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How do you install a bottom drain in an above ground pool?

5 min read

Asked by: Kelly Gutierrez

Locate the center of the pool and install center drains at least 3′ apart from one another. Dig a trench 4″ to 6″ deep. The trench should lead out and under the bottom channel of the pool to the area where the filter will be set. Connect the hose to the fittings and bottom main drains, using teflon tape on all threads.

Can you put a bottom drain in an above ground pool?


First of all when you install the main drain at the bottom of the pool in the center you also have an intake of water at your skimmer at the top.

How do you put drainage in an above ground pool?

Water will always run downhill, so the simplest form of drainage is to slope the land around your pool away from the pool itself. A rock border placed 1.5 feet around the perimeter will also stop water from pool in the soil around the pool and prevent erosion. However, this solution will not work for every situation.

How do you install drainage in a pool?

In this area with steel. And it's going to help resist free stall it's going to add to the integrity of the concrete. And it's going to give us a little bit of a drainage layer.

Does a pool need a drain at the bottom?

We’ve already seen that the water in a swimming pool needs to circulate through a filtering system, to remove dirt and debris. During normal operation, water flows to the filtering system through two or more main drains at the bottom of the pool and multiple skimmer drains around the top of the pool.

How do you winterize an above ground pool with a center drain?

Turn the blower on and wait for the bubbles to emerge in the main drain. Let that continue for 30 seconds or so and with the blower still running close the valve. This will create an air pocket.

How pool main drain works?

A pool’s so-called main drain is not actually a drain; that is, it is not used to drain the pool. Instead, it is an outlet, housing a pipe that runs to the pump, which sucks water through a skimmer, then through a filter, then through a heater (if you have one), and then back to the pool via multiple inlets.

How far drain above-ground pool?

In most cases, you will want to drain the pool to be at least 4 to 6 inches below the top of the skimmer. This allows adequate space for expansion of the water throughout the winter without risking damage to the pool.

How high can you backfill an above-ground pool?

The pool must be filled prior to backfilling to prevent pool wall collapse and the water level in the pool must always be higher than ground level by at least 1 foot. Slurry is the best backfill material to use when completely burying an above-ground pool since it can better support its own weight.

How do you keep sand from washing under your pool?

How do I Prevent Sand From Washing Away From Under an Above Ground Pool?

  1. Choose an area that doesn’t have too much water flow from rainfalls.
  2. Place a cinder block inside the foundation area where each pool post will be resting and layer the inside of the boarded foundation with pea gravel, and then sand.


What does the bottom drain in a pool do?

Main Drain: The main drain is typically located at the deepest point of the pool and is used to lower the water level, however its primary purpose is to circulate water from the bottom of the pool. It is recommended that about 1/3rd of the circulated water come from the main drain.

How do I know if my pool bottom drain is working?

you can tell if your main drain is working by perhaps putting a leaf on it. If it sticks, its working. In any case though, the main drain is not why your pool is having a problem. It has nothing to do with your pool turning green.

Where does the water go when you drain a pool?

Built into them it's usually at the bottom of the deepest. Point of the pool. And it's plumbed right up to the pool pump with the valve.

Can I drain pool water on lawn?

Pool water is perfectly safe for grass in small levels. If you want to drain your pool onto your lawn, make sure to properly dilute the chlorine level. Be careful not to flood your lawn while draining, because that can kill the grass.

Can pool water be drained into the sewer system?

It is illegal to discharge sediment-polluted water from your pool excavation to the storm drain or waterway, or to the sanitary sewer (without permission).

What is the second hole in skimmer?

The second hole in the skimmer is connected to a pipe called an equalizer. This pipe goes down approximately two feet and through the concrete wall of the pool. It prevents the pump from taking in air if the pool’s water level dips below the skimmer opening.

Which valve is main drain in pool?

On the bottom of the float valve there is a small teardrop-shaped flap attached to the valve with a single screw. This flap is responsible for the regulation of flow between the skimmer and the main drain. If the flap is closed, the main drain is the sale port through which the water flows out of the pool.

Does main drain connect to skimmer?

Because the main drain is not tied into the skimmer in this set-up, pool systems using this configuration usually also have a separate valve to control a separate main drain line that runs from the pool to the pump.