New Pool Owner - Main Drain Isn't working, Pool Company Robbing me at this point?

[E46Jeev]

Hi guys, new pool owner here. Bought a house with a non functioning pool, took me about 3 days straight to clean. Fast forward, looked like I needed a new liner, maybe skimmers? Pool Company did the liner, reconnected the filter and pump and filled the pool. The plumbing work they did looks like something I'd DIY, maybe worse. Nothing labeled, broken handles for one of the skimmer valves, unknown valves? Anyway, they told me to don't worry about it and everything is fine. Turns out I found out my main drain isn't working, probably closed for a reason right? Then I noticed one day my skimmers was low on water, I called them, they sent 2 guys who did a "pressure test" they was in and out within 20 mins and stuck me with a $450 pressure test bill that said "Pressure tested skimmers, main drain not tested". Then proceeded to tell me there is a leak somewhere along the skimmer line but they can't pinpoint where. I asked about the main drain, they told me it's not needed and it's been closed off. I mean great but, what if I wanted the main drain functionality? A couple hours later I got a quote from them for $6,200, which was to replace the main drain and replace the two skimmers, says labor and material included. I have an older pool from the looks of it, probably neglected. I lose around 1 inch of water every 3-4 days. Can anyone advise anything? I can post pictures of my setup.

 

[an1vrsy]

Welcome to TFP! Congratulations on the new house.

Yes, post pictures of your equipment pad and the pool. A couple of different angles so that we can see everything.

How far away is the pool equipment from the pool?

 

[E46Jeev]

Welcome to TFP! Congratulations on the new house.

Yes, post pictures of your equipment pad and the pool. A couple of different angles so that we can see everything.

How far away is the pool equipment from the pool?

The equipment I would say is about 10ft away from the pool. Here are some photos. Don't mind the mess, the setup is definitely disgusting at the moment, but with current house construction, I'll eventually get around to cleaning everything up

 

[Jimrahbe]

E,

You really don't 'need' a main drain...

Assuming your two input valves are for each skimmer, and the plug that is in your skimmer, it appears to me that you have no main drain plumbing..

At the pad is a PVC pipe with a plug in it.. It 'might ' be from your main drain, but was abandoned at some point.

The weir door in your pic appears to be stuck in the down position. It should float on the water and the water is way above the door... Operating weir doors are what makes skimmer... Skim!

I don't see where your pool company is trying to 'rob' you at all.. You can't expect them to do stuff for free... and you are under no obligation to accept their quote.

I suspect that the broken valve handle has been like that for years.

You have an old pool which is going to cost some serious $$$$$ to repair.

Note... I am almost never on the Pool Company's side of anything, but in this case I don't see a real issue.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[E46Jeev]

E,

You really don't 'need' a main drain...

Assuming your two input valves are for each skimmer, and the plug that is in your skimmer, it appears to me that you have no main drain plumbing..

At the pad is a PVC pipe with a plug in it.. It 'might ' be from your main drain, but was abandoned at some point.

The weir door in your pic appears to be stuck in the down position. It should float on the water and the water is way above the door... Operating weir doors are what makes skimmer... Skim!

I don't see where your pool company is trying to 'rob' you at all.. You can't expect them to do stuff for free... and you are under no obligation to accept their quote.

I suspect that the broken valve handle has been like that for years.

You have an old pool which is going to cost some serious $$$$$ to repair.

Note... I am almost never on the Pool Company's side of anything, but in this case I don't see a real issue.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks Jim, so let's leave the main drain out, because it was abandoned for good reason, I'm assuming it's leaking somewhere there too, so that's be opening a whole new can of worms. As of now, the weir door doesn't operate, not sure if it's broken, but I would outright replace both skimmers anyway because they are in terrible condition anyway. So the pool company advised they "replumb" the main drain and replace it, which alone is upwards $2,000. I could simply ask them to leave the main drain as it is, and have them completely replumb the skimmer lines because that's where they said was leaking & I should be okay?

 

[Jimrahbe]

E,

Not sure what all their quote includes, but if this were my pool, I'd want them to install two new skimmers, with operating weir doors, and I'd want new solid PCV from the skimmers back to the equipment pad.. No flex plumbing any where.. I'd want two 2-way Jandy valves in place of the current ball valves.

My thought is that I'd rather pay a little more for a good job, then pay a lot for a poor job.

The time to repair the main drain would have been when the liner was replaced.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[reggiehammond]

In the skimmer photo, there appears to be something blocking the return pipe. Maybe it's a skimmer sock or something white fabric?

 

[E46Jeev]

E,

Not sure what all their quote includes, but if this were my pool, I'd want them to install two new skimmers, with operating weir doors, and I'd want new solid PCV from the skimmers back to the equipment pad.. No flex plumbing any where.. I'd want two 2-way Jandy valves in place of the current ball valves.

My thought is that I'd rather pay a little more for a good job, then pay a lot for a poor job.

The time to repair the main drain would have been when the liner was replaced.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Jim,

Thanks for your response. Exactly what you said is what I'm going to request they do. Their quote included main drain plumbing and repair. Also when they did the liner, they didn't mention anything about the drain, again new house owner so unaware. No biggie though, I've come to realize main drains aren't necessarily needed and I would rather have a new line ran from pad to skimmers anyway, along with a new filter and pump. I do appreciate the responses and it's helped guided me way more than my pool company could explain.

 

[Jimrahbe]

E,

Make sure that they run a line from each skimmer back to the pad.. Don't let them tie the two skimmers together, and run just one line back to the pad.. You should end up with two 2-way valves at the pad, one for each skimmer line.. Don't let them use a single 3-way valve at the pad to select between the two skimmers.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[PoolStored]

The bug in your picture looks like a spotted lantern fly. If you encounter any of these, the NYDA asks that, if you live in Suffolk County, you kill them immediately.

Spotted Lanternfly

SLF is an invasive pest that can feed on a wide variety of plants, damaging New York agricultural and forest lands.

agriculture.ny.gov

 

[E46Jeev]

The bug in your picture looks like a spotted lantern fly. If you encounter any of these, the NYDA asks that, if you live in Suffolk County, you kill them immediately.

Spotted Lanternfly

SLF is an invasive pest that can feed on a wide variety of plants, damaging New York agricultural and forest lands.

agriculture.ny.gov

View attachment 609184

Yes indeed, we've been killing them on sight. There are tons in my city unfortunately, I've even sprayed bug spray throughout my whole property.

 

[E46Jeev]

E,

Make sure that they run a line from each skimmer back to the pad.. Don't let them tie the two skimmers together, and run just one line back to the pad.. You should end up with two 2-way valves at the pad, one for each skimmer line.. Don't let them use a single 3-way valve at the pad to select between the two skimmers.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Understood, thanks alot Jim.