This little bit of engineering genius was a homeowner’s attempt to redirect the pool filter backwash into the drain cleanout in one of the house’s bathrooms. It was part of a much grander DIY renovation, which included a new plaster job.
“So the owner starts the plaster job with the advice of the local chain pool store. And after brushing and filtering the pool for a couple of days he backwashes the filter as instructed for 15 minutes,” Bob says.
The result? Instant clog in the bathroom drain, and rising water. “The whole time he is backwashing, the bathroom is flooding up through the shower drain, and flowing down the hallway — for 15 minutes at something like 85 gallons per minute.” (That’s 1,275 gallons running down the hallway, looking for trouble.)
According to the homeowner, the total bill came to $7,200 in drywall and flooring repair. But he saved money on the pool renovation!
“I now service the pool,” Bob says in conclusion, “but he still knows more than I do about pool care.
