[maxpedal]

Hey there all. Long time lurker, but I couldn't find anything specific for this particular question.

I just bought a house with a decent sized pool, about 10-12k, but it's currently empty. Of course, the pump is busted too (though fortunately the electrical is still in working order). I could get a pump now (a variable speed from what I've been reading from you all) or use that money for other house essentials. There isn't much concern for floating here in Vegas, correct? It's pebbletec, so I don't think that will peel like plaster from the sun, but I could be wrong there. Any insights are very much appreciated.

Side note: anyone have any first-hand experiences with Cimarron-Memorial High School? It looks like one of the better ones in the Valley.

Thanks everyone! Glad to have found this forum.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by maxpedal

Hey there all. Long time lurker, but I couldn't find anything specific for this particular question.

I just bought a house with a decent sized pool, about 10-12k, but it's currently empty. Of course, the pump is busted too (though fortunately the electrical is still in working order). I could get a pump now (a variable speed from what I've been reading from you all) or use that money for other house essentials. There isn't much concern for floating here in Vegas, correct? It's pebbletec, so I don't think that will peel like plaster from the sun, but I could be wrong there. Any insights are very much appreciated.

Side note: anyone have any first-hand experiences with Cimarron-Memorial High School? It looks like one of the better ones in the Valley.

Thanks everyone! Glad to have found this forum.

Fill it. All sorts of bad things happen with empty pools. People and animals fall in. The rain gets a few inches of water in the bottom and new life forms emerge. You get hassled by neighbors about Mosquitoes.

Acquire an old second hand pump somewhere cheap. Another way to keep it up without little work is cover it. Covered pools need little if any filtering.

Cimarron Memorial is a very weak school. Not the bottom but close. I would not send a kid there under any circumstances. Find a magnetic or something.

[vtvette]

If "floating" refers to when a fiberglass pool comes up out of the ground when completely empty due to lack of weight no, you will have no issues of that sort with a gunnite pool.

Do you know how long the pool has been empty? The sun is indeed brutal on any pool surface left exposed for any length of time. We bought a house with a pool finished with pebbletec and the check valve that keeps the spa full when the pump is not running was bad. The first step of the spa was left exposed (we don't know how long) resulting in damages to the pebbletec in that area from sun exposure. The pebbletec finish chipped off along the edge of the step.

It would be ideal if you can find out how long the pool has been empty. If you cannot, you may be able to use this as a bargaining point on the purchase price of the house (likelihood of damage due to pool being left empty).

In any case, pool inspected by a pool re-finisher if you can and if there is still life left in the finish have the pool filled and the pump fixed asap after you buy.

[NLVgal]

Pools are an expensive pain. Mine was the worst mistake I made in terms of home ownership. I would do exactly as advised above. Get it operational and covered ASAP.

Incidentally, what or who led you to believe that Cimarron Memorial was one of the valley's better schools?

[maxpedal]

Thank you all for the quick responses!

The pictures from the beginning of summer had it full, so I imagine it was just the summer it drained down. Lots of nasty algae dried and stuck to the walls upon further examination. That's likely going to need bead blasted or something of the sort. After the rain yesterday, it's put another nice layer for scum at the bottom, so I'll get a pump soon. Any recommendations for where to purchase? I've looked online and found some great variable pump deals, but there is the $250 rebate from an authorized reseller. In any case, I'll want someone else to install it... not my area of expertise.

I'll keep the cover in mind! There are some large trees and I'd rather keep them out of the water.

As for the schools, and this is likely a newbie mistake, but just a quick looksee on google's ratings of the school. I don't have a child yet of that age, but I have family interested in the Vegas area eventually. It seems they consider me a "tester" for the area, so I'm getting about as many questions coming in as I have myself going out.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by vtvette

If "floating" refers to when a fiberglass pool comes up out of the ground when completely empty due to lack of weight no, you will have no issues of that sort with a gunnite pool.

Gunite pools can pop. Maybe not around here, but it can happen. Just Google "concrete pool shell pop"



http://www.pegroup.com/publications/Tech-201305.html

Check out this horror story from Empty pools & hydrostatic pressure?

A local PB just told me a story of a popped pool in our area. The company was going to install Pebbletec so they drained the pool. In doing so, they drilled some relief holes in the bottom as rains were coming and they were concerned about a rising water table. The rains came, so the company didn't go to the site as they couldn't do the work in the pouring rain. Meanwhile, the homeowners noticed muddy water burbling up into their pool through the holes drilled in the bottom and they panicked. They plugged the holes with sections of broom handle pounded in with a hammer. The pool then popped.

It's possible your main drain has a hydrostatic relief valve installed like the one illustrated here, which would relieve the pressure from groundwater pushing up on the empty shell: Pool Drains



Keep in mind that no one here who tells you that you have nothing to worry about is going to help pay the repair bill if your pool shell pops. I'm pretty sure my pool wouldn't pop if it was empty during a heavy rain, because the water table isn't anywhere near ground level, and water flows downhill quickly from here. South and slightly east of here it may be a different story. But in any case I'm not confident enough to take that gamble, so I only allow my pool to be empty, for brief periods, when it's not raining.

Go to NPS, tell them what you need, and hand them your credit card. By the way, NPS is no longer using their own installers, they are referring all their installs to their former parent company, Nationwide Pool Design (they sold off the retail stores several years back). Their relationship is so cozy that Nationwide Pool Design will pick up the equipment at the NPS store as long as you release it to them. That's what happened with the pool heater I bought recently. The person in the store will hand you a brochure for Nationwide Pool Design and tell you to call them to arrange installation. They are separate companies though, so you don't pay for the installation at the store. Of course, you are free to use your own installer if you like. For rebate purposes, it may be simpler to just use Nationwide Pool Design for the install.

[lvoc]

Years ago in Rochester NY we lived in a small community almost at the crown of a significant hill. It lead to some interesting results. I for instance had a set of flying buttresses supporting my up hill basement wall which had partially collapsed during the build. So we obviously had water pouring off the hill.

Neighbor and good friend two doors down hill put in a pool...and to go with the pool and the limited season he buried a 500 gallon propane tank in his backyard next to the pool. Then spring. Guess what sprung. The pool was fine but he has a 500 gallon propane tank standing on one end over the side of the pool.

Just spit that thing right out..

Water tables are amazing things. There are places in LV with high water tables...though they are generally secondary aquifers and are full of gunk.

[jet757f]

AA702 (screen name) can help you. When we first bought our house the bank had let it go and the water turned green.
He took care of everything at a reasonable price. I can give you his number if you PM me.

[vtvette]

Originally Posted by jet757f

AA702 (screen name) can help you. When we first bought our house the bank had let it go and the water turned green.
He took care of everything at a reasonable price. I can give you his number if you PM me.

+1 AA702 took care of our pool for a few months between when we purchased our house and when we actually moved to town. Very reasonable, very knowledgeable and a very nice guy.

[maxpedal]

AA702 actually reached out to me before I could even see the post again (talk about fast!), so I'll the recommendations in mind. Thanks!

I don't want to be the first horror story people can reference where a pool in Vegas DID float up, so I'll be taking care of this soon... I might just go with a 2 speed pump for now, and probably something smaller (perhaps 1HP?) to run constantly. From what I've been reading, a pump that runs constantly and fits the pool size is much better than an overpowered pump a third of the day. There's such a wealth of information on the topic, it's a bit intimidating. But I'm guessing that when summer comes around, it will all be worth it!