Timers are a lifesaver, but I’ve found the old “kitchen egg timer” trick works too—just set it and move the hose when it dings. I’d be careful with the sprinkler if your yard’s got any slopes, though. My 1920s place has a weird grade, and water just races downhill... learned that the hard way. Chlorine’s definitely a plant killer, so I usually let the pool sit a few days before draining to let it dissipate.
Letting the chlorine dissipate first is smart—plants really don’t stand a chance otherwise. Timers are great, but I get what you mean about slopes... water just finds the fastest way down. Sounds like you’ve got it under control, though.
water just finds the fastest way down
Ain’t that the truth. I tried using a series of trenches once, thinking I could “guide” the water where I wanted. Ended up with a mini river right through my veggie patch—lesson learned. Have you ever tried using rain barrels or any kind of water catchment to slow things down, or is your yard just too sloped for that to work? Curious if anyone’s ever managed to make those work on a hill, honestly.
Rain barrels are great in theory, but on a slope they’re kind of a pain unless you get creative. I tried them at my last place—ended up with the barrels overflowing and just making a mess at the base. If you’ve got a decent drop, you almost need a series of barrels or tanks at different levels, like a little waterfall system, to slow things down. Even then, you’re fighting gravity the whole way.
Honestly, I’ve had better luck with a combo of French drains and swales. Swales are underrated—just shallow ditches on contour, filled with mulch or gravel, and they really help spread the water out instead of letting it rush straight downhill. It’s not perfect, but it beats watching your hard work get washed away every time it rains. Rain barrels are fine for a flat spot, but on a hill, you’re better off working with the land than against it.
Draining a pool on a slope is like playing a game of “where will the water go this time?”—and usually, it’s straight to your neighbor’s tomato patch or your own basement. I’ve seen more than a few yards turn into mudslides because someone thought a garden hose and a prayer would do the trick.
I’m with you on rain barrels being a hassle on a hill. Tried that at one of my rentals—ended up with a mini-lake at the bottom and a very unhappy tenant. Swales and French drains are definitely underrated, but I’ll admit, they’re not exactly “set it and forget it.” You’ve got to keep them clear, and if you get a real downpour, sometimes they just can’t keep up.
Ever tried using a dry well? I had some luck with those in a backyard that sloped like a ski jump. Dug a big pit, filled it with gravel, and piped the overflow from the pool right into it. It didn’t solve everything, but at least I wasn’t sending water down the block. Still, I wonder if there’s a way to combine all these ideas—like, swales leading to a dry well, maybe with some landscaping boulders to slow things down even more.
Curious if anyone’s managed to make rain gardens work for this kind of thing? I keep hearing about them, but I’m skeptical they can handle the volume from a pool drain. Or is that just wishful thinking on my part?
