digiweb Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 I need to make an important decision by tomorrow morning and I really need help! We bought an Esther Williams Millenium 18x33 pool. These are rated to go in ground up to a couple of feet. Our installer thinks we can bury it all the way and believes it will be safe even if we have to drain the pool to replace the liner. But we are of course giving up any warranty. The walls on these pools are really very strong. All of the issues surrounding burying an above ground pool confuse the issue. These pools are already half way in the ground so corrosion and repair access are just as difficult a few feet in as all the way in the ground. We really want to go for it because the 2'4" high decking around a 33' pool is expensive as anything! We wouldn't need a walkway around 3 of the sides, we could maintain it while standing at ground level. And the decking could now be concrete, pavers, anything we wanted. It's a big risk, are we being silly to think we can bury one of these farther than advised? thank you for any assistance!! http://www.estherwilliamspools.com/ewsemi-...d-millenium.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTGallop Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 I think that largely depends on your soil type and if it freezes (actual ground freezing) in your area. For me, I'd tend to err on the side of caution and not void the warranty. If the pool was aluminum and the soil wasn't too acidic, then it might be a good idea, but I think you have steel and long term there may be issues. Too deep and it can collapse inward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digiweb Posted July 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 I think that largely depends on your soil type and if it freezes (actual ground freezing) in your area. For me, I'd tend to err on the side of caution and not void the warranty. If the pool was aluminum and the soil wasn't too acidic, then it might be a good idea, but I think you have steel and long term there may be issues. Too deep and it can collapse inward. Soil is sand and top soil in New England so it gets frozen. How do you know if the soil is acidic? The pool is made of extruded aluminum. There's a really good explanation of the construction here: http://www.poolsandspasonline.com/html/est...round_swim.html The warranty is 60 years. I wonder what occur that I would ever need the warranty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imnay Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 The only possible problem is effect of ground expansion and contraction due to extreme weather. There are above ground aluminum pools on the market today made to be sunk partially or totally into the ground without voiding the warranty. However, in our personal experience, do not worry a bit about putting the pool partially into the ground and specially if it is aluminum. We bought our first above ground pool in 1989 - a relatively cheap Lomart - vinyl clad thin steel wall and uprights. The contractor normally only built gunite in-ground pools but agreed to put ours 2 1/2 feet into the ground and also to put in a gunite floor and an extended depth of 6 1/2 feet along with a main drain in the center of this 27 ft circular pool. He provisioned two outlets from our pump and with the skimmer and main drain all was by PVC connected in a powerful in-ground filter and pump system. What we achieved was an in-ground support floor and filtering system built around the above ground shell. The first BURIED inexpensive Lomart lasted for about 14 years and the only reason we decided to replace it was the liner was starting to lose elasticity and wrinkle up all over. We bought a new vinyl clad steel above ground pool online in Spring of 2003 and had a contractor remove the old and install the new right on top of our existing gunite floor/base and filtering system - Oh yeah, we also replaced the Hayward Super Pump cause after 14 yrs the old one was beginning to lose its' force. We are now into our 5th season with the 2nd pool - still sunk into the ground so we can say with authority and based on personal experience we have successfully had cheaper vinly clad above ground pools for almost 20 years sunk into the ground with zero problems and it has been wonderful and so convenient. The newer pool has 52 inch height so our center depth is even deeper now approaching 7 ft. - WOW! WE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT aluminium in 2003 but at the time I couldn't find an aluminium make/model that would support the extended liner we needed. We looked at Esther Williams products and thought them to be well worth the extra money but their staff and our contractor couldn't find a liner that would work for our extra depth configuration. Anyhow, sorry to rattle on so but we can assure you that aluminum is the way to go and it will not be subject to the prevalent rust and corrosion of the cheaper vinyl clad steel models and an above ground pool sunk into the ground can be made to look very attractive in a landscaped back yard while a 52 inch tall above ground pool just sittling there looks mostly butt ugly - in our opinion. Let me restate the only concern you should have in our opinion - climate and winter frozen ground expansion - we live in North Florida and our beloved Southern ground NEVER freezes but ground expansion and contraction should be your ONLY concern. Now if you want to know the tons of money we have saved doing what we did with above ground pools compared to the hugely more expensive concrete gunite in-ground that's another topic for another day - imagine - having a 6 1/2 ft deep 20k gallon pool for almost 20 years and NEVER having to worry about having to re-marcite/marbelite the walls!! GoodLuck and enjoy your pool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digiweb Posted July 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Excellent! Congrats on your ingrounds :-) We went ahead and did it, it will be buried up to its little neck, 52" high. Going to save us a ton on decking. Water's going in NOW :-) !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTGallop Posted July 28, 2008 Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 bump for pics and update... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digiweb Posted July 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 Here you go! http://tinyurl.com/5k2jgc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strannik Posted July 28, 2008 Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 If i was the builder i would backfill it with backfill mix, that would ensure that it doesn't cave in when the pool is emptied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTGallop Posted July 28, 2008 Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 NICE!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted July 28, 2008 Report Share Posted July 28, 2008 digiweb - I wanted to see your pool but no picture comes up! Am I doing something wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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