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How to Fix a Flooded Pool During Winter
Has your swimming pool fallen victim to the weather this winter? We’ve spoken with a swimming pool engineer to give you specialist advice on combating swimming pool flooding.
My Name is Verdun Bailey, and I have been in the pool industry for 37 years. I am a member of the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers, and MD of one of the UK’s oldest pool companies - Ambassador Pools, now in its 51st year, based in the South of England.
We have been contacted by many customers again this year, saying their property/pool has been affected by flooding, so I have put together the following tips.
It seems that winters are getting warmer and wetter, the problem with this is that flooding is becoming more common.
Swimming pools overrun with grey water (water that has contamination from foul drains, rivers, heating oil etc.) will need to be dealt with as they will constitute a health hazard.
The problem is that you can’t simply empty the pool. Hydrostatic groundwater pressure from the groundwater table can cause serious structural damage.
Thankfully, there are options.
You can gain expert advice from structural engineers and pool specialists. They can propose a solution to de-water the surrounding ground to a position that reduces pressure behind the pool, allowing the pool to be drained and refilled.
Consideration must be given to the discharge of the contaminated water. If contamination is light, it may be possible to clean this water using chlorine or similar winter pool chemicals, then reduce the chemical content and pump it out locally. If not, contaminated water can be removed by specialist water tankers.
You could decide to wait. This option is more popular as it reduces the risk and cost.
You will need to sanitise the water. Treat it as if there was a dead animal in the pool by removing any solids, adding chlorine to kill any bacteria and microorganisms, then reduce it back to normal. Again, you should gain specialist advice from local pool experts.
Then, in time when the groundwater allows, empty the pool and replace with fresh water.
If this is not possible or you don’t want to wait, you can complete three partial water replacements, so pumping out 35% of your pool refilling, and repeat, until water quality returns.
If your pool has sustained damage, again, you will be advised to gain expert advice from a local pool specialist. Damage could include:
If flooding has damaged your equipment, the first thing is to make it safe. Turn off any electrical supply and make safe any services, such as gas or oil.
If water has ingressed into pool equipment, such as pumps or the pool heating pump, it is normally damaged beyond repair, and this equipment will need replacing.
Remember, it’s worth considering what repairs to the pool or its equipment are required to stop this happening again in the future - as I said, this will become the norm.
The solution may be simple, such as simply elevating pool equipment above the highest water level. It could also be more complex when you consider the pool - it may be that the pool walls need to be built up. The problem is that you will complete remedial works following this flood and then next year it happens again.
There is the option to install mechanical solutions to de-water. However, in my experience, this normally relies on electric submersible pumps and they generally fail when needed as power outages sometimes occur with flooding.
Always make sure that you have let your insurance company know that you have a pool and that the total insured sum is enough to cover your property and include the cost to replace the pool.
If you need advice specific to your situation, feel free to contact our technical experts here at 1st Direct Pools, who would be happy to provide advice.
