unlevel pool, 6 inches off, lets not drain it!

[hugeymcbig]

I have a 14' round pool intex ultra frame that has a deep end, almost 6 inches deeper at its lowest point. When I put up the pool I knew the ground was slightly off level but thought it to be more like one or two inches, not as much as it was. Its been up for a few days and i'm not sure what to do about it. I really really really don't want to drain it, lets just say I have a problem with the principal of wasting the water.

However, I want to understand what my options are other than to drain it. I'm ok with the fact that the frame might get twisted out of shape and I won't be able to use it next year. I'm ok with the fact that it might look dumb. I just want to know if I can get away with it for the summer, or what I can possibly do to get away with it. I was thinking that my best bet would be to jack up the low side, slowly, and raise it by 2 to 3 inches. It'd still be a couple inches off but for some reason I think that'd be safe[r]. I've been reading the forums and jamison04 is my hero - Successfully jacked up an Intex/Summer Escapes pool. I know this is the place to ask as you guys have a ton of experience, but i didn't see many posts about pools actually collapsing or bursting. So, what do you think?

 

[Jamison04]

Well the only issue is that it runs the risk of collapsing at any time being that unlevel. I'm not really sure jacking it up would be the best idea either as you'd be putting a lot of stress on the top rail not to mentions the seams of the liner and the liner itself. In my case my pool was level last year and the pavers the legs sat on sank so by jacking it back up I was actually putting it back in the position it was in to start with. In your case you'd be raising up one side and the liner higher than the ground is under it to support it potentially causing it to blow out at the seam. You might be able to get away with an a couple of inches but I really wouldn't want to think about going any more than that.

 

[PhilGillis]

I have a 14' round pool intex ultra frame that has a deep end, almost 6 inches deeper at its lowest point. When I put up the pool I knew the ground was slightly off level but thought it to be more like one or two inches, not as much as it was. Its been up for a few days and i'm not sure what to do about it. I really really really don't want to drain it, lets just say I have a problem with the principal of wasting the water.

However, I want to understand what my options are other than to drain it. I'm ok with the fact that the frame might get twisted out of shape and I won't be able to use it next year. I'm ok with the fact that it might look dumb. I just want to know if I can get away with it for the summer, or what I can possibly do to get away with it. I was thinking that my best bet would be to jack up the low side, slowly, and raise it by 2 to 3 inches. It'd still be a couple inches off but for some reason I think that'd be safe[r]. I've been reading the forums and jamison04 is my hero - successfully-jacked-up-an-intex-summer-escapes-pool-t45938.html. I know this is the place to ask as you guys have a ton of experience, but i didn't see many posts about pools actually collapsing or bursting. So, what do you think?

A few inches isn't bad as things settle and not uncommon to wind up out on fresh prepared dirt. i can't help but think if it is 6 now, it's going to get worse. I don't like wasting water either as I am on well so I support your desire, I would say consider the usage of the pool. If kids are going to play, horseplay and waves could really be a safety hazard. If you are just gonna chill and float around, I may tend to leave it alone. With regards to jacking, I can't help but think I would only do it with multiple jacks doing it evenly across several legs at once and really spanning the horizontal bars to help spread load. Doing one leg, the metal could easily give and that wouldn't be a good scene. Despite posts, these things CAN collapse and I don't think it would take that much to do so. If you try jacking, maybe drain some of the water . it is a lot of weight and every little bit would help. From the mental visual, it really doesn't sound safe. Maybe easier to dig away the other legs then raise the low ones when full of water . . Have a lookout hump pics would help.

 

[hugeymcbig]

Cool. I knew this would be the place to ask, thank you.

As for who is in the pool, thats a good question. We have no kids, its just to hang out in, i don't see more than four adults, and they won't be doing cannonballs. Through my research I also came across this post, http://www.shadebuilder.com/unlevel-pool-danger.html, where he talks about making a larger pool than mine with a 5 inch slope manageable, but i'm not sure how much water he is talking about draining to get it down (it sounds like only a few inches). Just throwing that out there.

I also have had two other probably bad ideas:

1) Would it make any sense to add moisture to the soil on the high side, therefore helping it settle?
2) Would it make any sense to either anchor the high side by tying it to a large tree, or brace the low side with 2x4s as a buttress?



