Hi all,
I am new to this forum. If someone can help me with this complicated situation I have it would be very helpful.
First and foremost, the original contractor switched pool plumbers in the middle of the build. I think this is what messed everything up. Here is the list of things I am having an issue with.
GENERAL INFORMATION
I have a swimming pool that is about 5' deep and there is a portion of the pool that wraps around the front of the house. The pool section has a negative edge which is nice. It also has a spa that is part of the negative edge too.
The pond portion is only about 18" deep and wraps around around a section of the house. The issue I was having was mainly that the pond section was stagnant. The water hardly moved. Also there was supposed to be at least 2 cleaner lines but none worked. I called a pool consultant and he told me to hire a pool contractor as they will figure out the issue and likely the issue is at the equipment deck. I did just that. But, none of the issues are resolved and the pool contractor tells me the pool is functioning. When I said the pond is still stagnant, they said well we can turn on the water features and it will move the water around. As to the pool cleaner, I was told the pool cleaner is at a location between the pond and the pool. I simply was not impressed and had to do my own homework. I hope someone can help me understand what I need to do to educate myself to go back to the person I hired to show them what they did not catch.
POND STAGNANT
What I learned from doing my own mapping of the pipes is that dual suction lines were being used as returns in addition to already dedicated returns. The previous contractor basically was pushing water into the suction lines and return lines to the pond area. None of the water in the pond area was actually circulating. Just water pumping in. I think this was a mistake in the piping at the equipment deck. I brought a contractor in and told him about the issues but he said he would do his own diagnostics. In the end, a lot of things happened at the equipment deck but the pool contractor still used the suction lines as returns in addition to the return lines. Same plumbing same issue. So I still have issues. I am so confused and upset. When I told him that it does not seem like the water is moving, he said we can just turn on the bubblers.
I mapped out the plumbing and am attaching what the previous plumbing lines were doing at the equipment deck and what the new contractor did. I have to mention also that the new contractor CAPPED a lot of the lines. Not sure why.
POOL CLEANER
The previous contractor appears to make a mistake. The pool cleaner line was used instead as a pool filler. As a result that cleaner that was supposed to be at my pool was never discovered. Now comes my new contractor and he removes the pool filler line and basically caps it. Then he puts a filler at the catch basin instead. I put a hose into the abandoned pool filler line and saw that only the water was coming out that pipe in the pool. I found the cleaner line finally. But only after the second contractor abandoned it and told me there was only one cleaner line and that was at the pond. I want to let the new contractor know my discovery and again, I was rebuffed and told I don't need it.
POOL BUBBLERS
The previous installation had a dedicated pump for each bubbler. There was a feature in the pond area and one in the pool area (on top of the baja edge). The previous plumber had the three dedicated lines to each bubbler with valves for each and there was another return line that somehow connected to an area at the spa. The new contractor eliminated that section going to the spa. I was thinking that was a good idea if the height needed to be adjusted and the pump was to hard so some of the return could go elsewhere in the pool. Now, I think the pool bubblers are plumbed in a way that I can not adjust the height so even if I try to adjust the height from one to the other, one of them is going to get more return and vice versa. The bubblers are just to disruptive and create too much splash and can not be adjusted.
SPA AND SPILLWAY
The spa has an edge at same height as the spillway into the catch basin. The idea was that when the spillway is on the edge of the spa would vanish and be at the same height of the pool. The previous plumbing did just that. It actually worked. When the we wanted to use the spa, the spa level would be such that the spa water would not go over the edge and the water of the spa remained in the spa. No doubt that feature was working. Now I think the new contractor played around with that feature. I do not think I have that mode and am afraid cold water and hot water is going to be introduced . Before the hot water would go back through the jets but I think the new contractor made it so that the hot water gets reintroduced through the area on the spa floor grill. I know it is not a drain but it has two holes.
Conclusion: I think the original plumbing was right but for a couple of mistakes made at the pool equipment deck. I want to go back to the new contractor and show him these drawings I am attaching and help explain what I think they should have done and what they may have done right to remain. Honestly, I think they created more of a mess as they may have failed in the diagnostics of figuring things out.
A) Pond being stagnant is as a result of the pond section only having returns (suction lines used as return lines). ?
B) Previous installer used the cleaner line as the filler line. I think that should now be integrated. right? Why should I not have a cleaner line where it should be for the pool maintenance cleaners?
C) Pool bubblers can't be adjusted. Unless I am wrong. May I close the valves on each one enough to bring the bubbler heights down. will that hurt the motor.
I am attaching a mapping I did of the previous plumbing work and what the new contractor converted it to.
I want to be able to go to the new contractor and tell him what I think is wrong but just do not want to be saying something that will not make sense.
Thanks all ahead of time.
I am in Southern California by the way if that helps.
