December 9, 2019

Digging Out the Old Swimming Pool

One of the items on our winter project list was to dig out the old swimming pool. We had no idea it was here when we bought the place. It was our next door neighbor who told us about it. He remembered swimming in it when he was a kid. It was filled in some years later and so overgrown that we really weren't sure where it was. I finally found it when I cleared back the overgrown brush behind the carport. That was almost ten years ago.

Photo from March 2010. It measures 11 feet by almost 24 feet.

We've pondered what to do about it from time to time. We definitely have no interest in using it for swimming. Dan's mentioned a cistern and we've also wondered if we could somehow convert it to a root cellar. But it was hard to make plans without knowing exactly what it looked like. And of course, there was no telling what kind of condition it's in. For that we'd have to dig it out, so Dan rented an excavator to do it.




The last of it was done by hand. Sam helped.


The shallow end is 3 feet, the deep end is 6 feet.


In the above photo, the board on the bottom marks the location of a possible wall for a root cellar. The slope would have to be dealt with, and it would need to be built up for a roof. The other question is what to do with the rest of the space.


Another option might be to use it as a cistern for rainwater. There are cracks in the walls so it would need to be lined, then need a cover and a pump.

We're still busy with the solar project, but at least we know what we're dealing with. Obviously, it can still hold some water, so we'll have to come up with a plan one of these days!

31 comments:

Michelle said...

Oh, so many possibilities!

Cockeyed Jo said...

On an old episode of Doomsday Preppers,a man turned his pool into a hydroponic garden in the shallow and raised tilapia in the deep end. I thought it was kind of a neat idea. An almost an endless supply of a protein and vegetables year around.

Leigh said...

Michelle, it's fun exploring ideas. Seems quite a few folks turn them into sunken outdoor dining areas. Not that we need that!

Jo, that's a resourceful idea. I take it he covered it somehow. We did consider using it as a foundation for a greenhouse, but there are a lot of trees there and we're only willing to take out so many if we can find an alternative location for that.

Ed said...

I'm not sure what I would do with that, especially with no drainage system. Perhaps you could put a roof over the entire thing and then bury it and age barrels of wine or whiskey in it.

Gorges Smythe said...

The dirt you took out would make good fill to bank against the walls you add for the cellar. I'd include the steps inside and have an air lock, but that's just me.

Leigh said...

Ed, lol. That's a creative idea. We'd just need to learn how to make wine and whiskey and acquire all the wood barrels for the job.

Gorges, you're right, the dirt would be very good for that. I've read most root cellars use 3-5 feet of dirt for walls and roof. Double doors for insulation too. We're discussing other options for a root cellar, though, before we make up our minds.

Goatldi said...

At the first stop Mendocino county after retirement for Geoffrey and leaving Fresno county we had a similar situation.

Our house was on 4.3 acres of land that was a part of of a larger farm and back in the day (1930’s or so) was the “pool house” for the farm house pool.

There was a behemoth vintage pump / filter under our kitchen deck and the owner before us bought it as a functional pool but choose to fill it in rather than update the needed equipment and use the pool.

Our shape was similar to yours but the cement walls were much thicker. When we bought the property the pool was a rose garden.

Much to my surprise about two years ago while entertaining myself with the Google Earth app I took an aerial tour of the property and I will be darned if the people we sold to had dug it out and restored it to a functional pool.

Me? I would have planted it with veggies. Good use of space idea wise for you. So many possibilities!

Mama Pea said...

I understand the desire for a root cellar, but I was always under the impression that a root cellar in your climate wouldn't be cold enough to store vegetables adequately. Ours naturally stays at about 52° for most of the year but that's not cold enough for the storage of most root crops and apples which need close to the mid-30s. We're still using our fan system to bring in colder outside air to bring it down to that temp. Once the winter continues and the cold seeps farther into the ground it will be no problem but right now (even in this first part of December) our cellar is still a little warm for optimum storage.

Kelly said...

When our swimming pool outlived its usefulness, we filled it in and gardened there. Now it hosts our solar panels. I look forward to seeing what you make of your new space. :)

Nancy In Boise said...

As said above, natural pond stocked with fish and edible pond plants!

Leigh said...

Goatldi, isn't Google Earth fun?

Since our property was neglected for so many years, it was pretty overgrown with all kinds of things. Probably too shady to grow much, except kudzu. Periodically, I'd put up the electric netting and let the goats graze the entire little area. :)

Mama Pea, that's a question with an unknown answer. I'm hoping a root cellar would be colder than the pantry, which is too warm for storing fruit and other things. I'm curious, do you have a cool air intake shaft?

Kelly, we thought about putting a greenhouse there, but it's too shady for that. Too shady for solar panels too, although I like that you were able to do that with yours.

Nancy, that's a possibility, but it will take some research before making a decision. We'd either need a lining or tanks, plus filtration. It's a shady spot, which would help it stay cooler in summer. No matter what, it's a space that needs to be properly filled!

