Pool Removal – the best guide to inground pools

Guide to Pool Removal and knowing When Your Inground Pool Needs to Be Removed.
If you bought a house with an inground pool, it’s likely someone else’s dream that you inherited through a real estate transaction. While it might look like a nice dream on the surface, it can quickly turn into a nightmare once you realize how much it’s draining your wallet.
Just like an aging car, a pool eventually reaches a point where repairs become cost-prohibitive. When a car is new and under warranty, it has minimal problems; the same applies to a pool. However, after about 30 years, pools—regardless of their type—start becoming genuinely expensive to maintain. If you want to keep an older pool looking good and reliable, you often need to perform a “full off-chassis restoration”. For a pool, this means replacing all plumbing and utilities, updating pool lights, resurfacing the interior, and replacing the pool deck or remove and rebuild the entire pool.

Common reasons for pool removal

Many of the pools MackLand has removed fall into two main categories: empty nesters and preparing to move.

Empty Nesters:

These homeowners may have built the pool or bought a house with one, and it has satisfactorily fulfilled its purpose, creating priceless memories of raising their kids. Now that their children are grown, the pool isn’t being used, and the homeowner no longer sees the value in restoration or replacement, leading to its removal.

Preparing to Move:

This applies to individuals selling their current home or moving into a house with a pool they don’t want. If they are selling, removing the pool typically adds more value, increases market liquidity, and reduces hassle during the sale. If they’re moving into a house with an old pool, they might recognize that removing it is a better idea than getting their kids attached to a money pit.

Good Stewardship and Karma
If you know your pool costs a lot of money to maintain and is at the end of its designed lifespan, please consider the unexpected burden that places on a new buyer.

Designed Lifespan of Pools and Signs of Structural Failure

Fiberglass Pools

Fiberglass pools have a designed lifespan of 30–50 years. In the Denver area, they were a popular choice due to their lower installation cost and low maintenance. However, the relentless power of the sun degrades the fiberglass and gelcoat over time. Eventually, the pool shell loses its ability to flex with Colorado’s expansive soils. Small cracks and fissures can develop in the gelcoat on the surface, which can eventually work their way through the fiberglass, causing leaks and structural failure.
Poor drainage and flash flooding can also cause hydrostatic pressure, which can lead to the bottom or sides bulging or even cause the pool to pop out of the ground. Fiberglass pools require the most consideration for proper drainage.

Vinyl Liner Pools

Vinyl liner pools are an economical design that uses a pre-engineered metal or HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) wall system with a vinyl liner to retain water. These pools have a designed lifespan of 30 years. As with fiberglass pools, the sun over time compromises the vinyl liner to the point where it becomes brittle and begins to fail. Improper pool chemical management will also destroy the liner. The liner typically needs to be replaced every 8–12 years.
The engineered wall system eventually starts failing in the 30-year range. Chlorinated water is corrosive to metal structural members and can corrode support tie-backs, causing the walls to fail. You may not see anything on the surface, as the damage is often deep and hidden, but it is almost always present. HDPE plastic walls also become brittle and break with chlorinated water contact and time, leading to wall failure. This situation can be dangerous, as wall failures can happen without warning and can be deadly.

Gunite and Concrete Pools

These are custom-tailored, expensive, and durable pools with a designed life of 30-50 years or more. They usually have site-specific engineering that ensures greater longevity. Over time, cracks can develop that can be sealed, but if water continues to leak or if there are poor drainage issues, the pool’s subgrade can be washed away, leaving cavities under the pool that lead to structural failure. If water keeps getting under the pool, it can cause the subsoil to expand and contract, making it impossible to keep cracks sealed. Without a doubt, these are the longest-lasting pools, but eventually, they just become outdated and an eyesore.
“Concrete cancer,” also known as spalling or concrete degradation, refers to the deterioration of concrete structures due to the corrosion of steel reinforcement bars within the concrete. This process is often progressive and can significantly impact the structural integrity of buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure, as well as pools. If you have this happening, there is nothing that
can stop it and the only option would be Pool Removal.

