It started a couple of months ago with a few air bubbles in the clean water return, I just figured the trap at the pool filter had a small leak. After checking out the trap and filter, I just chalked it up to old age. After all, my swimming pool is at least forty five years old. Then this past Thursday night I noticed the water level had dropped about two inches, and on Friday morning, another one inch. I don't think this is going to be good.
It is the quintessential symbol of Florida living, the swimming pool in the back yard, or as I refer to it, that hole full of liquid money draining away. It costs money to put water into it, it costs money for all the chemicals. When any of the mechanicals break, your budget breaks along with it. Most people have a pool service to clean it, at about eighty dollars a month. Besides all those expenses, you have the electric bill. My pool uses about one hundred dollars worth of electricity per month. I don't need any more expense, so I am hoping this apparent water leak is not as dire as it appears to be.
Upon closer inspection of the far end of the pool, an area I don't venture out to very often, I have noticed that small cracks in the deck have now become large cracks. I have also noticed the definite sound of water sloshing under the concrete. This creates a reciprocal sloshing of acid in my stomach, so I have called a company that finds pool leaks and fixes them. This morning the man from Florida Leak Locators, located my leak, or should I say leaks, and it is every bit as bad as I thought. He informed me that I need my pool re-piped. This involves chopping two holes in the pool from the inside, replacing the pipes, and them rebuilding the wall of the pool. He didn't have an immediate estimate, but his ballpark figure was more than two thousand dollars.
I do have another option, and it really is tempting. Chop out the bottom of the pool, fill the entire thing in with soil, and plant a nice garden. For all I would be saving in pool expenses, I could hire a garden maintenance man for a fraction of that.
Demolish that money sucker and either fill it with soil and a nice lawn or drain it and build a deck over it. How about turning it into a coi pond?
ReplyDeleteDo your tenants use the pool? They may think that it comes with their rent and would be disappointed without it. I know I would and you know I used the pool all the time.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Dennis and I can get in it at the same time. that would bring the water level back up.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about this situation. I am also inclined to say just fill it in if you don't really use it much. It would give you a much larger yard to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteDennis has a point. I am sure you have discussed with your tenants whether they can use the pool or not. It isn't accessed without going through your house so I would think they wouldn't have that expectation.
I wish you best with your decision. I know it can't be easy.
Get rid of it and build a large room addition or another studio apt to rent.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like anonymous would like another place to live in So. FL. Who could it be escaping the cold ???
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