@Jamison04 - When you say -

You might be able to get away with an a couple of inches but I really wouldn't want to think about going any more than that.

Do you mean that I *might* be able to get with jacking up the low side 2 inches, thereby having a pool that is less off balance?


@PhilGillis - I like your idea about more equal sharing of the load and i'm thinking I might be able to do two jacks equally spaced around a post to not put too much pressure on the frame. Also, what are hump pics? A pic of the bulge in the pool?

 

[Jamison04]

Yes I was saying that you could probably get away with jacking up the low side several inches to make it more level. Going up the full 6" on the low side would probably cause more structural problems than being unlevel.

I also tend to lean towards the idea of lowering the high side some and raising the low side to counter the pressure on the frame and liner.

 

[PhilGillis]

Cool. I knew this would be the place to ask, thank you.

As for who is in the pool, thats a good question. We have no kids, its just to hang out in, i don't see more than four adults, and they won't be doing cannonballs. Through my research I also came across this post, http://www.shadebuilder.com/unlevel-pool-danger.html, where he talks about making a larger pool than mine with a 5 inch slope manageable, but i'm not sure how much water he is talking about draining to get it down (it sounds like only a few inches). Just throwing that out there.

I also have had two other probably bad ideas:

1) Would it make any sense to add moisture to the soil on the high side, therefore helping it settle?
2) Would it make any sense to either anchor the high side by tying it to a large tree, or brace the low side with 2x4s as a buttress?



@Jamison04 - When you say -

You might be able to get away with an a couple of inches but I really wouldn't want to think about going any more than that.

Do you mean that I *might* be able to get with jacking up the low side 2 inches, thereby having a pool that is less off balance?


@PhilGillis - I like your idea about more equal sharing of the load and i'm thinking I might be able to do two jacks equally spaced around a post to not put too much pressure on the frame. Also, what are hump pics? A pic of the bulge in the pool?

Yea I was saying if you dug down sinking the high legs a hump would form somewhere. With regards to pics . .that was just in general to "see" how bad it looks. Not hump pics as it came across.

On your other "bad" ideas . I don't think they sound that bad . .mighty creative. But really less work and potential to drain :-(

 

[cramar]

Good grief, fix it properly before someone gets hurt.

 

[JasonLion]

A 6" difference isn't safe.

 

[Jeffacdc85]

I had the same, exactly the same problem last week when I put mine up. Same pool and size and I was 6" off. Best advice. DRAIN THE POOL AND DO IT RIGHT!!! Water is cheap. You obviously have some money invested so why skimp out now? Because you dont want to fill it up again? Yeah it sucks but you will have the same amount or more time messing with jacking one side up. My pool is level now and I don't have to worry about the pool liner wall bursting or structural malfunctions. Plus your legs on the high side will sink in the ground overtime. JUST DO IT RIGHT! DRAIN IT RE-LEVEL AND REFILL.

 

[Casey]

Water bill vs hospital bills vs property damage...

I'd chose the water bill... thank you.

 

[Samantha Sabrina]

Your pool is 6" out of level and you are worried about having to fill it with water again?

What price do you put on your life, a child's life, anyone's life for that matter?

Do you have any neighbors or do you live out in the sticks where you can't do any damage to someone else's property?

I am sorry but....OK I will just bite my tongue at this point...

Just drain it and fix it properly.

 

[crek31]

You definitely need to get that taken care of correctly. If the waste of the water is a huge hangup, you could buy a cheap Intex easy set on craigslist and pump the water from your pool into that to hold it and then pump it back in yours when the site is properly leveled. That would save the water. You could then re-sell it the other pool on craigslist.

 

[Jamison04]

You definitely need to get that taken care of correctly. If the waste of the water is a huge hangup, you could buy a cheap Intex easy set on craigslist and pump the water from your pool into that to hold it and then pump it back in yours when the site is properly leveled. That would save the water. You could then re-sell it the other pool on craigslist.

That is a very good idea!

 

[NancyA74]

I'm having a similar problem but I don't think it's 6 inches. Looking at the metal beams though as the pool is settling the beans seem to have separated and I'm so nervous. Not sure how to post a pic or I would, so if I decide to drain it I know I have to take a hose out to the street but I don't see a drain anywhere on my street do I just let the water run out to the street ??