Having a structural leak in a pool without the money to attend to the problem is a real issue. The process of installing a pool Deckover cover is quite simple, actually. www.PoolPartsToGo.com In some cases, a pool-to-pond conversion is reversible, leaving the possibility of restoring your backyard pool in the future. Although this can be an economical and effective answer for some, not all pools are appropriate. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers: Creative Uses For These Household Cleaning Blocks That Truly Work Magic! Its not a good idea to fill in or permanently cover an old swimming pool. The decommissioning process starts with draining the pool. Here is an inexpensive and easy method to rid yourself of an unwanted in-ground swimming pool. Resale value: Since the swimming pool is still there, when it comes time to sell your home, potential buyers will have the option of removing the Deckover and re-filling the pool with water if they wish. This, certainly, will result in damage to the pool, complaints from the neighbors, a reduction in the real estate property value, and eventually an ordinance from the city warning you to take care of the pool (one way or another) or risk experiencing substantial fines. This post may contain affiliate links. If it gets freezing cold in your area, failure to isolate and close the plumbing system will result in eventual component damage from water freezing in the lines. Finally, perhaps the most obvious answer is complete removal of the pool. Big deal right? Looking For A Good Fogless Shower Mirror? We Finally Found The Best Fog Free Mirror! It is almost always less expensive in the long run to keep the pool open and minimally maintainedbut that is not what this article is about! If you store the pump drained and dry in your basement or heated garage then it most likely will still be in serviceable condition when you want to open the pool next. This will require that you periodically pump out some rain water and snow melt to avoid constant overflowing. Research best methods for conversion and consider if the effort is worth the expense. New Black + Decker variable speed pumps are available online from www.PoolPartsToGo.com and they are a drop in replacement for many popular pump models including Pentair Superflo and Hayward Super Pumps. For example pools that are located in cold climate areas are all closed for six months or so every year and they are still fine. It's best to fill in a layer of crushed rock first and then compact it to create a base. If the pool has a few dozen squirrels and neighborhood cats at the bottom of it this will make the problem of disgusting, dangerous and smells water infinitely worse. Should you ever open the pool again in the future the risk is very real that it will take more work to get it up and running than if you just fixed the problems that it has now, especially when it comes to the costly plumbing system and interior surface. Then its filled with dirt and landscaped over. Pools are nice but they can be a liability issue. Thats right, a Deckover pool cover can be completely removed so the swimming pool can be filled with water and used again without any damage to the pool itself. How many holes should be in the bottom of the pool and how big should they be? A pool in such a state can drag down the value of your home to such a great extent that the entire house becomes essentially unsellable - or if you are able to sell it you will need to do so at a reduced price far greater than the actual cost of repairing the pool. Once the pool is empty, it may become buoyant while sitting in the ground. The shape of the pool (a curved pool is more difficult than a rectangular shaped pool), Different levels, steps, or benches cost a little more. You may have heard of empty pools collapsing, popping out of the ground, and having the interior surface ruined from being emptyand all of these concerns are true and serious. If you dont go the Deckover route, following are a few other options during the time when your swimming pool is empty and/or you no longer want to use your pool for swimming: I learned that you cant just empty the pool of water. These instructions are not for use with a vinyl, fiber glass and metal in ground swimming pool, they apply to concrete pools only. The space underneath can be used as storage and its completely reversible. The heater and filter are too big and not practical to move and store, but the pump is fairly easy by comparison, likely with two plumbing unions and one electrical connection, and is the most likely component to fail as a result of sitting unused. This is no small project, involving demolishing the structure, removing the debris and filling the resulting hole with tons of compacted dirt. If you buy thru these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get direct-to-you access to our weekly blog, #ArticleOfTheWeek, get a sneak peek into Saturdays radio broadcast, upcoming events, special promotions and features, partner discounts, a chance to win a 2-night Arizona Staycation and so much more!! "This article provided me the first grand picture of my project to convert my pool to my veggie garden.". Placing a layer of filter fabric over the openings in the pool bottom will help keep them from becoming silted, so they continue to drain properly. I NEVER USE MY