I have a 1965 Hallmark pool. At least I have been told that is what it is called. It has a concrete bottom, and fiberglass walls. The walls also have joints in them, where it looks as though they layed the bottom, then brought the sides in as premade pieces and then put them together. It also has a safety ledge all the way around. Well it seems that parts of the pool have risen as much as 3 inches out of the ground. Some of the pipes were left behind.. My grandparents said it was already like that when they moved in. Is this typical of hallmark pools? I know that the previous owners had cemented down the release valve.. and I have been in the pool biz for about 7 years now, and cant figure out why someone could be that stupid after just having payed for an inground pool. But even after my grandfather removed the cement, I guess it still rose up a bit here and there. They never left it empty or anything. I guess that I am just wondering is there would be any other reason something like this would happen to a pool that had only been there for ten years.
Anyone familiar with hallmark pools?
- Thread starter Leslieslsa
- Start date
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Based on your description, I suspect that you have a Hybrid pool and that the builder was a company called Hallmark. There were a few manufacturers.
I doubt the pool rose up. Normally they settle down under the weight of the pool plus the water and not always evenly. 45 years is a long time. If you would create a photobucket album and a link to it so we can see, there are some people here that can offer suggestions as to how to remedy your situation.
Scott
I doubt the pool rose up. Normally they settle down under the weight of the pool plus the water and not always evenly. 45 years is a long time. If you would create a photobucket album and a link to it so we can see, there are some people here that can offer suggestions as to how to remedy your situation.
Scott
- Mar 8, 2010
- 17
I am absolutely sure that it came up out of the ground, in fact when it left the return behind, the pipe took some of the wall with it. It has been patched using a fiberglass boat patch. Here is a link, I will test it to make sure it leads to pics. http://s1042.photobucket.com/albums/b42 ... slsa/Pool/
These are all pictures of the edges of the pool. As you can see, the only areas where the sidewalk is not a few inches below the edge of the pool is where the pipes were underground; by the skimmer, and the return. They actually must have pushed the sidewalk up with the pool when it rose.
These are all pictures of the edges of the pool. As you can see, the only areas where the sidewalk is not a few inches below the edge of the pool is where the pipes were underground; by the skimmer, and the return. They actually must have pushed the sidewalk up with the pool when it rose.
I do believe PoolGuyNJ is correct. Because the bottom of all hybrids is concrete with a cage and rebar, they never lift evenly but, instead, one corner or occassionally one end wall and a portion of one side wall.
I have personally helped over 100 hybrid pool owners deal with various problems, particularly the walls, however I don't believe this problem is hybrid related. I am reasonably certain that that the problem is caused by ground water attacking the sub-striate of the concrete deck. Usually this damage is not around the entire pool, but is more directed to a specific side and possibly a side and corner of the pool.
Quite often, it is on the side closest to the home and is a result of excessive rain (or snow or both) coming off a roof, a broken gutter, or a downspout that should have been moved when the pool was installed. The damage to the deck sub-strate can also be caused by hilly terrain on one or two sides of the pool.
The higher terrain causes a gravitational flow of water downward and, combined with the normal hydro-static pressure underground, creates an excessive water condition when it reaches the swimming pool. One consequense of this is erosion of the deck substrate, causing the concrete to drop down below the top of the pool.
Either of these problems can be easily resolved and must be resolved before replacing the deck on the damaged side(s). I should also mention that I would be extremely careful when the pool is emptied for repair or refinishing. Concrete decking is this condition can only mean excessive amounts of water both beside and under the pool. It would be rare to have a problem with the concrete bottom if you emptied the pool under these circumstances, but the fiberglass walls (just like vinyl liner pool walls) could certainly be pushed inward if the interior water pressure is reduced or eliminated.
I recommend solving the water source problem first before contemplating any type of repair to the pool or deck. Good luck- Bill
I have personally helped over 100 hybrid pool owners deal with various problems, particularly the walls, however I don't believe this problem is hybrid related. I am reasonably certain that that the problem is caused by ground water attacking the sub-striate of the concrete deck. Usually this damage is not around the entire pool, but is more directed to a specific side and possibly a side and corner of the pool.
Quite often, it is on the side closest to the home and is a result of excessive rain (or snow or both) coming off a roof, a broken gutter, or a downspout that should have been moved when the pool was installed. The damage to the deck sub-strate can also be caused by hilly terrain on one or two sides of the pool.
The higher terrain causes a gravitational flow of water downward and, combined with the normal hydro-static pressure underground, creates an excessive water condition when it reaches the swimming pool. One consequense of this is erosion of the deck substrate, causing the concrete to drop down below the top of the pool.
Either of these problems can be easily resolved and must be resolved before replacing the deck on the damaged side(s). I should also mention that I would be extremely careful when the pool is emptied for repair or refinishing. Concrete decking is this condition can only mean excessive amounts of water both beside and under the pool. It would be rare to have a problem with the concrete bottom if you emptied the pool under these circumstances, but the fiberglass walls (just like vinyl liner pool walls) could certainly be pushed inward if the interior water pressure is reduced or eliminated.
I recommend solving the water source problem first before contemplating any type of repair to the pool or deck. Good luck- Bill
- Mar 8, 2010
- 17
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