When pool builders install your in-ground pool, there will almost always be an overflow drain system installed to prevent overflow and damage to your property. Unfortunately, in certain areas of the country, regional storms, tropical storms, and hurricanes will dump unprecedented amounts of rainfall on small areas. We will outline some steps to keep your property safe before, during, and after these unforeseen circumstances.

Preparing Your Pool Before The Storm

The biggest two worries when a tropical storm or hurricane are approaches are objects being blown into your pool, and vast amounts of rain flooding the pool. Luckily these two options are easily mitigated with a bit of preparedness. Firstly, you DO NOT want to drain your pool. The water inside provides weight at the sides and bottom to protect the pool. If you regularly top off your pool with fresh water, as the storm approaches, you no longer have to do so. Having your pool a few inches below normal levels is ideal to capture all of that fresh rain water. Additionally, trim all nearby tree branches and remove all objects from around the pool. You do not want anything blowing around and cracking the tiles surrounding your pool. PRO TIP: If you have waterproof patio furniture, you can actually let it sink to the bottom of your deep end. This will prevent you from having to store it and it will be perfectly safe underwater.

What Do I Do if My Pool Overflows?

First things first, wait until the weather clears. After the storm passes and it’s safe to do so, evaluate the level of your pool. If the water overflowed during the storm you might want to do a bit of drainage. There are several at home methods that vary in complexity and are relatively simple to perform:

Pump Spigot

Your pool may have a hose spigot built-in to the filter pump. This would just require you to attach a common hose to the spigot, add the other end into the pool, and turn on the filter pump.

Pump Drain Plug

Your pool pump will likely have a PVC plug cap on it. Using a large wrench you can remove this plug and turn on the pump. Water will flow out of this area quickly. Keep a close eye and pool levels and turn off the pump when desired. This should not take long

The Old-Fashioned Siphon

You’ve seen it in movies plenty of times! Get a length of hose and find a spot lower than your pool. With one end of the hose in the pool and the other lower than the pool, use your mouth to suck on the hose until water comes through, then simply lay the hose down. The hose should begin draining the pool. This method can take quite a while