Caroline J. Baines said...

Great find!

Lady Locust said...

I like the water cistern idea since you do experience drought. Will be curious to see what you conjure up:-)

Mama Pea said...

To answer your question, Leigh, we have a unit that is basically two fans: one pulls cold air into the root cellar and one blows warm air out. They can be operated separately.

Cockeyed Jo said...

Leigh, I know he did, but don't remember with what. I know what you're saying about the trees. Here too. I would want a wood or metal frame around mine. Not plastic. Maybe fiberglass panels.

Fiona said...

That sounds interesting

Fiona said...

I lean to a root cellar. Could the shallow depth be used as root crop storage. 3 foot deep with insulated covers?

Leigh said...

Caroline, thanks!

Lady Locust, a cistern is one of the ideas toward the top of the list. We're looking at alternative options for a root cellar.

Mama Pea, that's a good idea to have the fans operate separately. It's odd that your root cellar is as warm as it is. Dick Raymond talks about the one in his basement in Vermont. He seems to be able to keep consistently cold temps, but I'm guessing there are a lot of variables.

Jo, we debate a lot about our trees; which to take down and which to leave. Sunlight is important for so many things, but trees offer shade, which is also important for those of us who don't have air conditioning!

Fiona, from what we've read, most root cellars are dug into the ground and have 3 to 5 feet of soil to insulate. One of the considerations with the pool, is that it's directly under the clothesline and close to the back of the carport. Piling all that soil would mean changing some things. Not that they couldn't be done, but we'd really have to think things through.

The Wykeham Observer said...

It's hard to say from here in MN. I'm thinking water storage, but have doubts, because you are in a warm climate generally. It could be lined with heavy mil plastic, but would it encourage mosquitoes and maybe other pests? Maybe if it had a circulating pump, that problem could be diminished, and then have a 2nd pump to move the water out to the garden in dry times. I don't think you would want to have so much water (humidity) close to the house. But what the heck do I know? Use your instincts and it just might work out. Otherwise, if you could keep it dry with a pumping system, maybe a storm shelter? Phil

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Oh, how I would love a root cellar which could be used for a tornado shelter also. Nancy

Leigh said...

Phil, those are all good questions. They're the kind we have to ask ourselves every time we get an idea. I have found companies that make pool liners, so that's a possibility. And it would have to be well covered to prevent mosquitoes from accessing it. We have thought about either a solar or hand pump. But we haven't really sat down to work out specifics yet. Still rolling the ideas around. :)

Nancy, me too!

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

My vote is put a roof on it and make it into a cheese cellar.

Leigh said...

TB, !!! Now, that's an idea. Of course, I don't make enough cheese to fill it, so I'd have to get more goats. :) :) :) I like that idea!

wyomingheart said...

Hello Leigh! Great ideas for that pool space. I would always opt for water, which is why we choose the ridge property. We have three springs, and a well, but our wonderful pond will not hold water. Water is nearly always at the top of my want list. Is there some way that you could block off the deep end of the pool from the shallow end? Perhaps sisters the deep end and compost the shallow end... so many mind challenging opportunities! Thanks and terrific post!

wyomingheart said...

Dang that auto correct... cistern , not sisters...lol

Leigh said...

Wyomingheart, thanks! (I've often thought Blogger comments should have an edit feature. :) One of the ideas we discussed is to make a root cellar in the deep end. It would require a three-foot soil wall for insulation, then the rest of the space could be used for water storage, perhaps as totes, or with a reinforced pool liner. Dan, though, thinks like you. Water is important. So we've been tossing around other ideas for the root cellar.

How wonderful to have not one spring but three! Plus a well. We don't like being on city water, but in comparing property features, this was the one we chose. Odd your pond won't hold water. We've talked about digging a pond and perhaps using pigs to seal it. But I think our summers are too dry and not most years for a pond to hold water here.

Woolly Bits said...

I'd use it to build a half-buried greenhouse - which would retain warmth so much better than one on ground level...

Kristin said...

WOW! that's crazy but it looks to be in decent shape considering. I really like the idea of a root cellar so I can't wait to hear what you all come up with. Now to go catch up on the solar project!

Leigh said...

Bettina, we thought about that, except it's too shady plus the clothes line goes right over it. We could move the clothes line, but I'm not sure how many trees we're willing to cut down. Still, it's an idea.

Kristin, besides some small cracks in the walls, it is in amazingly good shape. We're still tossing around ideas, with root cellar being one of them.

Jessie - Rabid Little Hippy said...

Ooo I'd be looking at an aquaponics system if you can, with or without a greenhouse over the top. Fish for food, fish for cat food, fertile water for gardens and water loving crops too.

Leigh said...

Jessie, good to hear from you! That's something we'd have to look into. Dan's never seemed to be interested in raising fish, though I agree, there would be a lot of benefits to an aquaponics system.