Why It's A Good Idea To Elevate Your Pool Equipment
If you live in an area that's prone to flooding, then elevating your pool equipment can be a great idea. More and more fibreglass pool owners are learning about the benefits of elevating their pool equipment. Not only are people becoming more aware of why pool equipment should be elevated, but also of how it can be elevated.
Should you experience flooding a lot, in the area you live in, then sudden floods can end up impacting and even damaging your pool equipment. You may also find yourself dealing with intense storms and even hurricanes. If this is the case, especially if you’re expecting flooding of any kind to affect your area, ensure that your pool equipment is elevated. This is because otherwise, your pool equipment could be damaged.
If this happens, then you may find yourself paying for an expensive repair job. Replacing your pool equipment also comes with a hefty price tag.
Elevating Your Pool Equipment: How High Should It Be?
Say your fibreglass pool is situated in an area that’s designated as a floodplain. You could also be living near a waterway along the coast.
If this is the case, then all your pool equipment needs to be at least above the base water level that’s expected, when the flood rolls in. You can try to anticipate how much the water level is likely to rise and keep your pool equipment at an elevation that’s higher.
You can also get in touch with your local office for managing floodplains. They can tell you what the base water level that you can expect in case of a flood is. Then, you can place your pool equipment at a level where the flood water is unlikely to affect it. If you have a pool pump that’s inground, then there’s a huge chance that this could be self-priming as well.
This means that your pool pump should have enough suction such that it can pull the water up in the vertical direction, through the pipes of the pump. In case the pool pump is located too high above the level of the water in the pool, then this can cause issues. You could find yourself dealing with air leaks. If this happens, then your pool equipment will end up drawing air over water.
You should also ensure that the check valves are properly in place. This help to keep water from the pool, within the pipes. This water won’t go back through your pipes and back to your pool. Instead, the check valves ensure that the flow can only go in one direction.
This helps to trap pool water within the pump. Your check valves should be placed in front of your pump. You can also place it at the ground level, on a system that’s raised.
What Do You Need to Elevate Your Pool Equipment?
It’s easier to raise any pool equipment that you have, instead of shifting all your pool equipment to a separate place in your backyard. If you need to make your pool pipes longer, then you can do this with the help of PVC fittings as well as piping.
Every pool pump also comes with a wiring harness. This is often a conduit that’s flexible. It’s possible to retrofit this harness to your new height, without rewiring your pump.
For the incoming pipes, you’ll need to use your check valves. This will help to keep the water within the pool system, even when the pump has been shut off. With check valves, you’ll need to use pipes that are between 1.5″ and 2.5″.
How Can You Elevate Pool Equipment?
There are various ways for you to elevate the pool equipment that you have, in a safe manner. You can make use of a platform that’s raised, made of either plastic or wood. You can also use stacks of cinder blocks, to raise your pool equipment. Remember that the durability, as well as the structural integrity of what you’re doing, is essential.
In case you live in an area where it floods often, then the raised platform that you create will need to be sturdy enough to not collapse.
Here is what you can use to elevate pool equipment:
Wooden Box
You could think about creating a wooden box, to help you elevate the pool equipment that you have. First, ensure that you find ground that is stable and sturdy to keep the box on. Then, add extra inches to all the sides, to ensure that you have enough space to keep the actual pool equipment.
Finally, you’ll also need to reinforce your wooden box using either a steel mesh. You should also get a sealant that’s waterproof, to ensure that the wood doesn’t rot.
Raising the Pump
You may not need to elevate all the pool equipment that you have. There are parts that can do just fine, even when exposed to flood water. You do need to raise your pool pump, as well as the pool heater. But the pool filter, the valves as well as the pipes, can be kept on ground level.
You can make use of a cinder block, to lift your pool pump. If your pool has any components that are electrical, then these should also be elevated.
To raise any of the electrical parts, you will need to call your electrician. They will then move the breaker box of your pool, as well as any electrical elements that it may have, to the elevated platform. Don’t try to do this yourself, as it can be a complicated process to revamp the electrical setup of your fibreglass pool.
Conclusion
If you live in an area where it floods a lot, then leaving your pool equipment on the ground level can be dangerous. In such cases, you’ll need to elevate your pool equipment. There are ways that you can go about doing this. You could get a wooden box, or build a wooden platform. You could also choose to only have certain pool equipment elevated, while others remain at the ground level.
Use this guide to learn more about why you should raise your fibreglass pool equipment, as well as how you can make that possible.