Best Mark
I am new to this forum. If someone can help me with this complicated situation I have it would be very helpful.
First and foremost, the original contractor switched pool plumbers in the middle of the build. I think this is what messed everything up. Here is the list of things I am having an issue with.
GENERAL INFORMATION
I have a swimming pool that is about 5' deep and there is a portion of the pool that wraps around the front of the house. The pool section has a negative edge which is nice. It also has a spa that is part of the negative edge too.
The pond portion is only about 18" deep and wraps around around a section of the house. The issue I was having was mainly that the pond section was stagnant. The water hardly moved. Also there was supposed to be at least 2 cleaner lines but none worked. I called a pool consultant and he told me to hire a pool contractor as they will figure out the issue and likely the issue is at the equipment deck. I did just that. But, none of the issues are resolved and the pool contractor tells me the pool is functioning. When I said the pond is still stagnant, they said well we can turn on the water features and it will move the water around. As to the pool cleaner, I was told the pool cleaner is at a location between the pond and the pool. I simply was not impressed and had to do my own homework. I hope someone can help me understand what I need to do to educate myself to go back to the person I hired to show them what they did not catch.
POND STAGNANT
What I learned from doing my own mapping of the pipes is that dual suction lines were being used as returns in addition to already dedicated returns. The previous contractor basically was pushing water into the suction lines and return lines to the pond area. None of the water in the pond area was actually circulating. Just water pumping in. I think this was a mistake in the piping at the equipment deck. I brought a contractor in and told him about the issues but he said he would do his own diagnostics. In the end, a lot of things happened at the equipment deck but the pool contractor still used the suction lines as returns in addition to the return lines. Same plumbing same issue. So I still have issues. I am so confused and upset. When I told him that it does not seem like the water is moving, he said we can just turn on the bubblers.
I mapped out the plumbing and am attaching what the previous plumbing lines were doing at the equipment deck and what the new contractor did. I have to mention also that the new contractor CAPPED a lot of the lines. Not sure why.
POOL CLEANER
The previous contractor appears to make a mistake. The pool cleaner line was used instead as a pool filler. As a result that cleaner that was supposed to be at my pool was never discovered. Now comes my new contractor and he removes the pool filler line and basically caps it. Then he puts a filler at the catch basin instead. I put a hose into the abandoned pool filler line and saw that only the water was coming out that pipe in the pool. I found the cleaner line finally. But only after the second contractor abandoned it and told me there was only one cleaner line and that was at the pond. I want to let the new contractor know my discovery and again, I was rebuffed and told I don't need it.
POOL BUBBLERS
The previous installation had a dedicated pump for each bubbler. There was a feature in the pond area and one in the pool area (on top of the baja edge). The previous plumber had the three dedicated lines to each bubbler with valves for each and there was another return line that somehow connected to an area at the spa. The new contractor eliminated that section going to the spa. I was thinking that was a good idea if the height needed to be adjusted and the pump was to hard so some of the return could go elsewhere in the pool. Now, I think the pool bubblers are plumbed in a way that I can not adjust the height so even if I try to adjust the height from one to the other, one of them is going to get more return and vice versa. The bubblers are just to disruptive and create too much splash and can not be adjusted.
SPA AND SPILLWAY
The spa has an edge at same height as the spillway into the catch basin. The idea was that when the spillway is on the edge of the spa would vanish and be at the same height of the pool. The previous plumbing did just that. It actually worked. When the we wanted to use the spa, the spa level would be such that the spa water would not go over the edge and the water of the spa remained in the spa. No doubt that feature was working. Now I think the new contractor played around with that feature. I do not think I have that mode and am afraid cold water and hot water is going to be introduced . Before the hot water would go back through the jets but I think the new contractor made it so that the hot water gets reintroduced through the area on the spa floor grill. I know it is not a drain but it has two holes.
Conclusion: I think the original plumbing was right but for a couple of mistakes made at the pool equipment deck. I want to go back to the new contractor and show him these drawings I am attaching and help explain what I think they should have done and what they may have done right to remain. Honestly, I think they created more of a mess as they may have failed in the diagnostics of figuring things out.
A) Pond being stagnant is as a result of the pond section only having returns (suction lines used as return lines). ?
B) Previous installer used the cleaner line as the filler line. I think that should now be integrated. right? Why should I not have a cleaner line where it should be for the pool maintenance cleaners?
C) Pool bubblers can't be adjusted. Unless I am wrong. May I close the valves on each one enough to bring the bubbler heights down. will that hurt the motor.
I am attaching a mapping I did of the previous plumbing work and what the new contractor converted it to.
I want to be able to go to the new contractor and tell him what I think is wrong but just do not want to be saying something that will not make sense.
Thanks all ahead of time.
I am in Southern California by the way if that helps.
Best Mark