Common Issues Before Pool Removal

• Difficulty Finding Service: When pools reach a certain point of distress, experienced pool professionals may refuse to service them because they know the pool is beyond repair and it’s bad business to take on such a project.
• Overgrown Trees: As trees and landscape mature over time, they can pose serious problems for pools, making it impossible to maintain clean, balanced water. Tree roots grow towards the moisture from the pool and can invade the pool, compromising the structural integrity of the walls. Most neighbors won’t trim or remove trees that are dropping leaves into your pool.
• Plumbing Leaks: Most pools have HDPE poly pipe with plastic fittings and hose clamps holding it all together. The hose clamps and fittings also start failing in the 30-year range. Higher-end pools might have PVC pipe and glued fittings that are stronger but are not a match for the freeze-thaw cycle. Pipes can freeze and burst if the pool is not winterized in any given winter. Regardless of the type of pool or piping used, plumbing repairs can be expensive. If pipes and fittings are starting to fail, it’s a good idea to redo all the plumbing at once to minimize downtime. Replacing the plumbing usually means a new pool deck too. A budget of $70,000 is common to restore an older pool with new utilities, plumbing, and a
  pool deck.

• Leaking Pool Light: Water and electricity don’t mix. If water leaks into the light fixture, it can come into contact with electrical components, creating a risk of electric shock, potentially even if the light is turned off. This is a common, often overlooked problem, and people die every year because of it.
• Leaking Pool Shell or Liner: This can be an issue for you and your property, and a major liability if the leaking water is making its way into your neighbor’s property. Colorado has expansive soils, so underground leaks may show no signs on the surface yet still damage foundations due to soil expansion. It’s also very possible for a basement to flood.
• Abandoned Pools and Volunteer Aquatic Plants and Wildlife: Ducks may land in the pool, bringing in noisy frogs and toads, and introducing algae. Mosquitoes can also breed in abandoned pools and be a vector for West Nile virus.
• Failed Pool Cover: Pool covers are expensive and custom-made for each pool. This often happens after a major snowstorm. Without a cover, you now have a safety hazard, and organic matter will build up in the pool.

• Tree Falling into the Pool: A large tree will crush fiberglass or liner pools like a matchstick.
• A regiment of maintaining the pool with too much pool chemicals
• Trespassing: Abandoned pools are magnets for kids and skateboarders, and you are liable if someone gets hurt on your property. It’s very common for kids to think it’s okay to ice skate in the winter on unsafe ice, leading to accidents.
  How Do You Know Your Pool Is Outdated?
• The Pool Takes Up the Entire Backyard: At one point, when resources were less expensive, people seemed to build the biggest pools they could. That is considered undesirable by today’s standards; most homeowners now emphasize having space for kids or dogs to play. If you have a pool, you need some space for kids to play.
• The Pool Is Too Deep and Doesn’t Have Enough Shallow End: Like the point above, there was a time when people were building pools as big and as deep as possible. If you watch kids, they are more interested in the shallow end and the stairs. After a 5-foot depth, the accidental drowning risk is substantially higher. Also, hydrostatic pressure from groundwater becomes a significant force at the 6–8 foot depth, which alone can be challenging and often causes groundwater to force its way in, bringing muddy water into the pool. How do you even use water that deep without scuba gear? These pools are expensive to run with today’s energy prices.
• The Pool Was Built Without Outdated Safety Requirements: Today, best practices include having an automatic pool cover, door alarms, cameras, and proper fencing. It can be costly to bring an outdated pool up to code. There are also safe distance requirements to have at least 4–6 feet of clear space all the way around the pool.
• The Pool Was Built With Outdated Materials and Methods: This is more than a visual issue. Today, asbestos testing is required for all renovation and demolition projects in Colorado. If you have an older pool, this can come up if you sell a house with a pool or with a pool that has been removed. There are also some pool building methods that are no longer acceptable, such as timber pool walls behind a liner or a pool built out of concrete CMU blocks.

The best way to analyze if a pool is worth it to you is to consider the cost per swim and if it is going to deter future buyers.
While chlorine is essential for sanitizing a pool and keeping it safe to swim in, “too much of a good thing” definitely applies here. Over-chlorination or consistently imbalanced water chemistry often goes hand-in-hand with too much chlorine. This can cause significant damage to different types of pools.
Here’s a breakdown of how excessive pool chemicals, particularly chlorine, can destroy a pool leading to the need for Pool Removal.

