As Houstonians, we all know the extreme heat we must endure on scorching summer days. Hence, owning a pool is a dream come true for anyone living in the Greater Houston area. But before you buy a new house with a pool installed or start digging up your yard to have one put in, it’s important to understand the impact that a pool can have on your home and its foundation.
To begin with, pool circulation systems, which typically include pumps, skimmers, suction lines, filters, return lines, and drains, are vital to keeping a pool clean. Without these components, water would become stagnant, meaning bacteria could start to grow. The biggest problem posed by pool circulation systems is that they’re prone to leaking. If a pool leak isn’t identified and addressed soon after it has occurred, it could have disastrous consequences for your home’s foundation. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself from unexpected leaks down the road and prevent a foundation repair in the future.
How Pool Leaks Happen
A pool leak can happen at any time, but most leaks do not occur at the pool itself. Instead, the majority of leaks occur at the pump or somewhere along the circulation system. Something as small as a pinhole leak in a worn hose could quickly escalate to a deluge if your pump is not shut off quickly. The problem is that, depending on the location of your pump and hoses, an unexpected leak could be pushing water directly into your home’s foundation.
Identifying Underground Pool Leaks
Since you probably won’t be able to spot an underground water leak right away, you need to have a system in place for inspecting your pump and circulation system regularly. However, some of your pipes will likely be inaccessible, so you can’t rely on a visual inspection alone. You should also be monitoring the water level in your pool and your monthly water bill to spot any spikes in water usage that might indicate a leak. Finally, walking through your yard is another precaution you can take. In an area where there is an underground water leak, you may start to see rapid growth of grass and weeds, and as the leak accelerates, the plants will drown and die off. In their place, you will discover mushy, soft spots where the soil has become saturated.
Checking Your Foundation For Damage
If you have spotted signs of a pool leak in your yard, it is imperative that you start an inspection on your home’s foundation right away. Water that is being pumped from a pool can infiltrate your foundation in no time. Since the water is pressurized and continuous, it could wash away large amounts of dirt and soil from around and under your foundation, creating weak spots. Furthermore, it could seep through cracks, making them larger and causing internal flooding of the home. Once this type of damage has occurred, foundation repair can be extremely costly. Depending on the underlying cause of the problem and the type of insurance coverage you have, your homeowners’ insurance policy may not even cover the repair cost.
Protecting Your Home From Pool Damage
The best thing you can do to prevent this type of damage and the costs associated with it is to make sure that your home is properly protected against leaks if they ever occur. As well, you can identify leaks before they turn into major problems by simply inspecting your pool and equipment regularly. Furthermore, watering your lawn properly during the summer will keep more of the supporting soil in place when a leak does happen. That will reduce the severity of any potential damage. You may also want to waterproof your pool with a penetrating or film-forming sealer on a regular basis. This will prevent water infiltration and even cracking along with the seepage that could result from small leaks. Another good idea would be to talk with your pool builder about the installation of a proper drainage system around the pool, such as a French drain or any other system that will be able to direct water away from your house in the event of a leak.
Unfortunately, pool pumps and circulation systems do pose some risks to any home’s foundation. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your dreams of having a perfect pool to cool off in on hot days. Instead, make sure that you stay on top of maintenance. An important part of maintenance is having your home’s foundation inspected by professionals on a regular basis. You can contact us today to have your foundation inspected for free. If our professionals identify any foundation problems that need to be addressed, we’ll be more than glad to offer you a free estimate for the repairs required.
n happen at any time, but most pool leaks do not occur at the pool itself. Instead, the majority of leaks occur at the pump or somewhere in the circulation system hoses. Something as small as a pinhole leak in a worn hose can quickly escalate to a deluge if your pump is not shut off quickly. The problem is that depending on the location of your pump and hoses, it could be pushing water directly into your home’s foundation.
Identifying Leaks
Since you probably won’t be able to spot a leak right away, you need to have a system in place for inspecting your pump and circulation system regularly. However, some of your hoses will likely be inaccessible, so you can’t rely on a visual inspection alone. You should also be monitoring the water level in your pool and your monthly water bill to spot any spikes in water usage that might indicate a leak. Finally, walking through your yard is another precaution you can take. In an area where there is a water leak, you may start to see rapid growth of grass and weeds, and as the leak accelerates, the plants will drown and die off. In their place, you will discover mushy, soft spots where the soil has become saturated.
Checking Your Foundation
If you have spotted signs of a pool pump leak in your yard, it is imperative that you start an inspection on your home’s foundation right away. Water that is being pumped from a pool can infiltrate your foundation in no time. Since the water is pressurized and continuous, it can wash away large amounts of dirt and soil from around your foundation, creating weak spots. Furthermore, it can seep through cracks, making them larger and causing internal flooding of the home. Once this damage has occurred, foundation repair can be extremely costly, and they may not be covered by your home’s insurance depending on the cause and the coverage you have.
Protecting Your Home
The best thing you can do is make sure that your home is properly protected against leaks when they do occur. By inspecting your pool and equipment regularly, you can identify leaks before they turn into major problems. Furthermore, keeping your lawn properly watered during the summer will reduce the severity of damage when a leak does happen by keeping more of the supporting soil in place. You may also want to have your foundation treated inside and out with a water-resistant barrier. This will prevent cracking and seepage from small leaks. You should also talk to your pool designer about proper drainage around the pool pump, such as a gravel bed or other medium that will be able to direct water away from your house in the event of a leak.
As you can see, pool pumps and circulation systems do pose risks to any home’s foundation, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up your dreams of a perfect pool. Instead, make sure that you stay on top of maintenance and contact us today to have your foundation repaired, inspected, or treated against future damage.