SWIMMING POOL. Follow our steps to get the dishwasher out yourself in no time. Maintain The Water Level - In a perfect world it would be a lot easier to put your pool into storage if you could just drain it and keep it dry. www.BasecreteUSA.com Does any part of this sound like something you want in your backyard? Absolutely. The first, and most important problem with long term pool dormancy, is the water itself. Composite is a wood-polymer lumber made from wood waste mixed with reclaimed plastic from shopping bags and plastic film. When you want to use the pool again or sell your home, you can have the deck removed and resurface the pool. Winterize & Close The Plumbing System - Shutting down the pool plumbing system for long term storage might seem like an obvious thing to do for some pool ownershowever some geographic areas never close their pool and as such it might not occur to these owners that leaving the plumbing system open is a bad idea. Eric holds a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MEd in secondary education from DePaul University. And the excavation costs for a new pool in the location where the old one was could be astronomical. A longtime owner may face costly repairs to an older pool, lose interest in swimming and dont want to continue spending the hundreds or even thousands of dollars it takes to maintain a pool or hope to reclaim the lost real estate in the yard for mother purposes. Deckover, a Phoenix pool & spa retirement company, covered Wrights pool with composite material decking. How To Close A Pool Learn how to get rid of skunks while protecting yourself from their best defense. They carry everything from chemicals to replacement pumps to entire pool kits, with free shipping options and more "in stock" items than any other Canadian online retailer. Clear Comfort's patented hydroxyl-based advanced oxidation systems (AOP) represent the pinnacle of water care technology available to pool and spa owners. Plus, you would also lose the added resale value when it came time to sell your home. So how long is too long when it comes to closing a pool? Out of frustration, and with few decent options available, this is when some pool owners just "walk away" and cease all care and maintenance of the pool. I can not stress enough the importance of using a waterproofing solution for concrete swimming pools. Check out these tips for using the best cleaners to solve your fungus problem. If you do, it will float up out of the ground, possibly damaging plumbing and electrical connections to the pool. He was the winner of the Paul Carroll award for outstanding achievement in creative writing in 2014, and he was a featured reader at the Poetry Foundations Open Door Reading Series in 2015. Liquid chlorine, if added in small amounts will help to keep the bugs at a minimum while presenting minimal risk for chlorine damage to the pool. Variable speed pool pump reviews 40 Stunning Ways to Landscape Around a Swimming What Happens if pH Is Too High in a Pool? In areas without freezing temperatures the concern is that the water within the plumbing lines and fixtures will become so gross and disgusting that you can actually require full replacement of the plumbing lines if you want to operate the pool one day in the future. Regardless of your reasons to want to close the pool permanently, you need to consider that the pool will continue to deteriorate without regular maintenance. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller, youve got a good idea of who I am. Get our best gardening advice and outdoor ideas delivered straight to your inbox. One of the best options that will put an end to the monthly maintenance expenses while allowing you to retain the swimming pool for use some day in the future is to install a pool Deckover cover. In order to keep this resource about pools and spas available for free to all readers I earn commissions for purchases made through links on this page. Master gardener Paul James discusses how unexpected weeds may become residents in your yard and how to get rid of them. Chemical Treatment - Look, the pool is going to be a green and disgusting mess no matter what you do. Other than being a big, dangerous hole in the ground, the main risk for draining pools is that all pools require water in them (to one degree or another) in order to maintain the structural integrity and hydrostatic balance within the ground. Here are a few options for those looking to become former pool owners. The materials for filling the pool are cheap if you use crushed concrete. Over time this will allow for bacteria and insects to take over the pool, and given enough time the pool will eventually become a swamp. The amount of scum and biofilm that can form inside a dormant plumbing system is so great that it can make it impossible to ever properly clean them in the future. If it is broken already then what is the point of caring for it any longer? Not only can this happen, but it almost certainly will if you take the path of least resistance and just leave your pool unmaintained for extended periods of time. You may not be able to leave the vinyl or the concrete. Sometimes much less. In addition to it being dangerous, a tarp cover will be the worst offender in terms of attracting bugs and bacteria. Most likely you will also since stagnant pool water does not