# Draining The Pool

During pool startup, you will find that there is enough water left in the pool to where the water level is just below the return lines. Water is kept in the pool during the winter to keep the pool from heaving out of it's shell during hard freezes. To open the pool follow these steps:

1. Drain the water from the pool using a pump and hose. Insert the pump near the deep end, but not deep enough where the electrical plug will be submerged in water.
   1. There is a sewer pipe that can be used to drain water. It's located by the slide
2. Once the pool is drained, use a plastic shovel to remove leaves and large debris from the pool and then wash remaining dirt and debris from the steps, sidewalls, and floor toward the main drains in the deep end
3. Drain dirty water from the deep end
4. Power wash all pool surfaces, including steps, walls, and floor to get rid of tough dirt and debris. Direct it toward the deep end to be drained again
5. Use pump sprayer filled with chlorine to sanitize all pool surfaces, including steps, walls, and floor. Scrub the chlorine and wash into the deep end immediately to avoid staining. Work in small sections to keep it manageable and work from the shallow end to the deep end. It is recommended that you pump water out of the deep end while performing this step so that concentrated chlorine doesn't sit in the deep end which can cause staining
6. Fill a watering can with 3/4 water and 1/4 muriatic acid. Mix the solution and then pour over remaining stains to remove staining. Scrub the acid with a nylon brush (not steel brush) and rinse immediately to avoid staining. Again, it's recommended to pump the water out of the deep end while performing this step to avoid damaging the pool surface.


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