1. Vinyl Liner Pool Removal:

• Bleaching and Fading: This is one of the most common and visible signs of too much chlorine in a vinyl liner pool. High concentrations of chlorine can strip the color and print from the liner, leading to unsightly bleached spots or overall fading.
• Degradation of Material: Beyond just fading, excessive chlorine can chemically degrade the vinyl material itself. It can make the liner brittle, stiff, and less elastic, which increases the risk of tears, cracks, and leaks. This shortens the liner’s lifespan significantly.
• Wrinkling: In extreme cases, prolonged exposure to very high chlorine levels can cause the vinyl to absorb water and expand. Since the liner is custom-fit to the pool, this expansion can lead to widespread wrinkling on the floor and walls, which is not only unattractive but can also be a tripping hazard.
• Damage from Undissolved Chemicals: If granular or tablet chlorine is added directly to the pool without proper pre-dissolving or circulation, it can settle on the liner. This creates extremely high, localized concentrations of chlorine that can quickly bleach, etch, or even melt spots on the vinyl.

2. Fiberglass Pool Removal:

• Gel Coat Damage: Fiberglass pools are finished with a protective layer called a gel coat. High chlorine levels can cause this gel coat to degrade, leading to:
  o Discoloration and Fading: Similar to vinyl, the gel coat can lose its vibrant color and develop faded or patchy areas.
  o Surface Roughness: The smooth surface of the gel coat can become rough, dull, and chalky as it breaks down.
  o Blistering: In severe cases, high chemical concentrations can cause blistering on the gel coat surface.
• Reduced Structural Integrity (in extreme cases): While the gel coat is the primary victim, prolonged and severe over-chlorination, especially when combined with other chemical imbalances or stress, could potentially contribute to the overall degradation of the fiberglass laminate underneath, though this is less common than gel coat issues.

3. Gunite and Concrete Pool Removal (Plaster, Pebble Tec, Quartz Finishes):

• Etching and Pitting: The acidic nature that can result from very high chlorine levels (which often lowers pH) can literally “etch” or “eat away” at the plaster, pebble tec, or quartz
  surfaces. This creates a rough, pitted texture that is not only unpleasant to touch but also provides a perfect breeding ground for algae. • Discoloration and Staining: Excessive chlorine can lead to uneven fading or discoloration of the pool’s finish. It can also react with metals (like copper or iron) present in the water or plumbing, leading to unsightly stains on the pool surface.
• Weakening of the Plaster Bond: Over time, aggressive water chemistry can weaken the bond between the plaster and the gunite shell, leading to delamination or cracking.
• “Concrete Cancer” Acceleration: While “concrete cancer” (corrosion of steel rebar leading to spalling) is often due to moisture ingress, excessively acidic pool water from chemical imbalance could potentially accelerate this process if it seeps into compromised areas.

4. Pool Equipment (All Pool Types):

• Corrosion of Metal Components: Pumps, heaters, filters, salt chlorine generators, automatic pool cleaners, and even ladders and handrails contain metal parts. High chlorine levels, especially when combined with low pH (acidic water), are highly corrosive to these metals. This leads to rust, premature wear, and costly equipment failure.
• Damage to O-rings and Seals: Rubber and plastic components like O-rings and seals found in pumps, filters, and valves can degrade and become brittle from prolonged exposure to harsh chemicals, leading to leaks and loss of efficiency.
• Filter Media Damage: Certain filter media, especially DE (diatomaceous earth) grids or sand, can be affected by extreme chemical conditions, leading to less effective filtration.
  In summary, the key mechanisms by which too many pool chemicals destroy a pool are:
• Chemical Degradation: Directly breaking down the materials (vinyl, gelcoat, plaster) through chemical reactions.
• Corrosion: Rusting and eroding metal components.
• Imbalance leading to Secondary Damage: High chlorine often causes other chemical imbalances (like low pH), which then further accelerate damage.
• Localized Damage: Undissolved chemicals causing concentrated, severe damage in specific spots.
  Maintaining proper water balance is crucial. This includes not just chlorine, but also pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid (stabilizer). Regular testing and precise dosing of chemicals are the best ways to prevent these damaging effects and ensure your pool lasts as long as it’s designed to.

As can be seen there a multitude of issues that could mean that there is no other option than Pool Removal.