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

[Natnem]

Absolutely agree.

Hey there @Syrr Ive been following your thread. I’m a newer pool owner (1yr) but it’s an above ground pool. I was overwhelmed with leaves and green a few weeks ago, after seeing your post I have no reason to feel overwhelmed! I wish I was closer to come help y’all. I was tell my friend about it and we thought we’d have to have a b-y-o-wet-vac crawfish boil or something! However I still felt like I didn’t know what the best move was.
I know I can’t offer you much advice, compared to everyone else. A bell went off just now as I read your post about y’all thinking your pole would break.
I think the Protuff pool pole and net bundle might be something you could benefit from. They have a Lifetime guarantee on their poles and nets (leaf net & silt net)!! If it does snap you can put in for a new one! The pole is pricey but I’ve read about them and watched some videos on how much is scooped out with them and if I had a big pool I’d be happy to buy it. My dad ordered the nets I love them! He called customer service to ask about the warranty and mentioned seeing a section on the site that said it’s cheaper to buy direct when you enter the promo code at checkout. The lady explained to buy on Amazon it might cost a little more but you get 2day delivery if we needed ASAP, and if bought from their site it’s free shipping and a little cheaper plus she took his email address and sent him a direct link to purchase with a 15 or 20% off code to use. The nets were here in 2 days anyway and they were in an Amazon box.
I wish you luck!
Here’s a link to the website. Their customer service department is available Monday through Friday 9am-5pm EST. They have videos you can watch on the site but you can see Independed review videos on YouTube as well.

Products Archive - Protuff Products

specialoffer.protuffproducts.com

 

[Natnem]

Hey there @Syrr Ive been following your thread. I’m a newer pool owner (1yr) but it’s an above ground pool. I was overwhelmed with leaves and green a few weeks ago, after seeing your post I have no reason to feel overwhelmed! I wish I was closer to come help y’all. I was tell my friend about it and we thought we’d have to have a b-y-o-wet-vac crawfish boil or something! However I still felt like I didn’t know what the best move was.
I know I can’t offer you much advice, compared to everyone else. A bell went off just now as I read your post about y’all thinking your pole would break.
I think the Protuff pool pole and net bundle might be something you could benefit from. They have a Lifetime guarantee on their poles and nets (leaf net & silt net)!! If it does snap you can put in for a new one! The pole is pricey but I’ve read about them and watched some videos on how much is scooped out with them and if I had a big pool I’d be happy to buy it. My dad ordered the nets I love them! He called customer service to ask about the warranty and mentioned seeing a section on the site that said it’s cheaper to buy direct when you enter the promo code at checkout. The lady explained to buy on Amazon it might cost a little more but you get 2day delivery if we needed ASAP, and if bought from their site it’s free shipping and a little cheaper plus she took his email address and sent him a direct link to purchase with a 15 or 20% off code to use. The nets were here in 2 days anyway and they were in an Amazon box.
I wish you luck!
Here’s a link to the website. Their customer service department is available Monday through Friday 9am-5pm EST. They have videos you can watch on the site but you can see Independed review videos on YouTube as well.

Products Archive - Protuff Products

specialoffer.protuffproducts.com

After seeing the link it looks like the link has 30% off if you call mentioned that they might send you the promo code like they did for my dad. When he called it was 20%off. Just a thought!!

 

[RTamanda]

Following your adventure! I was in your shoes 4 years ago with a new house where the pool had been closed for who knows how long. We were lucky and it had a lock loop mesh cover, but MAN, was the water bad.
How are things going now? Did you decide to drain? If I were you, I’d get a submersible pump and get the water off of the top of your cover. Then the leaves and cover will be much easier to get out once most of that top weight is off of it. If you are worried about floating your pool, get a super long backwash/waste hose and let it out far from your pool. But I agree if your ground is already super saturated from a wet winter, it may be best to wait till the ground dries out. Attaching pictures of my pool makeover to hopefully make you feel better! The “after” photo makes it all worth it. Your pool is going to be gorgeous when you’re all done! I can’t wait to see after pics!

 

[crushkittykitty]

find a handy man and ask him how much to just clean the pool out. not drain it just have him and his crew if he has one scoop out the leaves and throw them in a pile. bet its cheaper then ya think and it would be done in a day,, If you was here I would help and I know my kids would for a fee prolly less then a fancy pole and net. run an add in like facebook. draining the pool in the spring when the water table is high is a bad idea, if the pool floats its a done deal, the preasure can also crack and break the pool. Scoop the stuff out or have someone else scoop it. just work on it a little every day till its clean. wait till your sure the water table is not an issue before draining it. Get the leaves and other gunk out make sure the pumps filters and pipes work without leaks.

 

[Syrr]

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?

I appreciate the caution. Thank you

 

[Syrr]

Following your adventure! I was in your shoes 4 years ago with a new house where the pool had been closed for who knows how long. We were lucky and it had a lock loop mesh cover, but MAN, was the water bad.
How are things going now? Did you decide to drain? If I were you, I’d get a submersible pump and get the water off of the top of your cover. Then the leaves and cover will be much easier to get out once most of that top weight is off of it. If you are worried about floating your pool, get a super long backwash/waste hose and let it out far from your pool. But I agree if your ground is already super saturated from a wet winter, it may be best to wait till the ground dries out. Attaching pictures of my pool makeover to hopefully make you feel better! The “after” photo makes it all worth it. Your pool is going to be gorgeous when you’re all done! I can’t wait to see after pics!

Thanks for the encouraging look into a potential future. Each scoop is accompanied by a mental picture of a sand filled volley ball court where the pool is right now, but I am plugging along thanks to this group!

