Buying a house with a pool--need advice

[jmac31]

Thanks for the link. Yeah I did some reading right after I posted that, and realized that they are the same ingredients. Thanks for the link to the site, I'll check it out. I can't see your signature still, also it says I am a trial user, not restricted, if that makes a difference. I can't see any of the other forum categories either.

My biggest thing was just not knowing where to start, but I'll get the pool cleaned out then fill it.

Thanks again.

[Poconos]

You don't say what part of the country you're located in. If you need to be concerned about freezing then there are other things to look for. If the plumbing and equipment wasn't drained and winterized properly there could be hidden damage that will show when you fill and fire up the equipment. Cracked pipes and other things. You may want to consider hiring a pro to check the basics. You can give the equipment a good visual once you have full access to the house and damage should be visible. Underground pipes are another story and the only real way to check is to pressure test them with compressed air. You plug one end and connect a pressure test thing and pump up the pressure and see if it holds. Not too hard to do if you're handy and have the time to spend. With a new house I suspect time will be scarce.
Also, congrats on the purchase and hope you enjoy. We'll be here to help along the way.
Al

[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.