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View Full Version : Problems with swimming pools in San Antonio?


Vici
10-24-2011, 04:22 PM
I'm about to buy my first house and the ones I like have a swimming pool. I seem to remember pools having issues down here because of our soil. Do any of you pool owners have any insights on the upkeep or issues with having a pool?

Even if it's a problem I'd still buy the houses, I'd just use this info to help talk down the price.
bus driver
10-24-2011, 04:25 PM
i dont recall any problems other than the regular upkeep.
the laws may be different now (dont have a pool anymore so i dont keep up with it)
Vici
10-24-2011, 04:29 PM
i dont recall any problems other than the regular upkeep.
the laws may be different now (dont have a pool anymore so i dont keep up with it)

Good, I was hoping for that. I know our soil loves to move around which means cracks and such. If swimming pools aren't affected then awesome. I'm not going to want to deal with that later.
Drachen
10-24-2011, 05:07 PM
I think it depends on where you are at. My parents had a pool put in their backyard in 1999, and as soon as they dug about a foot and a half down, they hit solid rock. I assume that having most of the pool supported by solid rock would act as a good foundation to repel cracks.
DMC
10-24-2011, 05:57 PM
I'm about to buy my first house and the ones I like have a swimming pool. I seem to remember pools having issues down here because of our soil. Do any of you pool owners have any insights on the upkeep or issues with having a pool?

Even if it's a problem I'd still buy the houses, I'd just use this info to help talk down the price.
Just stay away from the cheapy plastic ones with the raised dinosaur prints from Walmart. The inflatables are ok though.
DisAsTerBot
10-25-2011, 08:58 AM
my mom's house in sa has a pool. I think she's dealt with at least 2 cracks. Huge pain in the ass. I will never own a home with a pool...
CosmicCowboy
10-26-2011, 08:50 AM
I built one at the ranch in July and it's been a LOT less trouble than I expected. Once I got the chemicals balanced and the chlorine injector timed right I basically don't have to do anything but add chlorine tabs every few weeks.
Drachen
10-26-2011, 10:11 AM
my mom's house in sa has a pool. I think she's dealt with at least 2 cracks. Huge pain in the ass. I will never own a home with a pool...

what area?
RandomGuy
10-26-2011, 10:45 AM
From what I seem to remember, house foundations and in-ground pools have to deal with settling dry soil during droughts.

This is from the Dallas FW area, about the clay soils in North Texas:
Swimming Pools, Decks Buckle Under Drought (http://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/stories/Swimming-Pools-Decks-Buckle-Under-Drought-129194518.html)

I would check the area to see if anyone nearby had problems. A quick drive around the area to see who else has pools and a polite inquiry into potential problems would probably be worthwhile, IMO.

Not sure if the SA area will have the same types of problem DFW has, but given the size of the investment and exposure to future costs, you can justify a bit of extra effort finding out.
CosmicCowboy
10-26-2011, 11:40 AM
It just depends what part of town you are in. There is a band of montmorrilonite clay that crosses San Antonio from NW to SE that is some bad shit as far as shrinking/swelling depending on moisture content.
CosmicCowboy
10-26-2011, 11:44 AM
http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/HomeHort/F1Column/2006%20Articles/Soil%20Map%20Bexar
Jose Canseco
10-26-2011, 02:42 PM
illegals. no where to poop.
DisAsTerBot
10-26-2011, 02:45 PM
what area?

1604/281
Drachen
10-26-2011, 02:46 PM
my parents live over there. They haven't had any issues
RandomGuy
10-26-2011, 03:42 PM
The Spurstalk knowledge bank strikes again. :lol
DisAsTerBot
10-26-2011, 04:02 PM
my parents live over there. They haven't had any issues

well, she's had foundation issues with the house as well and been there nearly 30 years so could be the sum of it all...
Drachen
10-26-2011, 04:23 PM
well, she's had foundation issues with the house as well and been there nearly 30 years so could be the sum of it all...

Well, that quarry used to be active across from encino park. Some houses got foundation issues (I would assume because of it). I remember being able to feel the blasts all the time during the summer. That house was built a little over 30 years ago too.