fiberglass pool crack

[nlindelldc]

My wife told me just the other day that there was a crack in our Viking Fiberglass pool. She noticed it while swimming. I didn't believe her, I had to jump in and see it for myself. Well, at least it's not leaking. That didn't last long. It's leaking like crazy now.

The most frustrating thing to me is that this is the whole reason why we went with Fiberglass in the first place is that soil in South Texas shifts. A LOT. Almost everyone here has foundation problems with cracking, etc. So why in the world would I build a gunite pool here? Concrete cracks. That's what it does. Like I said, especially here.

We thought Fiberglass would be more forgiving, flex a bit more,etc. Pool is only a year old.

Yes, warranty claim has been submitted, etc. but has anyone else have this problem? I thought Fiberglass was almost impervious to cracking and leaking barring severe circumstances (of which we have none, except for hot and dry, but it's like that here all of the time).

BTW, leak is on shallow end right in the corner between the floor and the wall

 

[YippeeSkippy]

oh darn. oh darn oh darn oh darn!

I wonder if it was less a problem with your soil but instead a weak point of backfilling under that corner?

 

[nlindelldc]

oh darn. oh darn oh darn oh darn!

I wonder if it was less a problem with your soil but instead a weak point of backfilling under that corner?

Yeah, I would bet money on this. The guys that installed our pool were absolute clowns who clearly did not know what they were doing. Was horrible to watch. And this is our second crack by the way. The first one happened due to flooding of the shell by a huge amount of rain before it was completely set.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

How did they fix that first one?

 

[nlindelldc]

How did they fix that first one?

Believe it or not, it was easy (ish) because the pool had half floated out of the hole. So they just moved it out of the hole completely and then repaired it from the inside and the outside. And then put it back in the hole and re-set it. The patch looks horrible, but it works so far

 

[Isaac-1]

Fiberglass pools are very sensitive to cracking if not installed properly

 

[nlindelldc]

Fiberglass pools are very sensitive to cracking if not installed properly

This is not good to hear ?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Some of our members (oh Danny, where are you....) have had problems with expansive soils. They have installed micro-irrigation systems to help even out changes in soil moisture and reduce the expansion/contraction of the soil...it may be worth looking into to avoid future cracking.

 

[pooldv]

Yes, indeed, expansive soils must have moisture levels maintained at all times. We have black clay soil and it expands a lot when wet and contracts like crazy when it dries out. Our pool has move and cracked a couple of times. One side moved up about 3/8" for a while. I got a micro-irrigation system from Lowes and a hose timer and run it 3 times a day for 10 to 30 minutes and it works like a charm.

 

[jpelizza]

Wow, I don't like hearing this, we have been considering fiberglass pool. Can u tell us how u like or dislike the pool outside of these cracks?

 

[Rick H]

Hi JPelizza, I am from Upstate NY as well, just north of Syracuse. We used Royal Fiberglass Pools from Tully NY. They did a great job on ours, and I really believe Jason knows how to properly install a fiberglass pool. We have had no issues with it at all, and its about 4 years old now. I have found that maintaining the pool is very easy, especially after I found this site! If you are considering a fiberglass pool, I would highly recommend them!

 

[Jason Hughes]

So sorry to hear you're having this issue. We've installed well over 1,000 fiberglass pools, many of which in expansive soils and have never had a pool fail resulting from shrink/swell soil conditions. Based on where the pool failed, it sounds like the it was not properly supported by the backfill material in that corner. Did they backfill with sand or with stone?

 

[nlindelldc]

So sorry to hear you're having this issue. We've installed well over 1,000 fiberglass pools, many of which in expansive soils and have never had a pool fail resulting from shrink/swell soil conditions. Based on where the pool failed, it sounds like the it was not properly supported by the backfill material in that corner. Did they backfill with sand or with stone?

Sorry, I had forgotten to report back. I suspect this crack was caused by an 11-year old jumping into the pool with a wooden skim board. None the less, Viking stepped up and covered it under warranty. Had to drain the pool and it was a whole ordeal, but you can hardly tell it ever happened.

As it turned out, the leak was in the plumbing as was found later by a leak detection service. It, too, has been repaired and we are now leak free and happy.

Pool was back-filled with sand, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed on it but the two leaks so far have both been (one on return line, one on suction line) where the flex hose met the hard elbows. Both have been replaced.

 

[Veccster]

Glad they got it fixed for you!

I'm not "in the industry" but thought sand backfill was not good for fiberglass pools??? Sand washes away and could leave you with a big hole. Not trying to scare you just something to note.

