I'm considering the purchase of a house built in the 50s that has seen better days. I can handle the house (same builder as my current one) but it has a pool. I know nothing about pools and I'm wondering if there is anything obvious I should be looking for when doing a more detailed inspection of the house. It looks like it may have been installed in the 60s. Or 70s. Maybe 50s. I can't tell!

There is a solar heating system on the roof that looks pretty rusty. We don't think that's a huge concern since the roof needs to be replaced anyway and we'd probably want to update it but maybe it's not that easy. And do these things ever leak? Do we need to check the attic below it and everywhere the pipes go extra carefully for water damage?

It seems to be a regular California style blob shaped pool, with a little tile near the top and concrete (plaster?) for the main part of the pool. It's clearly not been replastered recently but looks okay. The concrete walk around the pool is a bit cracked. The light in the pool is cracked.

Something near the filter had written on it "filter changed in '95".

So, what do I look for? I just don't want a disaster. If we get the place, we will probably modernize what we can with heating, filtering, that nifty salt water chlorine generator system, etc. Is it possible to update those things without ripping out everything?

Any suggestions are welcome! (Yep, we've already heard "run!") Thanks!

Troublefree Pools has an excellent pool school with a pictorial glossary .

Scott

Permit for the pool! I'll check that. Apparently the kitchen wasn't permitted and neither was the addition but I don't think the Realtor checked for the pool. So...uh...we might keep looking (but not because of the pool). But it's a nice lot and it's a cute pool so if the price is right...

An actual pool inspector seems like a darn good idea, as does the pool school tutorial. Thank you!