Draining Gunite Pool

[y0manda]

If a pool doesnt have pressure release valves that keeps the pool from floating and it has not rained in a long time. will a pool still pop out or float? I am curious about this question too. Would the plaster crack even if the pool is lets say at least 6 months old? Is their still enough moisture under the pool from the pool it's self or does ALL the water in the pool stay there and not past the plaster? I have asked myself this question, If I were to look under the pool while the water is still under there, Is the dirt completly dry? Just wondering. Thanks.

[jaypool]

I am thinking I am going ahead to try and drain it to get the paint out of the pool. Does anyone have an idea on how to do this any other way?

[eljefe281]

Note! I take no responsibility for this suggestion!

It seems to me that, if the pool builder is the one responsible for putting the paint in the pool, he should be responsible for getting it out.

Ask him to drain it, drill a new weep hole(s), clean the paint out, and replaster over the hole(s).

[divnkd101]

I am thinking I am going ahead to try and drain it to get the paint out of the pool. Does anyone have an idea on how to do this any other way?

Jaypool,

If you are wanting the water out, go to the rent-all place closest to you, rent an industrial pump (tell them what you are doing) and drain your pool to the street drain. However, I have to agree with Eljefe. Let whoever made the mess worry about getting the paint out. Any additional damages will also be at their expense. Good Luck

[jaypool]

Everyone,

Thanks for your help. I just drained it myself (a friend let me borrow a pump that did it very quickly) and now I'm filling it back up again.

My pool builder has been a pain in the neck but fortunately, I held back the last 15% payment to him for stuff like this. I was tired of arguing with him about stuff that he needed to do. I'm just going to deduct the amount (including my time) from the last payment.

[chem geek]

Just FYI (since you've already drained your pool), you could probably use the "sheet" method for draining and refilling the pool without actually changing the amount of water that is in it and have no risk of cracking or popping out. The sheet method is described elsewhere in this forum but essentially you drain water from under the plastic sheet while filling in new water from the top. You can also use large bags instead, though your pool will look like a scene from Cocoon. You can also use a silage tube. See later pages in this thread for a humorous discussion about these methods.

Another alternative, that takes more water, is to drain from one side of the pool while refilling from the other. This will never completely replace all the water in the pool, but you can perhaps get enough dilution to remove enough of whatever is in your pool that you want removed. This would normally be more for diluting the amount of CYA in your water -- it's not a good method if you want to do significant dilution much beyond 50%.

Richard