We were very close to installing a fiberglass pool. They are awesome for sure! Concrete was out of the question for us due to freeze/thaw but fiberglass would've been nice. We went vinyl instead due to the ability to customize.

 

[nlindelldc]

Glad they got it fixed for you!

I'm not "in the industry" but thought sand backfill was not good for fiberglass pools??? Sand washes away and could leave you with a big hole. Not trying to scare you just something to note.

We were very close to installing a fiberglass pool. They are awesome for sure! Concrete was out of the question for us due to freeze/thaw but fiberglass would've been nice. We went vinyl instead due to the ability to customize.

Yes, backfilling with sand is not a good idea. Of course I learned this AFTER my pool was installed. Not much I can do about it now

 

[swimcmp]

Sand is not a bad material if you make the right preparations to help it. Drainage around any pool is the biggest key. It also depends on the manufacturer recommendation for backfill material

 

[JessB412]

We have been pool researching/buying for over 3 months now and I'm so exhausted. We feel fiberglass is superior but can't seem to find an installer we trust and my gut is telling me install with any pool is EVERYTHING. The only trusted installer in our area only does vinyl pools so we may be forced that direction. Any regrets with the liner pool? I'm terrified of sinking $50k into a fiberglass and have it look terrible from cracking down the road AND the expense if company doesn't step up with warranty. Almost every fiberglass pool comes with a "lifetime" warranty but I hear horror stories of LOTS of unreturned phone calls

 

[JoyfulNoise]

We have been pool researching/buying for over 3 months now and I'm so exhausted. We feel fiberglass is superior but can't seem to find an installer we trust and my gut is telling me install with any pool is EVERYTHING. The only trusted installer in our area only does vinyl pools so we may be forced that direction. Any regrets with the liner pool? I'm terrified of sinking $50k into a fiberglass and have it look terrible from cracking down the road AND the expense if company doesn't step up with warranty. Almost every fiberglass pool comes with a "lifetime" warranty but I hear horror stories of LOTS of unreturned phone calls

There is no such thing as a “superior pool surface”. Fiberglass gel coats will fade and chalk over time. Vinyl liners will fade and can develop leaks and pin holes. Plaster surfaces can crack & discolor. There is no such thing as the perfect pool....the only thing that exists is the pool you build and maintain. TFP teaches people to maintain their own pools by taking a proactive and self-reliant approach to pool maintenance and care. The techniques taught here will give you the least amount of grief and the most amount of enjoyment out of the investment you make in your backyard water bowl. The very best way to go is to find the most reputable installer you can, one that provides good references and is well-established in the community, and then go from there. If you are proactive about your pool build and take the time to research how pools are built and what is and is not necessary pool equipment, then you will maximize your chances of having a great pool build and a trouble-free one to take care of.

Also, just a technical note - you shouldn’t really post to threads that are this old. If you have a question or just want to go through ideas, you are welcome to start your own thread either in the Build sub-forum (since you are likely building a pool) OR in the Coffee Bar subforum. If this is your first post, then post in the Introduce Yourself sub-forum and introduce yourself to everyone.

Welcome to TFP

 

[sktn77a]

I thought Fiberglass was almost impervious to cracking and leaking barring severe circumstances.

As a former whitewater kayaker, I can assure you fiberglass can and does crack and leak!!! (Not that you're going to float down the Colorado river in your pool! )

Fortunately the OP had a lifetime structural and finish warranty on their Viking pool, although this includes only defect in materials or workmanship (ie does not cover installation problems).

Sounds like he had a dealer who stood behind the install with the warranty.

 

[jatkinson]

We have been pool researching/buying for over 3 months now and I'm so exhausted. We feel fiberglass is superior but can't seem to find an installer we trust and my gut is telling me install with any pool is EVERYTHING. The only trusted installer in our area only does vinyl pools so we may be forced that direction. Any regrets with the liner pool? I'm terrified of sinking $50k into a fiberglass and have it look terrible from cracking down the road AND the expense if company doesn't step up with warranty. Almost every fiberglass pool comes with a "lifetime" warranty but I hear horror stories of LOTS of unreturned phone calls

I hear you on watching tens of thousands of dollars turn sour. If you have the wallet and stomach, look into stainless steel pools. You won't find much here on SS, but seeing you are in NC, Bradford pools is a SS pool and spa manufacturing company in your neck of the woods. Be sure you sit down before looking at the quote. https://www.bradfordproducts.com/ This is about as superior as you are going to find. Good luck!