simply smell unpleasantwhen you let a pool sit without chemical treatment or filtration it will smell foul enough to drop flying birds right out of the sky and make a dog walking by the front of your house throw up! Storage: The now empty swimming pool can be used as storage space. I strongly endorse the use of Basecrete products to all concrete pool owners. Unless you run the pump and filter daily and balance the chemicals then algae, insects and bacteria is going to take over your once crystal clear and inviting water. This option wont put an end to maintenance or insurance costs and may require new equipment, partially filling the pool with gravel or even installing a new liner, but can transform an unused responsibility into a tranquil water feature that adds beauty and diversity to your backyard environment. A pool can add value to your home. If this describes your situation then at least the best you can do is to learn more about what happens to a pool with a long term leak. How much would it cost to close in my in-ground pool? For those considering getting rid of an inground pool, research is key, but the results can be well-worth the effort. The following links and products are to affiliates of the Swimming Pool Steve website. Photo by: Image courtesy of Deckover Pool Retirement, Image courtesy of Deckover Pool Retirement. When it comes to the technical process of waterproofing concrete pools Basecrete is the most effective product that I know of. Then holes are drilled through the pool liner. You can however at least do a little bit of work to minimize the amount of bugs you have. To have your product or service considered for listing here as an endorsed brand email SwimmingPoolSteve@gmail.com. Check and see if permits are required before undertaking this conversion and consider professional assistance. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. - Swimming Pool Steve I do all of my own repair work. But if you seldom feel like swimming these days and the cost of maintaining your swimming pool just isnt making sense anymore, then it may be time to find other uses for that area of your yard. Doing this will not guarantee that the pool avoids damage while "in storage" but at least this should minimize the risk to your pool and maximize the quality of life for anyone who needs to live in or around a dormant pool. Swimming pools are not really meant to sit unused for extended periods of time. Real People. By the time a pool has been closed for one year, including at least a few months of hot summer weather, you can count on the fact that early wear and tear is taking on toll on the interior surface. Mosquitos are carriers of disease, and specifically bad ones at that, and this alone should be enough of a reason to avoid leaving your pool closed for extended periods of time. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Income generated from these links helps to keep this pool and spa resource available for everyone. Install A Safety Cover - Installing a safety cover, and specifically a mesh safety cover that allows water to pass through, not a solid safety cover that requires you to pump off the accumulated water, is the single best thing you can do for a pool that needs to be taken offline for an extended period of time. Whats the Best Chlorine-Alternative for Easy Pool Care? Blowing out all of the plumbing lines and capping both ends with permanent (or winterization) plugs absolutely must be done if you want your pool to sit dormant for extended periods of time. Can I bury concrete in the ground when closing my unwanted in ground pool? Please note that these endorsements can include monetary compensation, affiliate links and referral fees to Swimming Pool Steve, however there is zero additional cost to you should you use one of these products or services. You cant just fill it with dirt. www.PoolSuppliesCanada.ca You can, but the trees will deteriorate and cause a void in the sand/dirt, causing additional settling. Eric McClure is an editing fellow at wikiHow where he has been editing, researching, and creating content since 2019. Whatever the reason, removal or repurposing on an inground pool can be challenging, expensive or even dangerous. Even despite this, pools in these areas will wear much faster than pools located in areas where they operate 24/7/365. If you put in a lot of concrete and do not use crushed rock and sand, you'll get a lot more settling than you otherwise would. It still needs to have water in it, and without filtration and chemical treatment the water is going to become a stinky, dark, mess. With a swimming pool Deckover, you can utilize all of that valuable space in your backyard thats currently being consumed by the pool any way you want to! Each area differs. Aggressive weeds will take over your garden but you can fight back without harming your valuable plants. Safety: It removes the possibility of children and pets accidentally falling into the pool and drowning. How To Measure & Install A Pool Safety Cover This article is for those of you looking for specific information on how to close your pool for extended periods of time with minimal risk for long term costs and potential damage. Permanent Damage - In addition to the nasty bacteria and bugs, a major concern of letting your pool sit dormant is simply that the pool will deteriorate at a