IG Vermiculite pool floor cratering

[offtheclock]

Is this something I should be concerned about? Pool was finished Aug of last year and just starting noticing this area by stairs this summer. Is semi soft if pushing down with thumb around cratered edges but feels hard for most part after edges. This is a low traffic area and the only area in pool that looks like it. Did a die leak test around all seams in that area and did not find anything.

 

[Lanzz]

The experts can tell you a lot more - but I had spots like that in my pool before the liner change - they were caused by groundwater under the pool. (Not a leak, to the best of my knowledge...) They didn't bother anything, but they didn't look too nice when the light was on at night - I could not see them during the day. In my case, I have a well point with a sump pump to keep ground water away from the pool, but the previous owner of the house had not kept the sump pump in working order, so I do not know if that would have prevented the spots. My replacement liner is only about 3 months old, and I do not see the same spots yet, but I believe they would be caused by high ground water in the spring, so I will know more next year at this time. I wouldn't love seeing those spots in a 1 year old pool - hopefully, @jimmythegreek or one of our other experts has some words of wisdom.

 

[offtheclock]

More info: This is by the stairs and skimmer which is above grade, back filled with stone and has a retaining wall with drainage.

 

[offtheclock]

Friendly bump. Thanks for any insight.

 

[jimmythegreek]

What did they fill the stair cavities with?

 

[offtheclock]

What did they fill the stair cavities with?

Cement about 1/2 up the first step, then dirt up until top of second step. Then it slopes back towards final grade with a mix of dirt and stone. I remember it was filled so much that I could not push in anymore as I tried from reading about making sure it was back filled from this site.

Top step is hollow sounding and so is second step. Bottom step is solid.

Thinking the only way water could be washing out there would be from the retaining wall border drainage that’s runs around the perimeter of the wall as the stairs are above grade. Here is a pic showing the stair cavity bottom filled with cement before dirt was pushed in from dig then rest filled with stone.

 

[jimmythegreek]

I didn't notice the floor in front of stairs I assumed the issue was the stairs. Those pock marks happen over time due to settling and water washing done silt away under the liner. Can't do much til the liner gets swapped then you can fill and feather them in

 

[offtheclock]

I didn't notice the floor in front of stairs I assumed the issue was the stairs. Those pock marks happen over time due to settling and water washing done silt away under the liner. Can't do much til the liner gets swapped then you can fill and feather them in

Hey Jimmy. With the pool being just one year old do you think that is still normal. They seem to be getting worse yet we have had no rains for a while. I attached a new picture to show they have gotten worse and a couple new ones have shown up.

 

[offtheclock]

Also been battling a issue where heavy splashing gets water behind the liner as does rain water from a area of bad pitched deck. Because of this by both shallow and deep end skimmer the foam padding has wrinkled. Thinking about just going ahead and ordering a new liner and having everything fixed. Too many small problems driving me nuts. Not too mention the 1.25 delta in skimmer heights because wall in deep end was out of level.

 

[jimmythegreek]

That's horrible I didn't realize you were the one with the water issue as well. Did you get anything back from PB with all these issues? How did they manage to build a pool that far out of level?

 

[offtheclock]

That's horrible I didn't realize you were the one with the water issue as well. Did you get anything back from PB with all these issues? How did they manage to build a pool that far out of level?

I think it got out of level when they were building the retaining wall and a bobcat clipped the collar. I have been letting the PB know about these issues since last fall besides the out of level because I know that can’t be fixed and I have been kind of pushed to the side. I let the PB know about 1.5 weeks ago that the bottom, water behind liner issue and wrinkled foam issue needed to be addressed and she said she would get someone out to take a look. Pool is not even one year old yet.

Here is a pic from when they dug the footer for wall and you can see the collar. Also here is a pic of the rock accent I just added to try and hide it. Apparently I am the only one that notices it but it has removed my enjoyment of pool.m combined with other issues.