re plumbing pool

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PattyB02

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Jun 12, 2014
19
Hauppauge, NY
Ok so I've finally decided to bite the bullet and replace my patio around my pool with pavers. Old paver blocks have been removed and I'm ready for the new pavers. The big question now is should I re plumb the underground piping. The pool is inherited and is 20 years old. Liner was replaced last year. I have 2 returns on shallow end and 2 skimmers at deep end. Piping is 1.5" flex pvc, which turns into black poly which then turns into rigid pvc by pad. Currently no leaks that I'm aware of but 1 of skimmers has been clogged since I've had the pool (1.5 years). Big question is should plumbing be replaced. Second question is if so, is this something I can do.
I have numerous questions about replacing lines if I were to do the work. They include
1. Will skimmer boxes need to be replaced or can I keep them and just replumb.
2. How would you do main drain plumbing since Im not digging under pool. Would I just connect to the flex pipe near skimmers and replumb from there.
3. How deep to go. I'm in North east so I figure at least 18 ". I only ask because a good portion which I have currently dug up is only 4 inches deep (black poly pipe was in paver sand).
4. Should I increase to 2" pipe and should I make separate runs for each return and each skimmer, or can they be tied together.
5. Any secret for backfilling. As I don't want to crack piping since I will need to tamp dirt in order to have a solid surface for pavers.

I think this is a good starting point let me know your thoughts
 
There are very few "shoulds" here. Replacing the plumbing would be great, but doing so is expensive/a lot of work. It is impossible for me to say if that is really worth it for you or not.

If you can manage to connect to the plumbing coming out of the skimmer boxes, which is usually easy enough, and they are not broken, there is no reason to replace them.

If digging up the main drain is impractical, replacing as much of the line running to the drain as you can is still an improvement.

2" pipe is totally worth it. Separate runs are a great idea, and don't cost much more, but not everyone does that.

The crucial things when backfilling is that the pipe be well supported, i.e. not hanging in mid air, before you put dirt on top of it and best if it is at least one foot down.
 
Just keep in mind that when you increase pipe size, you reduce head loss and increases flow rate. Both sound like good things but in reality, if you have a single speed or two speed pump, the pump will use more energy because of this but you may not be able to reduce run time to offset the higher energy use. But since you have a VS you can easily reduce the the RPM which will compensate for the increased energy but only if you actually go to the trouble of reducing the RPM.

If it was my pool, I would not upgrade the pipe. There are many other cheaper ways of improving efficiency and decreasing energy costs and your current pump is a good way of doing that. Unless of course you have to repair a pipe anyway.
 
I guess my main question is I'm trying to determine how long pool plumbing is good for. My concern is the plumbing has been installed since 1995, I'm not sure whether it's at the end of it'd life or whether plumbing should be good for another 20 yrs. I figured I'd ask the question before pavers go down and it turns into a huge ordeal to replace plumbing at a later time
 
Piping is 1.5" flex pvc, which turns into black poly which then turns into rigid pvc by pad.
Click to expand...
I didn't see this before. Rigid would last for pretty much as long as you do but poly, I would probably change out because the joints are not all that good. Flex can be ok but it depends on what kind of flex they used. There have been some cases on the forum where bugs have eaten through flex and/or poly so they are a bit more vulnerable.

Is it just the MD that is flex? What goes from the skimmer to the pump?
 
Since you already have it dug up, I would definitely replace the black poly. Anything with a hose clamp is vulnerable. The white PVC flex is a better pipe and if the condition looks good, that may not need replacing. I can't tell but in the upper pic, does the pipe start going down at that point? It may be too hard to replace the white flex anyway.
 
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