New to us pool with a terrible surprise

[fishwater]

So we bought a house in November with an inground pool that couldn’t be inspected or opened due to the weather & we finally got the cover off today to see what we bought. As expected there’s a problem, hopefully not a major one but a problem. The pool was filled with leaves as the pool store told us when we bought the pool, the previous owner’s didn’t care & had the pool company winterize it. So we started cleaning the leaves out & I decided to pop the plugs to test run the equipment. The water level was really high so the local pool store suggested that I vacuum pool with the filter set on waste so I could drop the level & get rid of some of the Baquacil water so I can later start to convert the pool.

Once the water level dropped we noticed a wall that looks pushed out from the ground behind it, we also saw the liner popped out in two separate areas. At first I thought that I did it by opening the pool & maybe there was a damaged pipe but it looks like there is wear on the liner where it is pushed out. I brought the pictures to the pool store & they were less concerned than I was. Maybe it’s not a real big deal but I have to say that I am not feeling so great about our “new” pool now. Maybe the previous owners knew it was like that & didn’t disclose it on the purchase agreement or maybe they didn’t know it but either way we are now the proud new owners with some possible expenses ahead of us, again not a good feeling.

 

[ajw22]

That is not a major problem. If that is your only pool problem then you are in decent shape.

Get the pool running, get the water clean, and then assess the overall condition of the liner.

Vinyl Liner-Out of Track A-B-Cs - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Liner Replacement - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Pool_Medic]

Boiling water and elbow grease fixes that in a jiffy. Get 100’ of liner retainer and put it in after.

 

[fishwater]

I’m really more concerned with the bulge in the sidewall, that scares me since I’d think it’s structural? Hopefully I’m wrong, i really hope that I’m wrong!

 

[JamesW]

Is the bulge just water behind the liner or is it the actual wall that is bowed out?

 

[fishwater]

Is the bulge just water behind the liner or is it the actual wall that is bowed out?

It's the wall, I can look behind the liner & see foam padding.

 

[JamesW]

So, it's definitely solid and it does not push in at all?

Is the wall galvanized steel or composite polymer?

Test with a magnet.

 

[fishwater]

So, it's definitely solid and it does not push in at all?

Is the wall galvanized steel or composite polymer?

Test with a magnet.

It's definitely solid, I haven't been in the pool yet obviously but from the top leaning into the pool it feels very solid. To clarify the liner is still connected at that spot, I used the other spot where the liner wasn't connected to look down the wall & see the foam padding, I'll see if I can test the wall in that spot. It's an older pool so I'd imagine that it's galvanized steel but who knows.

 

[JamesW]

Could it be dirt or sand behind the liner?

Usually, if the wall is pushed out like that, there will be some sort of crack in the wall.

 

[fishwater]

Could it be dirt or sand behind the liner?

Usually, if the wall is pushed out like that, there will be some sort of crack in the wall.

No idea, we just bought the house over the winter so I don't know if it was like this or not. Can't see or feel any crack in the wall but there's a 1/2 pad behind the liner probably against the wall.

 

[JamesW]

Maybe push on the bulge to see if it's soft like sand/dirt or really hard like plastic or steel.

Try a magnet on the bulge and away from the bulge.

If the magnet sticks away from the bulge, but not on the bulge, then the bulge is probably sand or dirt.

 

[JamesW]

 

[fishwater]

Maybe push on the bulge to see if it's soft like sand/dirt or really hard like plastic or steel.

Try a magnet on the bulge and away from the bulge.

If the magnet sticks away from the bulge, but not on the bulge, then the bulge is probably sand or dirt.

The magnet won’t stick anywhere but I think it’s because of the padding?

 

[JamesW]

Padding is usually pretty thin. So, a strong magnet should feel through the padding if the walls are steel.

The walls might be polymer composites.

Hard to tell for sure what's going on without actually looking behind the liner.

You might need to pump the water down about a foot or so and take a look to see what you can see.