New Pool In Central Florida

[lbridges]

From the pic, we can see they are still pumping to keep the local water table low. Don't let them dispose of the PVC that the pump is hooked to. If you should ever need to drain the pool and keep the water table low (like for refinishing), you will want to be able to access that piece of PVC again. I suggest they put on an elbow and bring it over to the fence line, then cap it off. Even better would be if you could get them to route it over to the equipment pad and cap it there.

Did they discuss with you wetting the surface to build strength into the walls?

 

[CincyRed]

From the pic, we can see they are still pumping to keep the local water table low. Don't let them dispose of the PVC that the pump is hooked to. If you should ever need to drain the pool and keep the water table low (like for refinishing), you will want to be able to access that piece of PVC again. I suggest they put on an elbow and bring it over to the fence line, then cap it off. Even better would be if you could get them to route it over to the equipment pad and cap it there.

Did they discuss with you wetting the surface to build strength into the walls?

Good idea about the drain pipe.
They did not discuss wetting the surface so I called them about it this morning but was told not to worry about it.
So I called them again after your post and they said go ahead if you want to, won't make a difference.
Are there two schools of thought about that? I am just not sure.

 

[bobodaclown]

Never too many pictures. Looks like its coming along nicely. You putting in a pool railing by the stairs?

 

[silverfun]

I am in Central Florida as well, can I ask what pool builder you went with?

 

[CincyRed]

I am in Central Florida as well, can I ask what pool builder you went with?

American Pools and Spas.

 

[lbridges]

They did not discuss wetting the surface so I called them about it this morning but was told not to worry about it.
So I called them again after your post and they said go ahead if you want to, won't make a difference.
Are there two schools of thought about that? I am just not sure.

It is a scientific fact that allowing the gunnite to cure slowly and evenly will result in great strength than if placed in a quick-drying (dry & windy) environment. There are arguments that wetting the surface results in negligible strength gain and those who feel it imparts enough of a difference to make it worth the trouble. It certainly won't make it weaker.

 

[CincyRed]

They did not discuss wetting the surface so I called them about it this morning but was told not to worry about it.
So I called them again after your post and they said go ahead if you want to, won't make a difference.
Are there two schools of thought about that? I am just not sure.

It is a scientific fact that allowing the gunnite to cure slowly and evenly will result in great strength than if placed in a quick-drying (dry & windy) environment. There are arguments that wetting the surface results in negligible strength gain and those who feel it imparts enough of a difference to make it worth the trouble. It certainly won't make it weaker.

I think that is the pool builders reasoning. We don't live in a dry or windy area, so it won't make that much of a difference.
I have been secretly wetting down the shell after doing research. As a matter of fact, as I am typing this Mother Nature is also helping me out.

 

[CincyRed]

Plumbing started today.

Little mini excavator which made the boys happy.
(They had a little trouble starting it. The guy with the shovel was worried about hand digging.)

Still had to dig a little.

My wife took this to show how torn up the back yard is getting.

Plumbing at the pump and filter pad.

Leading to the skimmer and some returns.

Main drain and returns.

Waterfall and return.

Tile is next.
We can't believe how fast they are going.

 

[CincyRed]

Tile Day!

Close Up of the Tile.

Waterfall and stacked stone finish will go here next.

The plumbers also backfilled the trenches today.

 

[lbridges]

Where is the trench going (where he is hand digging)? It looks, to me anyway, like they went past the equipment pad. Something else going in down there or was it for electrical runs?

Your grass looks pretty good too, considering how dry it's been in my neck of the woods (unless you have partial sprinklers).

Keeps the pics coming - please.

 

[CincyRed]

Where is the trench going (where he is hand digging)? It looks, to me anyway, like they went past the equipment pad. Something else going in down there or was it for electrical runs?

The hand dug trench was for electrical.

Your grass looks pretty good too, considering how dry it's been in my neck of the woods (unless you have partial sprinklers).

I have been repairing and reconfiguring sprinkler lines as they wipe them out.

 

[lbridges]

You know CincyRed, I really shouldn't be writing anything to you, and certainly not anything nice - wife & I were raised in the St Louis area - my wife is pretty much a rabid fan. Right now would not be a good time to drop by my place - a Cubby fan would face less danger.

 

[CincyRed]

You know CincyRed, I really shouldn't be writing anything to you, and certainly not anything nice - wife & I were raised in the St Louis area - my wife is pretty much a rabid fan. Right now would not be a good time to drop by my place - a Cubby fan would face less danger.

