Now what!? Fixed the holes, pool collapsed!

[newbie2pools]

Frustration doesn't even cut it at this point! The backstory is: We moved into a house last year with an ABG pool surrounded by a nice deck. SO happy. With the help of you guys, I figured out how not to get raped by the pool stores trying to get it clean and had much fun last summer. (Okay, after much trouble with our pump, but I think that's all good now.)

So this winter I pull a real dumby, don't do adequate research and emptied the pool thinking I was supposed to. A huge storm comes through, a piece of lawn furniture goes into the pool and puts three large holes in it. Again with your help, I found some boxer glue, got a box of vinyl samples from a nice gentleman at a different pool store and fixed it all up this weekend. Was quite proud of myself and ready to get things going again on the pool.

I started the water in it yesterday afternoon, got in it several times, the vinyl all looked fine, no excessive pulling, wrinkles, etc. It was nearly half full when we went to bed then a couple of hours later husband and I wake up thinking it was thundering. It's not. It's the sides of my pool collapsing. The metal and everything! in 3/4 of the pool, the whole side (with the vinyl still attached in most of the places) is bent over from where the water stops, up. Even the drain thing that leads to the pump is folded over with the wall. So now I have a deck with a large hole in the middle and a pool I have no idea what to do with.

I started to say 'help', but, wow, is there any?! Particularly with us being new(er) to the area, no family and not knowing that many people, all of these projects end up being a two-person job! (Like putting in hardwoods this weekend - ouch I'm so sore!)

What now guys?????

[sevver]

I am no expert, but I would imagine that if you can get to the bottom of the pool from under the deck, with some persistance, and help, you could probably put a new one in there without pulling the deck down.

[newbie2pools]

Here are pictures:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...DSC02258-1.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...DSC02257-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...DSC02256-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...DSC02255-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...1/DSC02257.jpg


Will the whole pool need replaced?

[scsteven]

I feel so bad for you. Seeing your pics just made my stomach turn!! Good luck to you.

[iwannapool]

Is this the effect of having drained the pool or is it what happens when the pool is not designed or manufactured correctly? Is the pool very old?

Just wondering.

[GraceByDesign]

It is the water pressure that keeps the sides of an AGP from collapsing, under normal circumstances. Why it waited until you were refilling to collapse is beyond me... perhaps some things became loose or detached over the winter due to being empty, and gave way with the added weight of the water?? Or the liner shrunk/got brittle over the winter and pulled the walls in instead of stretching to meet them...

I would think the problem lies with the emptiness of the pool, rather than its age.

I don't really have a clue, seeing as I don't even have a pool yet!! So sorry, though. I cannot imagine how you feel.