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.

[sevver]

I am going to have to say that the liner shrunk and with filling it it pulled the sides in. It happened to me only I caught it as it was doing it on my first pool install here. All I had to do was let some liner loose and I was able to save it.

[badutahboy]

I am going to have to say that the liner shrunk and with filling it it pulled the sides in. It happened to me only I caught it as it was doing it on my first pool install here. All I had to do was let some liner loose and I was able to save it.

I figured that too.... looking at the way those walls collapsed, they were most certainly pulled down.

so that presents an interesting question... Is there a method that you should use when filling your pool to avoid this? Obviously you can't watch it every second, so is there something you should do with the liner to make sure you have the proper amount of slack in it, particularly with overlap liners? Also, is this something that you've got any chance of having covered by warranty?


Edit: Newbie, I'm really sorry about your pool. That's terrible.

[sevver]

I did not put the top rails and such on mine until it was like 3/4 full if I remember correctly. It wasn't that I had it perfect right off of the get go, I did that last. I put it in, removed most of the wrinkles, and began to fill it. As it came up to the jet opening I cut it in, then I put the top stuff on, then cut in the skimmer once the water was coming up to it.

The thing is, the liner in the collapsed one shrunk and dried smaller.

[hrsdennis]

Hey newbie, Since normally, once the water is a foot or so up the wall you are safe and out of any danger, before I go into a big long thing about what might have happened and how to fix it I have one question.

From your pics I did not see any signs of metal retaining rods. I enlarged them all and looked closely. Are they still under the top rail or does your pool not have them? They should have kept the wall from pulling out of the upright top plates.

Your photos have made a mess of my evening. I would give anything to have just one day where I could fly to your town and help you put this pool back together. I see pool disasters on a regular basis but not being there to help makes my heart bleed.

Start by locating the metal rods that hold the coping in place and we can go from there. It is all fixable, just not an easy thing.

Later, Dennis