Fiberglass Nightmare--Is there a solution?

[lhayes1976]

We've had our Viking pool for 4 years. In third year we noticed a bulge on the floor bottom. This spring, there was a crack that was causing a leak. Viking sent people out and they repaired it. This year when we went to close, we dropped out water level to air out lines, plugged them and brought the water level back up. When we first bought the pool--we left the water below the jets. The guys who repaired the pool said they now recommend that you bring the water level back up. Anyway long story short--we noticed that the pool seem to be leaking before we put the water on--yes another crack that wasn't there when we went to close pool. I call our pool company, told them what happened. He tell me that Viking now tells customers to not drop water ever--to air lines out but chasing the water as you air out lines.

Last week Viking people came out again and fixed the new crack. Told us to wait until next day to fill pool. Well it started raining yesterday--we started to fill as soon as it started. We have sort of a drywell with piping with a sump pump in it, we run it during the wet months (November to May). That was running and the pool was filling at the same time. Well this morning when I went to check the pool--scoop out leaves to get ready to put cover on-- another blasted crack--this one looks like it cracked where the original repair was.
A little background--I'm sure the pool was built over a water table. I have several gardens in the yard, and I've always noticed that sometimes in the dry weather, that I can dig in some places and water will fill the hole. I have a feeling that even though we keep the sump pump running that pool in under constant stress from water pressure. When they were installing the pool, my husband said at the deep end when the installed stood on the ground it look like our old waterbed from the 70's. Telling my age there.
Of course hindsight is 20/20, but they contractor or even we should have stopped the installation and not put a fiberglass pool there.

Right now, I am literally sick to my stomach. I'm sure at one point Viking going to give us the boot and refuse to fix the pool yet again. We have done everything we have been told to do by Viking to keep this from happening. Even if they do come and fix it--seems like it's something that will continue to happen. So back to my original question--is there a solution. I cried this morning when I saw that crack--I'm fearful that we may have to just fill the hole and suffer a huge financial loss. I love my little pool--but it have been a tremendous source of stress. Can something be done. What a nightmare.

 

[dmanb2b]

Are the crack repairs visible? Perhaps you could pursue further warranty remedy similar to a lemon law type claim to have the pool shell removed and re-installed? If needed, even legal advice may be money well spent.

Sorry to hear of your troubles

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

4 years is waaaay to short for this kind of trouble. I would first approach Viking again and tell them how upset this is making you and how you used to rave about the brand and your little jewel but now you feel you can't due to the constant problems.

Could the ground under the shell have shifted? If you constantly have to run the sump I suspect that dirt has been washing away and you have less support in key places than you did originally. If that is the case your pool may not be supported uniformly and fiberglass can flex under stress which can lead to cracks. Proper support under the shell prevents the shell from flexing too much. Draining and refilling would add to these problems as the weight of the water in the shell would change allowing the shell's elasticity to exert and flex up away from a low spot as the weight of the water lessened.

If this is the case - the installer may be the root cause. The very watery ground you built on may have needed significant remediation before it was suitable for fiberglass - above and beyond a sump pump.

 

[happyheathen]

Is the area sandy?

That would seriously contra-indicate a plastic shell - esp if there is active water motion - it would almost certainly have washed out the sand from under the pool.
I haven't been to Lu'ville (however you folks pronounce it) in over 30 years, but I would not buy a franchise to install fiberglass pools on the bank of the Ohio river - you may well have a nightmare of a waterline.

Bend over backwards to give the dealer and Viking the opportunity to fix it.

And document every last word spoken and document exchanged.

Sadly, you may well end up with a lawyer as your "pool boy".

If the dealer is the one who told you to install a sump pump, that establishes that he did or should have known of the water level problem at your yard.

If they knew there would be a 10' annual variation in ground water level, that points a rather (we can't use the term here, but it refers to assignment of one's soul (according to several Christian denominations) finger at them.

There is probably a fix for nearly everything - but the costs of removing the pool, driving pilings to bedrock, tying the pilings together and casting a slab on top just might exceed the value of the pool.

Did anyone do a core sample to find either bedrock and/or water level? That has got to be some of the most surveyed real-estate on the Ohio River - bedrock and water tables should be well known by now.

My sympathies and best wishes