 

[Syrr]

Hey there @Syrr Ive been following your thread. I’m a newer pool owner (1yr) but it’s an above ground pool. I was overwhelmed with leaves and green a few weeks ago, after seeing your post I have no reason to feel overwhelmed! I wish I was closer to come help y’all. I was tell my friend about it and we thought we’d have to have a b-y-o-wet-vac crawfish boil or something! However I still felt like I didn’t know what the best move was.
I know I can’t offer you much advice, compared to everyone else. A bell went off just now as I read your post about y’all thinking your pole would break.
I think the Protuff pool pole and net bundle might be something you could benefit from. They have a Lifetime guarantee on their poles and nets (leaf net & silt net)!! If it does snap you can put in for a new one! The pole is pricey but I’ve read about them and watched some videos on how much is scooped out with them and if I had a big pool I’d be happy to buy it. My dad ordered the nets I love them! He called customer service to ask about the warranty and mentioned seeing a section on the site that said it’s cheaper to buy direct when you enter the promo code at checkout. The lady explained to buy on Amazon it might cost a little more but you get 2day delivery if we needed ASAP, and if bought from their site it’s free shipping and a little cheaper plus she took his email address and sent him a direct link to purchase with a 15 or 20% off code to use. The nets were here in 2 days anyway and they were in an Amazon box.
I wish you luck!
Here’s a link to the website. Their customer service department is available Monday through Friday 9am-5pm EST. They have videos you can watch on the site but you can see Independed review videos on YouTube as well.

Products Archive - Protuff Products

specialoffer.protuffproducts.com

Thank you for the link. So far the hand-me-down poles that I have are working. Been using the side of the pool as a fulcrum (as suggested). However, I'll be trying that suggestion bucket tomorrow. Hmmm, crab boil....

 

[crushkittykitty]

lol me and wife are cheering ya on. believe me I wanted to fill ours in.

 

[Syrr]

find a handy man and ask him how much to just clean the pool out. not drain it just have him and his crew if he has one scoop out the leaves and throw them in a pile. bet its cheaper then ya think and it would be done in a day,, If you was here I would help and I know my kids would for a fee prolly less then a fancy pole and net. run an add in like facebook. draining the pool in the spring when the water table is high is a bad idea, if the pool floats its a done deal, the preasure can also crack and break the pool. Scoop the stuff out or have someone else scoop it. just work on it a little every day till its clean. wait till your sure the water table is not an issue before draining it. Get the leaves and other gunk out make sure the pumps filters and pipes work without leaks.

Been doing the scoop-scoop exercise for several days now. Seeing far fewer leaves on the cover. Thanks to this group, have ordered a "silt net" (who-knew?) for the finer stuff. Thank you all for the wonderful stream of good advice!

 

[Syrr]

lol me and wife are cheering ya on. believe me I wanted to fill ours in.

The good part is medial-deltoids, trapezius, biceps, forearm and spinae-erector are no doubt deriving some benefit from our new-found exercise program. Thanks again for the encouragement.

 

[dianedebuda]

Glad you're still hanging in there. Want to caution again that a bucket as a fulcrum with a "standand" pole is probably going to bend the pole.

Count me in as being a part of your cheer squad.

 

[Syrr]

Glad you're still hanging in there. Want to caution again that a bucket as a fulcrum with a "standand" pole is probably going to bend the pole.

Count me in as being a part of your cheer squad.

Thank you

 

[BenB]

That and I'm working with a very tight budget

Late to the thread but wanted to chime in that this is NOT something you need to worry about here. The methods you'll hear folks talk about are cheap, easy to follow and most importantly - work. You will spend a whole lot less by listening to the TFP advice than down at the pool store where they'll be happy to sell you any number of bottles of magic beans for $40 a bottle, week after week. Best part, you'll only need probably 2 things on hand year round. Save the cocktails for yourself!


Good luck!

 

[Mdragger88]

@Syrr did u ever sort out whether you have a plaster pool or not ?

 

[Syrr]

@Syrr did u ever sort out whether you have a plaster pool or not ?

I think it is plaster and I'm sure it is bromine. Thank you for asking.

 

[Syrr]

Late to the thread but wanted to chime in that this is NOT something you need to worry about here. The methods you'll hear folks talk about are cheap, easy to follow and most importantly - work. You will spend a whole lot less by listening to the TFP advice than down at the pool store where they'll be happy to sell you any number of bottles of magic beans for $40 a bottle, week after week. Best part, you'll only need probably 2 things on hand year round. Save the cocktails for yourself!


Good luck!

Thank you. I am certainly listening, reading and heeding.

 

[Syrr]

Been doing the scoop-scoop exercise for several days now. Seeing far fewer leaves on the cover. Thanks to this group, have ordered a "silt net" (who-knew?) for the finer stuff. Thank you all for the wonderful stream of good advice!

No luck finding a "Handy Man" so far. Pollen season has begun here in western TN. And I thought it was a nuisance on the cars! Not liking pools at the moment, but scooping along. Thank you

 

[Mdragger88]

I think it is plaster and I'm sure it is bromine. Thank you for asking.

I asked because it can effect draining & refilling options as you dont want the plaster to dry out in the sun when u are ready for that step there are many folks here to guide u along. As mentioned previously the best way to rid yourself of the bromine is a full water exchange.

 

[Syrr]

I asked because it can effect draining & refilling options as you dont want the plaster to dry out in the sun when u are ready for that step there are many folks here to guide u along. As mentioned previously the best way to rid yourself of the bromine is a full water exchange.

Still not convinced that getting rid of bromine is right for me.

 

[Syrr]

Thank you. I am certainly listening, reading and heeding.