Why It's A Good Idea To Elevate Your Pool Equipment
If you live in an area that's prone to flooding, then elevating your pool equipment can be a great idea. More and more fibreglass pool owners are learning about the benefits of elevating their pool equipment. Not only are people becoming more aware of why pool equipment should be elevated, but also of how it can be elevated.
Should you experience flooding a lot, in the area you live in, then sudden floods can end up impacting and even damaging your pool equipment. You may also find yourself dealing with intense storms and even hurricanes. If this is the case, especially if you’re expecting flooding of any kind to affect your area, ensure that your pool equipment is elevated. This is because otherwise, your pool equipment could be damaged.
If this happens, then you may find yourself paying for an expensive repair job. Replacing your pool equipment also comes with a hefty price tag.
Elevating Your Pool Equipment: How High Should It Be?
Say your fibreglass pool is situated in an area that’s designated as a floodplain. You could also be living near a waterway along the coast.
If this is the case, then all your pool equipment needs to be at least above the base water level that’s expected, when the flood rolls in. You can try to anticipate how much the water level is likely to rise and keep your pool equipment at an elevation that’s higher.
You can also get in touch with your local office for managing floodplains. They can tell you what the base water level that you can expect in case of a flood is. Then, you can place your pool equipment at a level where the flood water is unlikely to affect it. If you have a pool pump that’s inground, then there’s a huge chance that this could be self-priming as well.
This means that your pool pump should have enough suction such that it can pull the water up in the vertical direction, through the pipes of the pump. In case the pool pump is located too high above the level of the water in the pool, then this can cause issues. You could find yourself dealing with air leaks. If this happens, then your pool equipment will end up drawing air over water.
You should also ensure that the check valves are properly in place. This help to keep water from the pool, within the pipes. This water won’t go back through your pipes and back to your pool. Instead, the check valves ensure that the flow can only go in one direction.
This helps to trap pool water within the pump. Your check valves should be placed in front of your pump. You can also place it at the ground level, on a system that’s raised.
What Do You Need to Elevate Your Pool Equipment?
It’s easier to raise any pool equipment that you have, instead of shifting all your pool equipment to a separate place in your backyard. If you need to make your pool pipes longer, then you can do this with the help of PVC fittings as well as piping.
Every pool pump also comes with a wiring harness. This is often a conduit that’s flexible. It’s possible to retrofit this harness to your new height, without rewiring your pump.
For the incoming pipes, you’ll need to use your check valves. This will help to keep the water within the pool system, even when the pump has been shut off. With check valves, you’ll need to use pipes that are between 1.5″ and 2.5″.
How Can You Elevate Pool Equipment?
There are various ways for you to elevate the pool equipment that you have, in a safe manner. You can make use of a platform that’s raised, made of either plastic or wood. You can also use stacks of cinder blocks, to raise your pool equipment. Remember that the durability, as well as the structural integrity of what you’re doing, is essential.
In case you live in an area where it floods often, then the raised platform that you create will need to be sturdy enough to not collapse.
Here is what you can use to elevate pool equipment:
Wooden Box
You could think about creating a wooden box, to help you elevate the pool equipment that you have. First, ensure that you find ground that is stable and sturdy to keep the box on. Then, add extra inches to all the sides, to ensure that you have enough space to keep the actual pool equipment.
Finally, you’ll also need to reinforce your wooden box using either a steel mesh. You should also get a sealant that’s waterproof, to ensure that the wood doesn’t rot.
Raising the Pump
You may not need to elevate all the pool equipment that you have. There are parts that can do just fine, even when exposed to flood water. You do need to raise your pool pump, as well as the pool heater. But the pool filter, the valves as well as the pipes, can be kept on ground level.
You can make use of a cinder block, to lift your pool pump. If your pool has any components that are electrical, then these should also be elevated.
To raise any of the electrical parts, you will need to call your electrician. They will then move the breaker box of your pool, as well as any electrical elements that it may have, to the elevated platform. Don’t try to do this yourself, as it can be a complicated process to revamp the electrical setup of your fibreglass pool.
Conclusion
If you live in an area where it floods a lot, then leaving your pool equipment on the ground level can be dangerous. In such cases, you’ll need to elevate your pool equipment. There are ways that you can go about doing this. You could get a wooden box, or build a wooden platform. You could also choose to only have certain pool equipment elevated, while others remain at the ground level.
Use this guide to learn more about why you should raise your fibreglass pool equipment, as well as how you can make that possible.
