Old Pool, Needs Extensive Work

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bring_my_dead_pool_back

Member
Apr 20, 2021
13
San Diego CA
Hi all:

I just bought this house with a pool in San Diego CA. The Pool is a Blue Haven pool built in 1964. The pool is roughly 30 feet long, 12 feet wide and 10 feet deep near the drain.
I want to bring this pool back to life, but I don't know much about pools. How can I educate myself so when I start calling builders I know what to ask for?

Thanks in advance

p.s. I have a degree in Chemical Engineering so I do understand chemistry.
pool.jpgblue-haven.jpg
 
Welcome to the forum!
The tile and coping look to be in great shape - are they?
You need a full chip out and replaster. Prior to that you want to pressure test the plumbing. Also review the pool equipment (post pictures here) and plan a full replacement.
Appears you have one skimmer. You will need to check with your building department about the main drains. They should be able to be either abandoned or an anti-entrapment cover placed on it to meet code.
How many returns does the pool have?
 
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Please do keep us posted! We love watching a great rehab'ed pool!
 
mknauss said:
Welcome to the forum!
The tile and coping look to be in great shape - are they?
You need a full chip out and replaster. Prior to that you want to pressure test the plumbing. Also review the pool equipment (post pictures here) and plan a full replacement.
Appears you have one skimmer. You will need to check with your building department about the main drains. They should be able to be either abandoned or an anti-entrapment cover placed on it to meet code.
How many returns does the pool have?
Click to expand...
First, thank you so much for the speedy and thorough reply.

>> The tile and coping look to be in great shape - are they?
The coping is in excellent shape. A few of the tiles are cracked all the way through. I'll post pics when I get back to the house tonight.

>> You need a full chip out and replaster.
Thanks that gives me something to research.

>> Prior to that you want to pressure test the plumbing
Let me research what that means. In general, is that something I can do myself? I expect the plumbing to be bad. I'm pretty sure the electrical has issues too.

>> Review the pool equipment (post pictures here) and plan a full replacement.
I am expecting a full replacement. The current equipment looks really old to me. I will post pics tonight.

>> Appears you have one skimmer.
I am not sure what a skimmer is. Do I have it labelled correctly in the photo (yep, I'm a newbie). If yes, then there is only one.

>> How many returns does the pool have?
There is one return. I'm told it is copper. Here is a pic.

>> You will need to check with your building department about the main drains. They should be able to be either abandoned or an anti-entrapment cover placed on it to meet code.

OK. A lot of that went over my head, but I'll post a better pic of the pool interior tonight.

Thanks again,
pool-return-line.png
 
Tile Pics (as requested). There are 2 tiles that cracked through completely, and 1 tile that is partially cracked.
cracked-tiles-1.png

Zooming out a bit, I think I may see a bigger issue. I see cracks which are more or less square shaped. Is this the rebar coming through? It also looks rusty. What can you do about rusty rebar? Can it be repaired or must it be replaced?
cracked-tiles-2-no-rebar-highlights.jpg

Here is the same image, with the rebar cracks highlighted, in case it was not clear
cracked-tiles-rebar-highlights.jpg

Next up, coping pics.
 

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bring_my_dead_pool_back said:
A few of the tiles are cracked all the way through.
Click to expand...
So you will need new tile too. Not a bad thing, easier to do the chipout and replaster.
bring_my_dead_pool_back said:
Let me research what that means. In general, is that something I can do myself?
Click to expand...
Maybe. But I suspect a plumber or pool renovation company would be better equipped. With copper plumbing, you may be replacing it anyway. That will take removing the decking.
bring_my_dead_pool_back said:
Do I have it labelled correctly in the photo
Click to expand...
Yes. It may need to be replaced, but hopefully still in good shape.

The gunite appears cracked. But not structurally. So there may need to be repairs when the chipout occurs to cover the old rebar. I suspect this pool has been empty a long time.
 
bring_my_dead_pool_back said:
Tile Pics (as requested). There are 2 tiles that cracked through completely, and 1 tile that is partially cracked.
View attachment 325006

Zooming out a bit, I think I may see a bigger issue. I see cracks which are more or less square shaped. Is this the rebar coming through? It also looks rusty. What can you do about rusty rebar? Can it be repaired or must it be replaced?
View attachment 325017

Here is the same image, with the rebar cracks highlighted, in case it was not clear
View attachment 325019

Next up, coping pics.
Click to expand...
Close up of cracked tile.
tile-crack-close-up.jpg
 
This pic shows the edge of the decking and a retaining wall. The retaining wall is 50 feet long, 6 feet high and has a huge concrete footing below it. It is an impressive piece of engineering. I had this inspected and it is in amazing (their words) shape for something 55 years old. I'm looking East here.
decking-and-retaining-wall.jpg
Pics of coping and decking. This is looking North. The coping looks in decent shape. There is one small crack in the coping (see next pic). My guess is the decking is slowly sliding down hill (aka South) and that is causing the separation, but I don't know how to confirm this. I also don't know how to fix this.
deck-and-coping.jpg
Here is the coping crack. This is looking West.
cracked-coping-close-up.jpg
And a close up of the coping crack.
coping-crack-super-close-up.jpg
 
mknauss said:
So you will need new tile too. Not a bad thing, easier to do the chipout and replaster.

Maybe. But I suspect a plumber or pool renovation company would be better equipped. With copper plumbing, you may be replacing it anyway. That will take removing the decking.

Yes. It may need to be replaced, but hopefully still in good shape.

The gunite appears cracked. But not structurally. So there may need to be repairs when the chipout occurs to cover the old rebar. I suspect this pool has been empty a long time.
Click to expand...
>> But I suspect a plumber or pool renovation company would be better equipped. With copper plumbing, you may be replacing it anyway. That will take removing the decking.
Ok, so I'll farm that work out when the time comes.. And yes, I figured at least part of the decking has to go.

>> The gunite appears cracked. But not structurally. So there may need to be repairs when the chipout occurs to cover the old rebar.
Well good news the rebar can be repaired.

>> I suspect this pool has been empty a long time.
I do too.
Thanks again.
 
bring_my_dead_pool_back said:
I figured this would be costly. But yes, when it is done, it should be a beautiful pool. This house sits on a canyon rim with a great view, so when this is all done it should be really something special...
Thanks again for your help.
Click to expand...
I was about to say... That looks like it must be an amazing view!
 
And here are the pics of the electrical equipment. It looks to be in bad shape to me. I'm assuming it will all have to be replaced. I'll have to remove the decking to do this and the plumbing pressure test/replacement.

1st a general view pic
pump-and-filter.jpg
2nd a close up of the plumbing
pump-and-filter-close-up.jpg
3rd a view of the timer.
timer.jpg
One question, I want to relocate all this equipment about 30 feet east of here. Will that cause me problems?

Thanks again.
 

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