- May 16, 2009
- 27
I bought a house that has a pool last January. Other than the auto top off not being connected, the pre-purchase pool inspection was good.
I have been undoing the prior owner's "home improvements" with great frustration.
I didn't pay much attention to the pool getting settled in withe new job, young family, etc., so I hired a guy to maintain the pool last summer, But after having a greenish pool most of last summer, and seeing the mortar on the bricks disintegrating, I decided to start paying attention.
I had Ca hardness less than 80, stablizer over 200, and pH about 8 after a few weeks of warm weather this spring and ongoing Pool-guy maintainance. I fired him.
I have good chemistry thusfar wtih several water changes and the BBB method, and the SWG will be plumbed in this weekend.
I now have noticed that the main drain does not appear to be plumbed in. The two feeder lines to the main pump serve the two skimmers, each with its own true union valve.
I took the cover off the drain today, and boy was the box dirty. I vacumed it out and found an old toilet plunger in the muck, and the draining pipe is clogged with toilet gasket wax.
The prior owner had described draing the pool aznd having it buckle, requiring a rebuild.
I am guesing that the work was second rate, with a slow leak in the main drain plumbing, so he just plugged it. There is no doubt that a conscious effort to plug the drain was made.
What short and long term risk will I be taking if I clean out the pipe and give it a go?
Any way to test the integrity of the system?
Is fiberoptic visualizaation a "pipe dream"? (sorry)
What kind of cost/effort to repair if the piping is compromised?
Any other theories on what's going on?
Perhaps this is standard OP when building a new pool, and they forgot to unplug it once ready to go?
Li'l help?
THANK YOU!!
I have been undoing the prior owner's "home improvements" with great frustration.
I didn't pay much attention to the pool getting settled in withe new job, young family, etc., so I hired a guy to maintain the pool last summer, But after having a greenish pool most of last summer, and seeing the mortar on the bricks disintegrating, I decided to start paying attention.
I had Ca hardness less than 80, stablizer over 200, and pH about 8 after a few weeks of warm weather this spring and ongoing Pool-guy maintainance. I fired him.
I have good chemistry thusfar wtih several water changes and the BBB method, and the SWG will be plumbed in this weekend.
I now have noticed that the main drain does not appear to be plumbed in. The two feeder lines to the main pump serve the two skimmers, each with its own true union valve.
I took the cover off the drain today, and boy was the box dirty. I vacumed it out and found an old toilet plunger in the muck, and the draining pipe is clogged with toilet gasket wax.
The prior owner had described draing the pool aznd having it buckle, requiring a rebuild.
I am guesing that the work was second rate, with a slow leak in the main drain plumbing, so he just plugged it. There is no doubt that a conscious effort to plug the drain was made.
What short and long term risk will I be taking if I clean out the pipe and give it a go?
Any way to test the integrity of the system?
Is fiberoptic visualizaation a "pipe dream"? (sorry)
What kind of cost/effort to repair if the piping is compromised?
Any other theories on what's going on?
Perhaps this is standard OP when building a new pool, and they forgot to unplug it once ready to go?
Li'l help?
THANK YOU!!