Safely Getting Water Off Your Above Ground Pool Cover

[Your Local Pool Guy]

The best way to go about clearing your pool cover of debris and rain water (maybe even melted snow) is to buy a sump pump. Which can run $30 and up and any pool store or home depot, walmart, lowes. But if you dont have the money or time you can simply use your garden hose.

Place one end of your garden hose in the pool and the other on the ground. Warning: This can be gross if you do it wrong

make a tight fist around the end of the hose and start sucking on it like a straw. This will start to pull water from the pool. When you feel it coming, let go and place it on the ground. The gravity from the top of the pool to the ground will continue the flow of water.

Once most of the water is off the cover you can use your pool skimmer to remove any left over debris on top. The cover doesnt have to be completely clean, but the less debris and water on the cover the lighter it will be instead of putting the weight on your pool walls.

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[Dan Espen]

Pool Guy,

You must have lungs of steel, or you've never tried it.

My cover gets water, leaves, and droppings from birds and squirrels that visit frequently.

No way am I getting that water in my mouth. Sounds like a good way to get Hepatitis.

So, I disagree, it's not gross, it's dangerous.

Oh, I've tried those pumps that have a plastic bellows. They don't work. Spring for the electric pump.

[Your Local Pool Guy]

if you cover the hose with your hand and suck until you hear something coming it can be done. And yes I've tried it several times. Where I work we have over 10 aboveground pools in our yard and each one needs to be drained now and again. Just reassuring.

[Todd H.]

I'm no pool guy, nor do I care about the tip that much, but what he's describing is a simple siphon and it has worked for as long as there have been hoses in the world. It's all predecated of course on the level of the pool cover water being above ground leve, and the hose not being so long such that there's an enormous air volume to reduce to wick the liquid up over the edge.

People siphon gasoline from autos this way too, by the way. Used to be quite the thing in the 70's. You're of course best to get your mouth off the end of the line once you hear water starting to draw over the high point of the siphon of course.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

[Goedjn]

You can get one that attaches to your electric drill for around $15.USD

[mike_0_007]

better way - fill the hose with water at the faucet. Hold the end of the hose at same height as faucet. once filled detach hose, keeping both ends together so water doesn't drain out. walk to the pool - drop one end in pool and the other below grade. Siphon is now running.

[Steve B]

I have IIRC, a 1/6 hp pump that I got at Ace. It is submersible. I believe it was around $35, but nothing outrageous. It is simple to use with no priming required. It has a centrifugal impeller on the bottom, and a screen.

I would invest in one of these things to keep from coming in contact with God knows what. I would also buy a long handled soft push broom so that you can drag as much leaves and garbage off it as you can before going after the water. Once you have the pump sitting on the top of the liner pumping, you can use a hose sprayer to loosen the gook and get it to go to the pump. My pump has a ring on top where I can tie a rope. So, if you have a railing, or a handy tree branch, you can pretty much set the depth you want it to draw from, and lighten the weight you are putting on the liner. It also works great for when you want to drain the pool, or just take out some water for any reason. I use mine to change water in the spas.

That's only what I would do. YMMV.

Steve

[krw]

You don't even need to suck on the hose (you'll only be able to suck about 1' of water anyway). Simply connect the hose to a faucet, fill the hose, then disconnect from the supply (connection below the pool) and it'll siphon. Alternatively you can submerge the hose under water, cap the end, put the capped end below the pool rim, and uncap.

[gfretwell]

That's the way I do it. One of those screw on caps does a great job, water gasoline or diesel.

[Rich256]

A fellow I knew many years ago call it a "Oklahoma Credit Card". Just because he was from Oklahoma I think.

[Moe]

I take my old garden hose, throw it on the cover while holding one end. Let it set for an hour or so, pull the hose fast and let it lay on the ground, leaving part of the hose submerged on the cover, it siphons on it's own.

I'd pay to see someone sucking on a garden hose, you have any pictures?

[gfretwell]

Yeah she was on Lake Powell in a boat.