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We had a gunite pool completed about this time last year 2010. Within 3 months the pool was cracked and is currently about 2 inches out of level length wise and 3/4 in width wise. The pool is 16x32. The soil is clay and is considered expansive. This has caused pipes to break. Has anyone had experience with this problem. Suggestions on possible solutions to stabilize the pool and maybe to bring it near level would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Hello 1stgear, and welcome to the forum!!
Just wanted to let you know that your post has been read...unfortunately, I can't answer your question, but there are several around the forum that can and would be happy to. Keep in mind that the traffic slows WAY down this time of year, especially this close to Christmas, so it may take several days for people to pop in and check, but don't give up on us!
1stgear;
I'm guessing you're in Texas, or thereabouts? If you used a local contractor, the problem you encountered should have been one he was prepared to deal with. The fact that he wasn't is something to be concerned about. In areas with expansive soils, this is a well known problem, and one competent contractors are adept at avoiding.
Fixing a pool, once it's heaved or lifted is not a minor task. Doing so well is likely to take better skills than would have been needed to avoid the problem in the first place.
I'm not sure what to tell you -- it's not the sort of thing that can be well addressed with a few paragraphs of advice on a forum.
Did you use a pool contractor to build the pool? If so, why isn't he involved on a warranty basis?
PoolDoc,
I live in Baton Rouge Louisiana. In this state the courts have decided that contractor are not liable for soil movement. The reason I am going to fix this (or attempt to fix this) is exactly what you stated. It take more skill to fix a problem than not to have created it in the first place. So I know my contractor's limitations.
My plan is to plug of the return lines to the pool. I did this several weeks ago. This was the source of water getting around the shell. I will chart the pools movement over the next several months as the soils drys. Once any movement has ceased my plan was to drain the pool and excavate about 2 feet around the shell. I will then replace the clay soil with structural fill material. If there are any issues with this plan please let me know. I have no experience with this problem so I welcome advice.
I posted a reply yesterday but it did not make it. I am new to this so I am probably doing something wrong.
Thanks
1stGear
OK. I think I understand.
But . . . you may still need to look locally for information. For obvious reasons, the skills to avoid (and fix) such problems aren't developed in the parts of the country which do NOT have expansive soil.
And, because this forum rejects a lot of the pool industries conventional wisdom about chemistry, it's not too popular with all the pool builders who sell pool chemicals via those standard recommendations. Unfortunately, most of the pool guys who do register, do so in order to shill some product they have, so they get banned.
We do have a few guys who are in the biz. I am, as are Waste and Waterbear.
But, my point is, that you may not be able to get the help you need here. You might want to try PoolSpaForum, which at least tolerates conventional pool chemistry recommendations, and is thus much more 'industry-friendly'.
Of course, I'd recommend that once you get your pool ready to run, you come back here in order to learn how to do so.
Good luck,