Newer Vinyl Pool Grout small cave in

[Tortuga353]

We had our pool finished in late summer and I was swimming last Saturday and scooping out a few leaves. We have a heat pump and have had a pretty warm fall in Alabama.

When I was cleaning up I noticed a dark spot on the slopped edge about 6-7’ down in the deep end. I was under water at the time when I noticed it. I went to clean it off and found it was a volleyball or basketball size divot. It doesn’t appear to have torn the liner and although the edges aren’t super smooth it is not overly concerning.

The pool builder has agreed to fix it and I asked for next year just due to the holidays and my schedule.

Questions:
1. Should I continue to maintain the pool or slowly let the FC drop and Salt content drop since it will be drained?
2. Pool builder said it looked like a small section of grout collapsed. What should my level of concern be?
3. Any additional checks I should make or monitor when they repair?
4. After repair go ahead and refill and start to stabilize again or wait until spring?
5. Delay repair as long as possible to see if any other spots manifest as long as Vinyl is not at risk?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

-Your free chlorine needs will drop as the temps drop. Chlorine will last longer in the pool. Don't let it go green, ugh. You won't want to look at that until its fixed.
-I agree that fixing it in the spring may be better, but let me page @jimmythegreek in to this dilemma as he knows the best answer for fixing timeline.

Maddie

 

[Tortuga353]

Ok great. I figured I’d just keep up maintenance because it is easier and if a warm winter day comes up I may still swim. Thanks for the help!

 

[Newdude]

Hey Tortuga !! That’s awesome that your PB was willing to fix it. Many aren’t and my contract had a clause that specifically mentioned them doing everything they could to avoid the unavoidable, but if divots happened they weren’t responsible. I had a very similar one appear about a year later from something caving in under the liner. It could have been something like a root that decayed or a small air pocket under the slope. It never got worse and it was just became part of the pool. The kicker was it looked exactly like a sideways footprint like somebody would have had to walk up the slope when it was just sand. Even though it took a year to appear, once my brain saw it as a footprint, it was a footprint. Lol.

Hang tight, Jimmy is a whiz with this stuff.

 

[Tortuga353]

Yeah I wasn’t sure because the contract language is legal jargon, but they said they fix it. I was actually anticipating they say that happens and we recommend repairing when you change the liner.

I think they feel like they owe me since I caught them in that they installed a single speed vs VSP pump per the contract.

Also, my neighborhood is growing and I believe they’d prefer good feedback although they have no issue with being busy.

 

[Newdude]

Also, my neighborhood is growing and I believe they’d prefer good feedback although they have no issue with being busy

......... why ever it works out in your favor...... woohoo !!!!

 

[jimmythegreek]

I'd wait til next year. It will be warmer and a better job done on the repair. And it gives more time for it to get worst if that's gonna happen. You never know what's under there