My San Juan Pool

[cubman]

My wife and I moved into our home a year ago. It has a San Juan pool which had a history of damage. We didnt know the extent until now what a problem pools can bring to bear. First it popped up a couple inches after a very wet spring here in Wichita, KS. I decided that the only thing to do after recieving some eye popping estimates was to do it myself. I have been in the process of tearing out the concrete around it. Under the concrete are long tunnels where I would have expected to find sand. It has apparently all washed away. I dont know where it could have gone. The sides of the pool are bulging inward and there are cracks starting to develop. I will have to empy the pool to repair the cracks (I am handy enough to do this). But I can't empty the pool because everybody says dont empty the pool. I now refer you to the previous sentence, "I will have to empty the pool.....". How do I get to this hydrostic relief valve? What does it do? What if there isnt one? This pool is thirty years old. I'm going to knock this thing out myself and then maybe go into business. First of all somebody tell me what to do.

[don pool]

The hydrostatic relief valve is located by the main drain. What you are trying to tackle on your own might be out of your control. Do all the hard work first like removing your concrete and call a professional. If you are in an area that has no ground water present, there may not even be a relief valve in the pool. There might be a sump line that is supposed to relieve the hydro-static pressure. If you have one of those it would more than likely be a inch and a half piece of pipe located under a plastic cover on the deep end of your pool.

[cubman]

Thanks for the reply Don

I have a 1 1/2" pipe under the diving board of some material other than PVC, looks more opaque than anything. I'm in Wichita which doesnt seem like there is a lot of water close to the surface. As far as the concrete work is concerned, Ive mostly removed all of that. I'm pretty sure I can do the fiberglass repair. I've been trained in this area in A&P school. The only thing that I have reservations of is pulling the pool out and re-leveling the base. I dont like sand and I've read in these pages of someone using 3/8 " pea gravel. That seemslike the most logical method to me. It retains less water and allows for the smooth flow to the bottom where I plan on putting a pipe with lots of holes drilled in it running to a large schedule 40 pipe in which i can put a submersible pump. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Also I pumped water out of the ground thru that pipe under the diving board. a professional quote 20 big ones. And I just got lucky a few weeks ago and was given a 5% reduction in pay to help the company be more profitable. I'm a beautiful guy.

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Thanks for the reply Don

I have a 1 1/2" pipe under the diving board of some material other than PVC, looks more opaque than anything. I'm in Wichita which doesnt seem like there is a lot of water close to the surface. As far as the concrete work is concerned, Ive mostly removed all of that. I'm pretty sure I can do the fiberglass repair. I've been trained in this area in A&P school. The only thing that I have reservations of is pulling the pool out and re-leveling the base. I dont like sand and I've read in these pages of someone using 3/8 " pea gravel. That seemslike the most logical method to me. It retains less water and allows for the smooth flow to the bottom where I plan on putting a pipe with lots of holes drilled in it running to a large schedule 40 pipe in which i can put a submersible pump. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Also I pumped water out of the ground thru that pipe under the diving board. a professional quote 20 big ones. And I just got lucky a few weeks ago and was given a 5% reduction in pay to help the company be more profitable. I'm a beautiful guy.

Your fiberglass pool can be safely emptied and the repair is quite easy. Although you may live in Kansas, I can assure you that a water problem does exist on your property. Otherwise, you would have had no water to remove using the "stand pipe". So far, you have received reasonably good information in this forum.

Now we will go to the next level. You appear to have a serious water problem which must be dealt with. The cracks in the gel coat occur when the fiberglass is pushed inward by water propelled mud. The fiberglass stretches causing a hump and inevitably, a crack in the fiberglass and gel coat. This crack relieves the hydrostatic pressure by permitting the water and sand (or pea gravel) to enter the pool. This only happens when the water level, for whatever reason, is lowered too far. It may have been lowered due to a lack of knowledge, a climatic occurence, or the failure of some system, i.e. pool plumbing, water mains, sprinkler systems, and any other source of water.

The erosion of the concrete deck sub-strate is an indication of excessive water flow under the deck affecting both the deck and the pool (on the same side). Before going furtheer with the effect, you should first determine the cause. If you do not, it will surely happen again.

By the way, if your fiberglass pool has a bottom drain in the center of the pool at the deep end, which points down like a bath tub, you may have a relief valve. However, the relief valve is not "next" to the drain, but under the drain cover.

When the pool is emptied, usa a shop vac to remove the water that pools over the drain, remove the two screws holding down the drain cover, and remove it. Again, use the shop vac to remove the water just below in the drain pot. Now look inside for (1) a lug nut that you will remove and then slide out the valve or, (2) determine if there are one or two pipes running thru the pot. If so, you have a hydrostatic relief valve in the pipe that does not point toward the pump. It cannot be seen, but it is just inside the pipe and need to be tapped (hard) with the handle of a screwdriver to free it from accumulated sand. That will release it and let underground water into the pool. Enough for one day. Good luck. -Bill

[cubman]

Bill;

Thanks very much. I checked out your website several weeks ago and picked up on some of what your saying. I'm thinking that my water problems are from the leaking in the pool. Also there were some very heavy rains here for several days a few weeks back. I hope that you dont mind if i call you. I'm going to need some help, advice and moral suppot. I have also been in contact with Mr. King in Tulsa about the pool. Nice man and very helpful. thaks again.