How to DRAIN Your Pool (FAST) | Swim University

There are four ways to drain water out of your pool: with your filter waste port, your pump’s hose bib, a sump pump, or a garden hose. But the one that’s best for your pool depends on your filter system and how much water you need to drain. So here’s a quick guide on how to drain water out of your pool.

⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - How to Drain Water Out of Your Pool
00:35 - #1. Filter Waste Port
01:11 - #2. Pump Hose Bib
01:40 - #3. Sump Pump
02:13 - #4. Garden Hose Siphon
02:39 - Where to Drain Pool Water
03:03 - Warning: Don't Completely Empty Your Pool

Swim University has made swimming pool and hot tub care easy for more than 10 million homeowners. And each year, we continue to help more people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting. We know taking care of a swimming pool or spa can be difficult. And it’s hard to find a trusted source of information. We get it! This is the reason we created Swim University.

[petersalls]

I have a DE filter. When it's time to clean the filter, I remove the grid work, then i use a wet vac to remove the water on the bottom of the filter. I dissamble to the grids and clean them individually, then reassemble it all. This way, i don't send anything into the storm drain or the yard.

[mase]

It’s almost swim season let’s goooo!!!

[johnspiegel]

For nearly 20 years, I've done the backwash drain solely with my pool to drain it for the season. I just shut off the intake from the skimmer and let it pull from the bottom drain.

[elpablo]

What about how to use the drains on the bottom of the pool?

[SwimUniversity]

If you need more help with pool care, grab our free Pool Care Cheat Sheet at 👍

[Bunkysworkshop]

The blue back flush hose that you can see in your video’s where do you get it?

[sgebben]

Can you drain and fill at the same time? Drain through the bottom drain while adding water via hose from the top? Should the hose be on the opposite end of the pool? I'm trying to lower TDS levels.

[lisamazz]

hey so I am building a 25'x15' inground for my dogs :) so only 18" deep at the max end...will I need a main drain? and if so, why?

[BrianDominguez-nh]

The siphon method works however I prefer to use the vacuum hose to maximize the flow…

[ss_websurfer]

If I need to backwash and lower the water levels at the same time. Can I just backwash?

[kashalethebear]

You left out a real simple option. Simply buy a skimmer float valve which connects suction return back to the pump to the main drain line in the skimmer, and then just put it on backwash drain the pool. I've been draining pools this way for 40 years

You just have to make sure that some type of hose is attached to the backwash port so it can drain safely away from the pool

[elizabethpless]

What are reasons that you’d want to drain your pool? Do you recommend draining if it’s green and filled with leaves? To start over?

[SamHale]

Do not drain your pool into the city sewer system. They have to process every drop of it. It's the same with gutter runoff.
Put that water into the storm runoff.