Covered and unattended pool for three years. What are my first two steps?

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Update: Tried the net drag routine after thinking about it for a while. Obviously failed to weight the front end of the net sufficiently enough to make thing sink onto the surface of the cover without punching through. A re-try is not out of the question, but disenchantment is beginning to set in.
AndyTN said:
I bought this one at Lowes and it is very sturdy for scooping out big chunks of leaves. You obviously need a pole to match it.

I was not kidding about swinging by to check out your situation in person to lend some help. Send me a PM if you would be up to it and it won't hurt my feelings if not. I promise I won't try to sell you magazine subscriptions or anything ;)

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Hello again Andy. Syrr here. Use Start Conversation to exchange phone numbers. I would love to arrange for you to come by with a bit of advice. Anyone who can help me learn about the equipment and what it all does would be welcome. Figuring out if I have a vinyl or gunite pool in the process.

Not sure if sharing phone numbers in an open group is a good idea, but is not my practice. Avoiding sales calls is a personal pursuit. Let me know.
 
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Update: Tried the net drag routine after thinking about it for a while. Obviously failed to weight the front end of the net sufficiently enough to make thing sink onto the surface of the cover without punching through. A re-try is not out of the question, but disenchantment is beginning to set in.

I'll try to locate a few round fishing weights to attach to the leading end of the net. Cover continues to deteriorate on pace so I agree the attempting to haul it out of the pool will dump the remaining debris into the pool.

Considering draining and refilling, but only after I learn the details of that process. Hopefully, one of the members here ca help me walk through. Note: Wet leaves are far heavier than I would ever have imagined! Photos attached:
After an hour or so of attempts to net-drag the leaves, I returned to scooping (which really sucks) until the can was full. Rolled the bag out to the curb (today is trash pick-up) and began to contemplate draining and re-filling the thing. Any ideas of a source for cheap net fishing weights?
 

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Syrr said:
Learned recently that mine is a bromine pool. Thoughts
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Bromine cannot be undone. Only a drain will remove it. So in a way it made up your mind for you, so there is that.

here are your options. Ask away as always for further clarification

Draining:) - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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Syrr said:
Learned recently that mine is a bromine pool. Thoughts?
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Its in your best interest to completely drain and refill. Since you are having a hard time pulling the cover, i suggest drain from above the tarp and then from below until you are able to get in and hand rake the leaves and remove the tarp.
 
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Flying Tivo said:
Its in your best interest to completely drain and refill. Since you are having a hard time pulling the cover, i suggest drain from above the tarp and then from below until you are able to get in and hand rake the leaves and remove the tarp.
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Good suggestion for which I am grateful. However, one corner (NE) of the sunken cover rests approximately 2' off the bottom of the 12' end of the pool. That would necessitate pumping nearly two thirds of the water out wit the cover in place. Is that your suggestion?
 
Newdude said:
Bromine cannot be undone. Only a drain will remove it. So in a way it made up your mind for you, so there is that.

here are your options. Ask away as always for further clarification

Draining:) - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
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Had a bromine hot tub before. It was no real trouble and no one had chlorine issues. Are you suggesting bromine might be more trouble or more expensive to maintain in a swimming pool?
 
Yes you will thank us later and even send a few six packs of local brew. Just for removing debris will be much easier. On the other hand the cover is useless, so go ahead and cut it around and let it drift all the way to the bottom and then pump all the water out.
 

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A boat floats on the water right?
If the water in the ground is high enough, the pool shell can “float” upward as you take the water out. In the spring, or anytime, the ground can have a lot of extra water in it from melting snow or rain. Floating is not super common, but you need to be aware of the risks of draining an in-ground pool. It’s happened and there are pics on the forum of it.
If you dig a hole in the ground, does it fill with water?
 
Teald024 said:
A boat floats on the water right?
If the water in the ground is high enough, the pool shell can “float” upward as you take the water out. In the spring, or anytime, the ground can have a lot of extra water in it from melting snow or rain. Floating is not super common, but you need to be aware of the risks of draining an in-ground pool. It’s happened and there are pics on the forum of it.
If you dig a hole in the ground, does it fill with water?
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Thanks for the tip!
 
Syrr said:
Update: Tried the net drag routine after thinking about it for a while. Obviously failed to weight the front end of the net sufficiently enough to make thing sink onto the surface of the cover without punching through. A re-try is not out of the question, but disenchantment is beginning to set in.

Hello again Andy. Syrr here. My email [email protected] to exchange phone numbers. I would love to arrange for you to come by with a bit of advice. Anyone who can help me learn about the equipment and what it all does would be welcome. Figuring out if I have a vinyl or gunite pool in the process.

Not sure if sharing phone numbers in an open group is a good idea, but is not my practice. Avoiding sales calls is a personal pursuit. Let me know.
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Looks like plaster to me - does the tile feel like tile or vinyl?
 
I found using a bucket or a couple of stacked buckets as a fulcrum helped with lifting wet leaves/muck out of the pool. You need a heavy duty pole for this though. I used a ProTuff pole & net (review at end of my post) to scoop out about 6 ft x 6 ft x 6 ft worth of stuff out of mine - took a little more than a month. Since I have a fiberglass pool and am on a well, draining was not an option because of pop-out potential and continuous pumping required for a complete refill. It may just be easier in the long run to let the muck dump into the pool, remove the disintegrating cover and scoop against the hard wall/floor surface. In that case, a high water level is your friend when lifting the loaded net. Once the muck is out, perhaps you could use partial drains and/or the tarp method to replace the water.

I'm just a couple of years older than you, so can truly appreciate your situation. But I can only speak from my own experience, so YMMV.
 
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