Am I overly worried about my 1957 pool popping out if I drain it to re-surface?

[rmm221]

I am fairly new to pool ownership and have been happy with my current pool service company over the past 3 years. They installed a new pool filter for me last summer at a fair price and with no problems. I recently discovered they also do re-surfacing... which our 1957 pool is great need of. I think it might be original plaster on the pool still.. well, what's left of the plaster. I feel and see an awful lot of rough gunite showing through.

Anyway.. I always look for the worst case scenario when I get any work done. The pool popping out appears to be my worst case scenario, so I had my wife asked our pool contractor if our pool has a "hydrostatic relief valve" so ground water doesn't pop the pool out of the ground when draining the pool? And if not, what precautions do you take to prevent the pool from "popping out"? My wife said he said he hadn't heard of a "hydrostatic relief valve"... and kind of scoffed at the idea of ground water .. "popping" our pool out in the drought-ridden so cal.

I live in the San Fernando Valley above the 118 at the base of the hills. We've been in a drought for the past 3-4 years, so while I know I'm probably being overly cautious... Should I be worried about the pool contractor's flippant view that my pool wouldn't float? Other than that he seems like an honest guy....

Am I being paranoid? My pool and pool deck is entirely encased in a concrete deck. I was hoping he would at least say they would jackhammer holes in the bottom as soon as they drained it to relieve any pressure. The fact that he didn't know what a "hydrostatic relief valve" was.. when I googled it pretty quickly had me worried.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

You are likely being paranoid. Are there any rivers or ponds near you?
If you want to be sure ... dig a hole the depth of your pool. I doubt you will hit water though.
I would have to dig 100s of feet here to hit water.

 

[rmm221]

Thanks for the quick response... I don't really have an area within 60 feet of the pool to dig a hole... my entire backyard is concrete pretty much. Sometimes the internet can make the worse-case scenarios look common... Thanks!

 

[Divin Dave]

I doubt you have a high water level too. However I wouild be a bit leary of a PB who didnt know what a hydrostatic valve is, or that hydrostatic pressure can pop a pool. Just because he is in an area where that is very rare, is no reason not to be knowledgable about it.

Tell him to google pool popping out of ground and see what he comes up with.