i have a dilemma with my in ground pool which i am hoping that someone on here can advise me with the best way to proceed. i purchased my home in feb 2015 and it came with an in ground pool. when i removed the cover in may it was obvious there were some issues with the pool. it was built in 1982 and it is gunite with plaster. there were quite a few loose tiles and a small hole in the shallow end of the pool (3ft to 8ft). well over the summer the hole got bigger and i am losing at least a quarter inch of water per day. i was planning on draining the pool down to the slope area and removing the hydro plugs so that i can start removing the old tiles. the guy at the pool store told me that i should wait until spring to empty the pool but here lies the problem. if i cover the pool it is still going to be losing water and if the water empties faster than i can check on it it might be 3/4 empty and the plugs will still be in and if it is in the winter the water might be frozen and also all of that water will be in the ground water table. btw the pool is also in bad need of painting. at least if i empty it now i can remove the plugs and the hole should act like a very large plug. obviously i won't be able to complete all of these projects until spring 2016. so do you think it would be to empty it now or wait until spring. i am also considering purchasing a heater and i can't decide between a heat pump or propane. i like the water warm between 90 and 95 and in the summer the water was in the mid 80's and on very hot days it approached 90. i would want the water heated up for the day so i can swim. because of the weird shape of the pool, it was built by anthony pools and the shape is called mt. airy, it would be hard to put a cover on the pool to keep the heat in. i read that propane would heat the water faster than a heat pump but i am concerned over what it would cost to run the heater. please help if you can. thanks
motts
- Thread starter motts
- Start date
Re: pool dilemma
Can you post a pic of you pool? If might help others on here to see the problem. I'm just putting a pool in so I'm not of much help. I can say I'm getting a heat pump not gas heater. The heat pump are more up front but are more Energy efficient. Plus I live in Florida so I'm getting a chiller with mine. Water can get like bath water down here.
Can you post a pic of you pool? If might help others on here to see the problem. I'm just putting a pool in so I'm not of much help. I can say I'm getting a heat pump not gas heater. The heat pump are more up front but are more Energy efficient. Plus I live in Florida so I'm getting a chiller with mine. Water can get like bath water down here.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,789
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Re: pool dilemma
motts, your post has a few areas of concern, but there's no doubt that first & foremost the hole in the pool needs to be addressed first. Nothing is more important that the overall structural integrity. You simply cannot lose water like that. So if I were you, I would contact a contractor or two to compare costs to inspect, fix, and seal/plaster your pool as necessary. If this is not something that can be done until next year, you should check locally to confirm if you are in a high water table area to determine if the eventual water loss may cause structural problems for your pool and/or decking. After that, then tackle the heater and any other equipment issues you may have. Hope this helps give you a good way forward.
motts, your post has a few areas of concern, but there's no doubt that first & foremost the hole in the pool needs to be addressed first. Nothing is more important that the overall structural integrity. You simply cannot lose water like that. So if I were you, I would contact a contractor or two to compare costs to inspect, fix, and seal/plaster your pool as necessary. If this is not something that can be done until next year, you should check locally to confirm if you are in a high water table area to determine if the eventual water loss may cause structural problems for your pool and/or decking. After that, then tackle the heater and any other equipment issues you may have. Hope this helps give you a good way forward.
Re: pool dilemma
From what I know, a plaster pool (gunite, concrete) has a very thick base from 5"-10" and the walls almost the same (someone who built these pools provided the information, but I can not confirm). Are you sure there is a hole in the floor of your pool, or the possible leak could be coming from the main drain (if you have one).
If you had a hole in the pool, you would be losing more than a 1/4" per day. Quarter of an inch is about normal for most pools. I do tests with pencils when I fill on the steps (exactly 1" inch) and track at same time daily. I loose in the summer about 1" every 5-7 days, depending on usage and temperatures. If you are losing 1/2 " daily, I would assume you have a leak somewhere.
Having a heater is one thing (gas is best) on the east coast, but having the water at 90-95 * is way excessive and your gas bills will be through the roof. Water temperatures of 83-87 is where most people are comfortable, especially if it is hot outside. If the water temperature is warmer then the air temperature, it is not comfortable once you leave the water.
Hope this helps!
Also, please follow Texas Splash recommendation and have a professional check to determine if the pool has any leaks, so at least you know what the best course of action is.
From what I know, a plaster pool (gunite, concrete) has a very thick base from 5"-10" and the walls almost the same (someone who built these pools provided the information, but I can not confirm). Are you sure there is a hole in the floor of your pool, or the possible leak could be coming from the main drain (if you have one).
If you had a hole in the pool, you would be losing more than a 1/4" per day. Quarter of an inch is about normal for most pools. I do tests with pencils when I fill on the steps (exactly 1" inch) and track at same time daily. I loose in the summer about 1" every 5-7 days, depending on usage and temperatures. If you are losing 1/2 " daily, I would assume you have a leak somewhere.
Having a heater is one thing (gas is best) on the east coast, but having the water at 90-95 * is way excessive and your gas bills will be through the roof. Water temperatures of 83-87 is where most people are comfortable, especially if it is hot outside. If the water temperature is warmer then the air temperature, it is not comfortable once you leave the water.
Hope this helps!
Also, please follow Texas Splash recommendation and have a professional check to determine if the pool has any leaks, so at least you know what the best course of action is.
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Re: pool dilemma
I would say to address the leak as soon as possible if there is concern of the pool floating over the winter.
Without a cover, you would lose much of the heat you accumulated during the day.
I would say to address the leak as soon as possible if there is concern of the pool floating over the winter.
Without a cover, you would lose much of the heat you accumulated during the day.
Motts,
I wish I could assist with your pool, but it sounds like a professional inspection maybe your best bet. I'd hate to see you dump money into a "fix" when a replaster maybe your best bet. A photo of your surface will give us a glimpse into what you're dealing with.
As per heater, with trying to heat the water up around 90°-95° prepare to spend a a TON of money. A solar blanket is a MUST for your pool regardless of heat source. These can be cut into many pieces if needed to cover the pool if it's an odd shape.
I wish I could assist with your pool, but it sounds like a professional inspection maybe your best bet. I'd hate to see you dump money into a "fix" when a replaster maybe your best bet. A photo of your surface will give us a glimpse into what you're dealing with.
As per heater, with trying to heat the water up around 90°-95° prepare to spend a a TON of money. A solar blanket is a MUST for your pool regardless of heat source. These can be cut into many pieces if needed to cover the pool if it's an odd shape.
I'd also like to remind all users to keep this discussion focused on the question asked. If anybody wishes to discuss any events that occurred earlier in this thread, PM me. If any further issues occur please use the "Report Post" feature (little triangle with the ! In it) and a moderator will deal with the issue ASAP. Any off topic comments maybe deleted.