You are a pool owner, and seeing spills can be a source of concern. Pool spills and overflows can usually be a nightmare. This is especially true for the buildings around the pool and the surrounding area as a whole.
This article will show you how to identify the right levels at which your pool water should be at. It will also answer all the questions you might have with regard to this topic.
Can an above-ground pool have too much water?
Yes, an above-ground pool can have too much water.
When your pool gets too full, it overflows. When this happens, pool water begins to flow above the top of the pool.
There are quite a number of causes for this incident, but chief among them are rainstorms. Your above-ground pool, especially if uncovered, is very susceptible to this. This is very likely to happen after heavy rains and downpours.
Most pools are built to accommodate up to 3 inches of rainfall. If rainfall exceeds that certain volume, a pool overflow is likely. At 5-6 inches of rainfall, most pools, if not all, will overflow.
Should pool pumps be full of water?
Yes, it should.
A pool pump is an engine that keeps the pool water moving. This enables dirt and debris to be filtered out. It also functions to ensure that the pool chemicals mix thoroughly.
If it is not, that’s an indication that there is an issue somewhere. There are many reasons why this could be happening. They include:
- Faulty valves: If the pool pump is not functioning at its optimum capacity, then faulty valves could be the reason. Due to wear and tear, they might not be turning properly. On the other hand, they could have been turned off inadvertently. In any case, this will decrease the flow of water to the pump.
- Clogged skimmer basket: When the skimmer basket is filled with dirt and debris, it can act as a hindrance to water flow. If it is clogged up, water can’t flow freely.
- Closed weir door: The weir door is a vertical flap that acts as a regulator to regulate water flowing from the pool to the pump. It is a trap door of some sort. In normal circumstances, when the pump is running, it is meant to be open. If, for any reason, it is closed or partially open, the right amount of water won’t be getting to the pump.
- Low water levels: Another reason why the pump might not be getting filled is low water levels. If the water levels in the pool have gone down drastically, it will greatly affect the volume of water getting to the pumps. These water levels could be reduced due to evaporation and splashing. Low water levels could cause problems for the pump. It will lead to air being drawn into the filter system. This can result in the pump running dry or half empty. This can then lead to cavitation and even overheating.
What is the right pool water level?
In an ideal situation, the water level is meant to be at least halfway up the skimmer door. This level is optimum, as it ensures that all the debris and dirt flows into the skimmer and then to the pump.
Can your pool overflow from rain?
As mentioned above, one of the major causes of pool overflows is excess rain. When your pool is exposed to the elements, this occurrence can take place.
Should I cover my above-ground pool when it rains?
The severity or intensity of the rain will determine if you will cover your pool or not.
In light showers or drizzles, you can decide to cover the pool. This isn’t a must, though. But what you must ensure is that the cover is durable. If it is not, the water will accumulate and its weight will cause the cover to give way.
In heavy storms, covering the pool is not necessary. The heavy winds accompanying the rain can blow the cover away. In some cases, they can tear the cover apart. All you need to do is have your chemicals on hand. This way, rainy after the storm, you can then easily adjust the chemical balance.
For an above-ground pool, the pumps used need to be below water level. This is to ensure that gravity and atmospheric pressure does most of the work. With the help of “flooded suction” the pump doesn’t require much vacuum pressure to function.
Is it OK if my above-ground pool overflows?
If your above-ground pool overflows, the major thing to consider is the drainage system surrounding it. The surrounding drainage system will determine if this will cause a big issue or not. If the drainage around you is poor, it can lead to flooding and water logging. You wouldn’t want this to happen.
Apart from that, your pool’s chemistry can be messed up. However, by having the appropriate chemicals on hand to make the necessary adjustments, this can be easily handled.
What happens if the pool water level is too high?
When pool levels drop, quite a number of things happen. This includes:
- Diluted pool chemicals: Once the pool water gets too high, the pool chemicals get diluted. Dilution causes the loss of efficacy of these chemicals. The risk this poses is that algae can begin to bloom in that water if left unchecked.
- Unbalance in the pool’s chemistry: If the water level rises above normal, it can change the way the chemicals work. If rainfall was the cause of the water rise, the pH of your pool could be skewed. Rainwater is acidic and this could affect other chemicals in the pool. Phosphate levels have many chlorine levels, alkalinity, and the pH can be greatly affected.
- Poor filtration: What can happen when the pool water is too high is that the skimmer won’t work optimally. The debris will float above the skimmer, and it can’t clean it. Debris will be left on the surface even after running the water through filters.
- Structural damage: When the water gets high in an above-ground pool, it can exert undue pressure on the walls. Over time, this can lead to cracks in the integrity of the pool’s walls.
- Flooding in the yard: This is another side effect of an overflowing pool. Things can get really messy for you when the pool overflows. If there is no good drainage system in your surroundings, it becomes a big challenge.
- Pool vinyl damage: Vinyl liners in pools are susceptible to damage from rising water levels. The water can get under the liner and cause it to be waterlogged.
What do I do if my pool water is too high?
For an above-ground pool, you have a few options to choose from.
- You can decide to leave the pool water to evaporate. After the rainstorms, the sun will definitely be out. The excess water that has accumulated can then be left to evaporate. Everything will be back to normal once the evaporation occurs.
- You can decide to drain it. It is okay to drain an above-ground pool. This is because it is not so susceptible to the same hydrostatic pressure faced by underground or inground pools. Just ensure that you have proper systems for drainage so as to prevent flooding.
How do I know if my pool water is too low?
As mentioned above, the ideal level of water should be one third to halfway up the skimmer. Any level below this means the water levels have been depleted.
How often should I be adding water to my pool?
On average, pools lose ¼-½ inches of water per day due to evaporation. This sums up to 2-4 inches per week. Your pool can lose about 30,000–50,000 gallons per year due to evaporation alone. It means that you would be refilling your pool every 5–7 days.
There is also something you can try out: a bucket test.
The bucket test is quite simple.
- You take out a bucket.
- You put water in it.
- You place it on the deck and expose it to the same conditions as your pool.
- You check the water level of your skimmer.
- In a few days’ time, you check to see if the level drop for the bucket is the same as for the pool. If they are the same, then the water loss is due to evaporation. If they are not, then there is a leak in your pool.
How much water loss is normal in a pool?
As mentioned above, normal water loss is ½-¼ inches per day. On a weekly basis, that ranges from 2 to 4 inches. And over the course of a year, that water loss can hit between 30,000 and 50,000 gallons.
If the water loss seems to be more extreme than these values, then a leak should be suspected. Get professionals to find this leak and fix it.
