New Install off level

Liner issues and problems installing or
maintaining above ground swimming pools.
Weet Pee
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New Install off level

Postby Weet Pee » Tue 05 Jun, 2007 08:34

We just installed an above ground pool. It is a wood tongue and groove structure with (2) 1/16" thick stainless steel straps around the base (like a half whiskey barrel). We filled the pool yesterday and since then it has settled just over 1" off level. I am concerned about it collapsing since everything I read says "must be level". I have two small children. Will it be okay? and what really is the tolerance?


Backglass
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Postby Backglass » Tue 05 Jun, 2007 09:42

Is this a homemade pool?
Weet Pee
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Postby Weet Pee » Wed 06 Jun, 2007 16:01

No We purchased it from costco, it is a pool kit.
Backglass
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Postby Backglass » Wed 06 Jun, 2007 20:30

I don't think being 1-inch off level will cause the pool to collapse, assuming you followed all the other instructions.
Weet Pee
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Postby Weet Pee » Thu 07 Jun, 2007 20:58

okay what about 1 1/2"? It settled another 1/2" by the second day, and has not moved now since Wednesday. What is the tolerance and are different structures more stable than others? Our wall thickness is about 1" as opposed to an aluminum or metal pool wall thickness? and does the law of physics to these round pool designs change with struture design?
HydroForce2007

New Install

Postby HydroForce2007 » Tue 12 Jun, 2007 22:19

Our yard is dippy, bumpy, grassy, with a slight downhill slope. We're trying to install a new HydroForce Fast Set Round Pool, 18' x 48". We've turned off the hose as the West-side has 8" of water, the East-side 4". I've been trying to get the water to run to the other side with layers of carpet under the low side, but the West-wall started to buckle. I guess we have to drain it and start over (it looked level until we started filling it with water). Should we use grassy pieces of sod to build up the West-slope or dig down into the dirt on the East-side? The water truck guy said it looks pretty level and would bounce into position once it's full, 5,500 gallons. I don't think so. He also said he just filled a leaning pool and when it hit the 7,000 gallon level, it collapsed. Please help, our 9 year old grandson is standing by with his goggles on and we're one day past his birthday already.
trapper

hydro force pool

Postby trapper » Thu 14 Jun, 2007 12:58

Folks the ground MUST be completely level or the pool will collapse may be not right away but trust me it will collapse. All round pools are constructed on a even level outward pressure to all sides as it fills, if one side gets 4" of water more the pressure will be alot more to that side.
Yes just level it with the sod from the high side. If the ground is hard to work with a sod cutter can be used to loosen it up or you can even bring in some topsoil and pack it. Hope this helps.
Weet Pee
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Postby Weet Pee » Thu 14 Jun, 2007 19:53

I understand that a fast set pool (water filled makes the sides go up) would collapse if the water level is off. But what about a hard sided pool, I know there is a tolerance. I just don't know what? Our walls are level all the way around, but the water looks and measures from the top rail to the water off level by 1 1/2" from one side to the other. We just can't figure it out. We are thinking of leaving it for the year and seeing what happens over the winter. If next year looks same or worse we may take it down then. We are a bit sick and tired of this pool at this point.
HydroForce2007

New Pool

Postby HydroForce2007 » Fri 15 Jun, 2007 16:04

Thank you, trapper. We've been putting sod under the West and softened the East with water (under the pool). As the West crept over the sod, the water slowly moved to the East. The water guy wanted to fill it, but I stopped him when the water level reached 2'4" - West, 2'4" - North, 2'2" - East and Yikes! 2'6" - South, especially when he asked if the pool was oval (because that's the shape it was taking).

Now we're waiting (hoping) the pool will level, but the oval shape is really bugging me. On the West and East the water is right on the inside bottom seam and the sides bulge out appropriately. On the South and North, the water has moved out the bottom of the pool 2 feet back, past the bottom seam and the walls stand 2 feet straight up. (It's a 4' high pool). The water measurement inside the pool, in the middle and all the way around is pretty level, 2'4". As the West is still creeping out, we keep adding sod (The liner has covered about 3' of extra sod already).

Is it safe to swim in the pool if we don't add any more water? Could it still collapse at this level? It's supposed to be 4' deep or 80% capacity, 3'2".

Next season, we're going to use sod and styrofoam insulation and level it first.
NWMNMom

level

Postby NWMNMom » Sun 17 Jun, 2007 17:29

All pools must be level. 1/2-1" off is pretty much your limit to be sure everything is going to stay level and not cause any damage. Are you in areas where there is frost or clay? If so, you could have problems. I would say you really need level to within 1/4-3/4". Ground prep is the most important part of installing. I would be concerned if my pool was dropping 1/2" or more in a day or so. Did someone install this for you? (the wooden pool kit) If so, they need to fix it. If you installed it yourself, please watch closely - Level and compact are keys.
Weet Pee
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Postby Weet Pee » Mon 18 Jun, 2007 12:45

We installed it ourselves, my husband did everything right in the install except it seems getting the property completely level. The circumference was level all the way around where he placed the blocks, he used a 6 foot carpenters level to verify, but when the water went in it wasn't completely level from front to back. We thought it was visual, so we filled it to the top, over the day and half the water looked more off level (most likely was, we just couldn't see it at first for the pool liner/ thought is was the liner). We have verified now (two weeks later) that the water is off level 1 1/2". We live in Canada where our property does get frost and is solid clay, we are however going to leave it for the season over the winter, if it is still off or worse we will fix in the spring. I guess we should have used a different kind of level verification method. We are learning lots of things about pools. Would post a photo but can't figure out how.
HydroForce2007

Postby HydroForce2007 » Mon 18 Jun, 2007 12:51

Thank you, NWMNMom.

So far, so good, I think. We set the pool down in the most level spot in our yard and have installed it ourselves....yikes!!! We're still laying sod under low spots....gradient?...slope?

This a.m. we had a major rainfall, so we took the solar cover off. The water in the pool went from 2'2"-2'4" deep to 2'8" all the way around, North, East, South, West. The water from the water truck was slightly yellow a couple of days ago, but since it rained, it's perfectly clear.

I don't think we will have a frost until October, unless you're speaking of permafrost, which we don't have here, but we do have some clay.

We don't want any more water so we should put the solar cover back on.

My husband was fretting (me, too, but silently) about the mess (danger?) it could cause if it doesn't work (collapses?) and also when we wrap it up in the fall...it's like a big, blue mushroom that just keeps growing on the lawn. I said maybe we can make a cement pad there in the fall (he has a cement mixer), coming straight out from the deck and he brightened.

Then next spring, we can place the pool directly on the cement pad???
HydroForce2007

Postby HydroForce2007 » Mon 18 Jun, 2007 12:53

Oops, sorry. :oops:

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