very advanced rate. Just because you can not afford a $15,000 repair and renovation bill does not mean that things can not get a LOT worse. It will also require that you have a pool that can hold water which means if expensive leaks are the reason you are closing it these need to be repaired before you take your pool offline. Unit 1040 | Waddell, AZ 85355, 6993 North Columbine Boulevard | Flagstaff, AZ 86004, 600 East 1st Street | Casa Grande, AZ 85122, 1101 West Melinda Bldg B | Phoenix, AZ 85027, 22425 North 16th Street Ste 2 | Phoenix, AZ 85024, Pro Solutions Air Conditioning and Heating LLC, Marvel Building & Masonry Supply | Phoenix North, Oldcastle Superlite | Belgard Hardscapes | Echelon Masonry Solutions, Refreshing Your Pool For A Refreshing Dip In The Summer. Rosie recommends that you cover your unused pool with a deck made from a composite material. 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It cost him $6,000 but the move isnt permanent. The deck or supporting structure and equipment do not damage the existing pool structure. Quite often a pool that is left uncared for, even for a few years, will require extensive renovations and repairs which could have otherwise been avoided. Have you ever thought that you would like to own a mosquito farm in your backyardbecause leaving your pool to stagnate would be a keen way to get started towards this goal. By using this website you are agreeing to the terms and conditions. Consult a professional before considering any conversion that may pose a threat to the structure or its surroundings. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Yes; it would be considered a partial removal - thats where you punch holes in the bottom of the pool, collapse the walls in and fill the remaining area with dirt. Even the Pool Kings' projects aren't complete without accessories. Real Experiences. Insects - Part and parcel with stinky, stagnant pool water will be the insects that move in to take over the now chlorine free water. The type of material used on the deck itself. This will also help the chlorine to diffuse into the water better and discourage the bugs from taking over. Anything longer than a single year for a dormant pool begins to risk that the pool will need to be rebuilt from the ground up should you ever want to open it again. Does $13,450.00 sound a little high to fill a 25,000 gallon pool? Dirt would be a little more expensive, but nowhere near the number you're talking about. Swimming pools are possibly the single most important thing in your home to keep up with maintenance on. IS THERE A WAY TO COVER IT PERMANENTLY? Who cares about some stinky water? Installing an inground swimming pool (or buying a home that already had one) probably seemed like a really good idea at first. By using our site, you agree to our. you no longer want to use your pool for swimming, Watch kids play games inside an empty swimming pool, Take a radio-controlled vehicle for a drive, Give the kids a safe place to ride their bikes. Tips on how to carefully uninstall and remove kitchen appliances and fixtures. The best you can hope for is to maintain the water level in the pool at the height it was intended to operate at. You should also winterize and close the pool filter and the pool heater if you have one. My guy is doing mine for $100 an hour, and he predicts 12 hours max. Well, your neighbors will, for one. All rights reserved. Reclaim your backyard when retiring an old or unwanted swimming pool. This, right here, is the heart of the problem. It typically takes about a week to complete a Deckover project. Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds. Privacy Policy. How long after filling in a pool should I wait to build an addition on top of the area, or can the area be used for building on? Remove your kitchen cabinets in record time by following our four simple steps. Find a company specializing in pool-to-deck conversions. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. If the space is destined to become a garden plot, removal of the pool itself may not be necessary, but its not as simple as filling the pool with soil. - Swimming Pool Steve Ive owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. Can I bury trees I cut down under the crushed rock and dirt in the pool? This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer. To put a complex technology simply, if you are looking for the best possible water care system for your pool or spa then you are looking for a Clear Comfort AOP system. Can the salt water from an in ground pool be pumped into the storm water drain? Many pools are quite wide. My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. A Deckover is constructed very much like a standard composite deck that is attached to a house. If nothing else this should allow you to limit your concern for future damage to the pool structure itself. Construction of a deck would require sufficient support and should be designed by a structural engineer. Follow these tips for regular maintenance and for winterizing your pool. The pump should be removed completely from the installation and stored indoors. There are a couple of things to consider before installing a pool Deckover: The price for a Deckover varies depending on the size and shape of your swimming pool. 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