Pool Precautions and Basement Drainage
With spring here, that means summer is right around the corner, and the warmer weather that comes with the changing of the seasons means your pool is almost ready to be used! Before getting everything ready, though, make sure you’re aware of how that gigantic mass of water in your backyard can affect your foundation and basement.
New To Owning A Pool?
If this is the summer you’re planning on setting up a pool, be it above or below ground, check out your basement too! The state of your foundation and basement can help determine where you want to set up the pool, or which one to prioritize. Below-ground pools, if properly installed with the appropriate materials and no cracks, usually won’t be a problem, though make sure your installer knows what they’re doing.
Above-ground pools, though, are another story. Generally weaker and made with more fragile materials, leakage can occur a lot easier. When setting up the liner, make sure not to step on it and clear the spot of any roots, rocks, or debris that could cause damage. Pick a part of the yard that’s away from the foundation, and tamp it down, leveling it out. Lay down materials like sand to ensure the ground is safe, and then lay down a plastic sheet. Try not to use older, used above ground kits, which could have weaker walls that will fail.
Soggy Lawns Might Mean Soggy Basements
If you’ve ever used a pool (and really, who among us hasn’t?), you’ll know that pool water usually doesn’t stay where it’s supposed to. Water can be splashed over the sides, leak out, or the hose used to fill the pool can get away from you. The point is, a lot more water will be making it onto your lawn with a pool, and this means a lot more water beneath your lawn, water that can make its way down to the foundation and make it soggy.
This is why it’s important to pick an appropriate place that’s a distance from the foundation, and to make sure the ground slopes away from it.
Watch Where You Drain
As all good things do, pool season will eventually come to an end and many of us will have to drain the water before the colder weather sets in. When draining the water, make sure it’s going away from your foundation or any level ground on your lawn. This water can leach into the soil and make its way to the foundation, and if there are any cracks or weaknesses, it’ll become an unwanted guest in your basement. The best way to ensure that this doesn’t happen is to drain onto the street into the drain, but make sure you’re allowed to do this, that there aren’t harmful chemicals in the water, and that it doesn’t just drain onto a public sidewalk.
If you’re unsure and don’t quite know the state of your basement, make a foundation check one of your pool-opening steps this summer. It could potentially save you a costly repair bill in the future!