I hear you on the weed barrier mess—had a similar situation at one of my rentals, and it ended up being more trouble than it was worth. About draining pools, have you ever looked into those temporary sump pumps? I tried one last summer to move water from a low spot near the pool out to the alley. It wasn’t fancy, but it kept the yard from turning into a mud pit. Curious if you’ve had any luck with French drains or if that just seems like overkill for this kind of thing? Sometimes I wonder if all these “solutions” just create new headaches...
Curious if you’ve had any luck with French drains or if that just seems like overkill for this kind of thing? Sometimes I wonder if all these “solutions” just create new headaches...
I've definitely wrestled with the same question—sometimes it feels like every fix just breeds a new set of problems. For a pool, I’d say French drains can be overkill unless you’re dealing with chronic flooding or a really stubborn low spot. They’re a lot of work to install (digging, gravel, pipe, etc.), and if your soil doesn’t drain well, they can underperform.
I’ve had better luck using a temporary sump pump, like you mentioned. What’s worked for me is pairing it with a long discharge hose, so I can direct the water out to the street or a storm drain instead of just moving it to another corner of the yard. It’s not elegant, but it’s fast and doesn’t mess with your landscaping.
If you’re set on something more permanent, a surface-level channel drain might be less hassle than a full French drain. Just be sure to check your city’s rules about where you can discharge pool water—some places are picky about chlorine runoff.
Honestly, sometimes the “simple and ugly” solution is the best, at least until you see if the problem keeps coming back.
I totally get what you mean about the “simple and ugly” route sometimes being the best. I’m new to all this, but I tried the sump pump + long hose trick last summer and it actually worked way better than I expected. Didn’t even mess up my grass too much, which was a nice surprise. Has anyone tried those roll-out temporary drain mats? I saw them online and they look kind of gimmicky, but maybe they’re good for smaller jobs?
Has anyone tried those roll-out temporary drain mats? I saw them online and they look kind of gimmicky, but maybe they’re good for smaller jobs?
I’ve looked into those mats too, but honestly, I’m skeptical about their durability. For the price, you could probably rig up a DIY solution with some old tarps and a few bricks to direct the flow. The mats might help with minor puddles, but for draining a whole pool, I’d worry about them shifting or tearing. If you’re just dealing with a little overflow or washing down a patio, maybe they’d hold up... but for anything bigger, I’d stick with the hose method.
I get where you’re coming from about the mats, but I’ve actually used one for a medium-sized pond cleanout, and it surprised me. The trick is to anchor the edges really well—sandbags worked better than bricks for me. It didn’t tear, but yeah, I wouldn’t trust it for a full pool drain unless you go slow. Sometimes the “gimmicky” stuff does the job if you tweak it a bit. If you’re creative with setup, those mats can help direct water away from flower beds or patios without making a muddy mess.
