to the interior is necessary.

WHY DRAIN AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL

Sometimes, no matter how many pool chemicals you use or how hard you work to balance your pool pH, the water will still become cloudy (more than likely due to algae) to the point where the lining at the bottom of your pool can no longer be seen.

In these situations, you can safely empty your pool, but it should be refilled as soon as possible to prevent the liner from shrinking or stretching or causing other problems to arise.

POOL DRAINING TIPS

• Temperature – The best time to do any repairs or resurfacing work on a pool is when it’s below 85F, and certainly when it’s below 100F.

• Timeframe – Never keep your pool drained for more than a day or two. This can cause the ground surrounding your pool’s foundation to shift and change, which can cause extensive damage to your pool and the area around it.

• Consult a professional – Unless you’re a true pool expert, you should only drain your pool under the advice of a pool service professional. Most pool issues can be solved without draining your pool.

Regular maintenance from a pool care expert will nearly eliminate the need for you to drain your inground or above-ground pool in Arizona. Unless a repair is needed to the interior, your best bet is to find a different way to fix the issue.