Buying a house with a pool--need advice

[jmac31]

Thanks for the reply and warm welcome. Yeah the house has already been taking up a lot of time and we don't even own it yet! We are excited though.

I hadn't thought about the pipes freezing, we live in Wichita, KS. It gets very cold and very hot here. The house went on the market in October, the cover was not put on so I doubt any winterizing was done. Like you said though, I will probably just have to wait until I fill the pool and get the equipment running. I have been debating on having a professional come out and take a look, just don't want to spend the money =).

P.S. I had signatures disabled in my profile, thats why I wasn't seeing them.

[Watermom]

The missing signature mystery is solved. Good!

Al, good call on checking pipes for freeze damage. I don't live someplace that gets super cold too often and I also don't have an inground, so that is not something I have to be concerned about. Al (Poconos), on the other hand, lives where the polar bears play and gets thick blocks of ice on his pool that last from October until probably April. Sometimes he even goes ice fishing in his pool!

[CarlD]

Where to start?
Well, I'd start with the pipe-check. If the underground pipes are leaking you should fix them first, because nothing else is reasonably possible until then.
Then comes the condition of the liner. If it's intact and not leaking you are in good shape. If it's torn you'll probably need it replaced, so do that before adding water.
After that comes the filter and pump: Are they OK and running and ready for the season.
When you are good to go on these three, then you can start the process of cleaning the pool.

You'll need enough water to run the pump--over all the returns and drains, including the skimmer.
You'll need to scoop out debris as much as possible. Use a pool tool called a "leaf rake" that's like a cross between a squeegee and a butterfly net.
And start that filter going.

You'll need to test the water to get a baseline. The best investment you'll make (besides your time on PoolForum) will be in a FAS-DPD test kit. You can get a Taylor K2006 (not the 2005) or the Leslie FAS-DPD Chlorine Service Test Kit. Ther'es a way to get the Taylor kit from Amazon(?) that gives a commission to the owner of this site (Not me, Watermom, Poconos, or aylad). For $60 or $70 bucks it will save you thousands over the years, plus innumerable headaches.

And you're gonna need a LOT of bleach, or Liquid Chlorine (same stuff as bleach only more concentrated).

That's enough for now.

[Poconos]

Bah...I tried to upload a pic of the leak test jig I built but struck out. Basically it's a short length of 1.5" PVC pipe, capped at one end, a hole drilled in the side and a pressure gauge threaded in, another hole drilled and a tubeless tire stem inserted from the inside. I use a section of auto radiator hose of the correct diameter, with hose clamps, to connect it to an access point in the plumbing. Depending on your plumbing the jig can be connected any way that works. Plug the returns by removing the eyeballs and replacing with a plug, may be a 1.5" male PVC cap or whatever fits. Hook an air compressor, or a tire pump, to the jig and pump it up to about 10 psi. That's about all you need. Do the same with the skimmer line. Usually this should be done with dry lines but with water in them you may not find a small leak. If a big break or crack then you'll find out quick, even if the pipes have water in them. For mounting the pressure gauge, you can drill a hole slightly smaller than the gauge threads and use the gauge itself as a tap to cut threads. Then smear silicone seal on the inside around he gauge threads to make a better seal. PVC is easy to work with and very versatile, cheap, and sometimes fun.
Al

[jmac31]

Hey thanks for the tutorial on making that. Once we get in to the house I'll probably be asking you questions about it and whether I am making it correctly or not =). One note, the returns are plugged, you think that means it was winterized? About the liner, what is the best way to check for a tear in it? I am not getting into this pool in it's current condition =).

Thanks everyone.

[Poconos]

The fact the returns are plugged is a GOOD sign. Can also look if the pump has the drain plug pulled or is dry, and same with the filter. As for the liner, finding small tears can be a PITA. Best way is to fill it and see if the level drops. At its present level you can try and give a good visual around the waterline because if it was leaking the leak would stop at the present level. Stairs are a pretty common place for leaks at the pinch strips or whatever they're called.
On the leak test jig, if I don't get the pic thing solved I can always email stuff to you when the time comes.
Al

[jmac31]

So we closed on the house Friday and painted the inside over the weekend. I am now starting on the pool! Started cleaning it tonight, but ran into a snag. I was taking the leaves and twigs out with the leaf rake and noticed that the water was not draining from the rake and making it extremely heavy. I then noticed the problem, we have a cottonwood tree in the back yard which has deposited a ton of cotton on the bottom of the pool. About an hour or so into my cleaning my pole bent and snapped. Anyone have any suggestions for this? Can I get a stronger pole? Do I have to just watch how much I am picking up?

Also, on a separate note, I started looking at my pipes, filter, and pump. I noticed that one of the pipes was cut through, this one goes under the concrete. I am assuming it goes to the skimmer or the drain. I will upload some pictures tomorrow and see if you guys can help me figure out what all these pipes are for and what I am missing.

Thanks for all the help.