I did have a great weekend seeing some great wins (sweep). My dad is a big Cardinals fan and he isn't even allowed at my house, so maybe when he visits central Florida he can come by your place and all of you can discuss how great the Cardinals used to be.

 

[lbridges]

... so maybe when he visits central Florida he can come by your place and all of you can discuss how great the Cardinals used to be.

OK, so what's the name of your pool builder? I'm calling up, pretending to be the city/county inspector, and have them drill a bunch of hydrostatic pressure relief holes in all the plumbing.

 

[CincyRed]

OK, so what's the name of your pool builder? I'm calling up, pretending to be the city/county inspector, and have them drill a bunch of hydrostatic pressure relief holes in all the plumbing.

Haha, I have to be able to gloat a little bit right now, since the Reds haven't won since 1990. Heck, 2 years ago you wouldn't even have noticed my name.

 

[lbridges]

Well, since we went this far off topic... How do you like the PVC fence. We moved into our house in 1988, had a wood fence that we replaced twice (each time after a hurricane blew them apart). Put in the PVC and the last storm simply had the fence leaning. Disassembled, reset posts to vertical, reattached fence sections, zero cost (mostly since the spouse views my labor as free).

Back on topic, and since the equipment hasn't been set yet, I suggest you ask them to put unions on at the pump, filter, etc. I didn't ask and so my pump is set without unions - would have to cut the PVC to pull out the pump. And if you think you might have solar some time in the future, have them leave enough room, or even put in the valves and cap off the stubs that would go up on the roof (can always take off the valve handles to prevent accidental diversion of water). This should not add more than a hundred or two to the total price, and maybe free depending on they are doing otherwise in the build. As an example, I have solar, but they plumbed in stubs for a heat pump should I want even more season extension.

 

[CincyRed]

Well, since we went this far off topic... How do you like the PVC fence. We moved into our house in 1988, had a wood fence that we replaced twice (each time after a hurricane blew them apart). Put in the PVC and the last storm simply had the fence leaning. Disassembled, reset posts to vertical, reattached fence sections, zero cost (mostly since the spouse views my labor as free).

Previously we only had a wood fence at a different home. This PVC fence, after 2 years, has shown no wear at all. So far so good.
(My wife considers my labor as a definite cost, if you count the multiple trips to the Home Depot, plus what I break.)

Back on topic, and since the equipment hasn't been set yet, I suggest you ask them to put unions on at the pump, filter, etc. I didn't ask and so my pump is set without unions - would have to cut the PVC to pull out the pump. And if you think you might have solar some time in the future, have them leave enough room, or even put in the valves and cap off the stubs that would go up on the roof (can always take off the valve handles to prevent accidental diversion of water). This should not add more than a hundred or two to the total price, and maybe free depending on they are doing otherwise in the build. As an example, I have solar, but they plumbed in stubs for a heat pump should I want even more season extension.

I love the union idea, think I will just go buy some myself and have the plumber install them as they put in the equipment.

 

[crookm11]

Plumbing started today.

Main drain and returns.

Hi CincyRed,

Your pool is going to look great when it is done.

I have a question for you. In the above picture of the main drain and returns is that the main drain that the plumber reduced the size of the pipe to the equipment pad? Doesn't that change the efficiency of the suction portion of the system? Maybe I'm missing something here. :?:

 

[CincyRed]

...I have a question for you. In the above picture of the main drain and returns is that the main drain that the plumber reduced the size of the pipe to the equipment pad? Doesn't that change the efficiency of the suction portion of the system? Maybe I'm missing something here. :?:

Maybe someone could answer and let me know if this is a concern.
I know from pictures and watching them plumb that the main drain is reduced to 2" at the pool, the skimmer is 2". There is one 2" return line from the pad that then t's to 3 2" returns at the pool. There is a 2" separate return for a waterfall. I will have a pentair 4x160 pump. The main drain and skimmer is maybe 40 feet of pipe from the pump.

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[crookm11]

With all the plumbing being 2" I hope there won't be any issue with the reduction at the drain.
Not to complicate anything anymore but are your returns looped together? Maybe I'm looking at the pics wrong :?:
From your pics it looks like at least 2 of the returns are on one line. The last return on that line will have more pressure than the other return. By looping the returns together you are creating an equalized pressure and all of the returns will blow the same.
Is your waterfall one of the 3 returns or is it separate?