Question about 50 year old gunite pool.

[Rurak]

Hey all. We live in Southern NH and have owned our house for 9 years. Our pool was installed in 1975 according to town records. Some tiles have fallen off and the plaster needs to be resurfaced.

We had a new skimmer and main drain enclosure installed when we moved in due to leaks. The piping in the gunite is 1 1/2 black poly pipe. I dug a trench and ran new PVC to the skimmer and main drain tie in under the skimmer.

Does plumbing in the walls of a pool this old pose a threat of failure? I would love to have this resurfaced and re tiled because our kids love it and removing it would be very costly and disruptive. Thank you in advance.

 

[ajw22]

None of us can see into your pool walls anymore then you can.

I suggest you get an estimate for repiping the pool with schedule 40 hard PVC when you do the tile and plaster.

if you want to show us pics of your pool, deck, and equipment we can better understand your situation. Label on the pics where your skimmers and returns are.

 

[Rurak]

None of us can see into your pool walls anymore then you can.

I suggest you get an estimate for repiping the pool with schedule 40 hard PVC when you do the tile and plaster.

if you want to show us pics of your pool, deck, and equipment we can better understand your situation. Label on the pics where your skimmers and returns are.

Ok. I will do that tomorrow. When they re pipe a gunite pool do they cut trenches in the walls?

 

[ajw22]

When they re pipe a gunite pool do they cut trenches in the walls?

Depends here they need to get to. They can trench around the perimeter of the pool and then go straight to connect to the skimmers and return holes.

 

[Rurak]

None of us can see into your pool walls anymore then you can.

I suggest you get an estimate for repiping the pool with schedule 40 hard PVC when you do the tile and plaster.

if you want to show us pics of your pool, deck, and equipment we can better understand your situation. Label on the pics where your skimmers and returns are.

None of us can see into your pool walls anymore then you can.

I suggest you get an estimate for repiping the pool with schedule 40 hard PVC when you do the tile and plaster.

if you want to show us pics of your pool, deck, and equipment we can better understand your situation. Label on the pics where your skimmers and returns are.

I have attached a few pics. Main drain was replaced 5 years ago, the original main drain was just a cover placed in a hollowed out portion of plaster with the poly pipe stubbed into it. 45 years of water eroded enough plaster/gunite to give us a leak. When we did the main drain our pool guy suggested we have new lines ran for the skimmer and main drain (originally tied into the same line). So I dug a trench and ran the new lines and the pool guy connected everything. Pump was replaced with a hayward vfd pump, we don't use the light and will be getting rid of it if we resurface. We lost some tile, and have a crack above the water line, when the town installed new waters lines on an adjacent street and used the largest vibratory roller I've ever seen. There is one crack in the deck and I'm not sure how to fix it, we would also like to freshen up the Kool deck if possible and Kool deck the skimmer repair. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[ajw22]

When we did the main drain our pool guy suggested we have new lines ran for the skimmer and main drain (originally tied into the same line). So I dug a trench and ran the new lines and the pool guy connected everything.

So why can't you do the same to replace the remaining pipes?

You trench and pipe to the side of the pool wall. You then core drill the existing return hole to penetrate the shell and connect to the new pipe.

 

[Rurak]

So why can't you do the same to replace the remaining pipes?

You trench and pipe to the side of the pool wall. You then core drill the existing return hole to penetrate the shell and connect to the new pipe.

Probably could but it would require working under the deck. Is that something they will do? How do we handle getting from the main drain to the new piping I ran?

 

[ajw22]

How do we handle getting from the main drain to the new piping I ran?

Probably abandon the Main Drain. Pools don;t need a Main Drain. Many pools operate fine without it.

Or leave the Main Drain connected with the current piping until it leaks then abandon it.

How deep is your pool at the Main Drain?

 

[Rurak]

Probably abandon the Main Drain. Pools don;t need a Main Drain. Many pools operate fine without it.

Or leave the Main Drain connected with the current piping until it leaks then abandon it.

How deep is your pool at the Main Drain?

9.5' to top of coping.

 

[ajw22]

9.5' to top of coping.

The Main Drain helps water circulation when you have a deep hopper in the pool.

I would keep the Main Drain as is until it begins leaking.

 

[Rurak]

Thank you for the advice. Do you know how thick the walls should be for coring purposes? I'm an electrician and I own a core drill with tons of different size bits

 

[ajw22]

Do you know how thick the walls should be for coring purposes?

If you are asking what thickness walls you may find, it depends. Could be 6” to 12” thick.

 

[Rurak]

Thank you for the advice!