Fiberglass popping out of ground

[Guest Pete]

Has anyone had any experience with fiberglass pools popping out of the ground? All the fiberglass pool companies say that it is not possible. Well, from personal experieince IT IS POSSIBLE and we are suffering with it now. We had a Blue Dolphin fiberglass pool professionally installed 5 years ago. Have been very pleased up to now, but significant rain two weeks ago popped the pool out of the ground about 8 inches. The pool was FULL OF WATER to the normal water line when it occured. The installer is no longer in business, and we can't seem to locate the who the "parent" Blue Dolphin Fiberglass pool company is. (There are so many companies that use that name.) Anyone have any suggestions?

[Guest Sally]

Yes, it's possible for fiberglass pools to pop up out of the ground. The water pressure underneath the pool becomes more than the weight of the water IN the pool and up it comes! You may have heard of septic tanks doing the same thing, so even concrete pools even with all that weight, will do the exact same thing. Good luck finding the maker and the installer.

[Guest Jeremy]

The company you want is now called Blue Dolpin Fiberglass Pools located in Largo, Florida. 727-535-5677. Good luck

[Guest Jeremy]

Keep this in perspective, bud. I know you are upset, and have right to be, but it is important for you to gripe about the right thing. It isn't the fiberglass pools fault. It is your contractors fault for not installing a hydro-static releif valve. If he had built you a gunite pool, the same would have happened, except that your pool would be destroyed instead.

I am a veteran fiberglass pool builder of 27 years. I have installed nearly every brand out there and absolutely NO manufacturer says their pools can't float. Every one of them have labels and warnings on everything. Here are the facts first:

Hydrostatic pressure is strong enough to float an aircraft carrier made out of steel, a concrete barge made of concrete, a fiberglass ski boat or a rubber raft. Relate that to a pool - gunite=concrete barge, fiberglass = ski boat, rubber life raft=vinyl liner. They all float when there is more water UNDER them than IN them. Reverse that balance, and you have the titanic. This is the principle of displacement at work and displacement is not finiky. It will float anything, so stop blaming your fiberglass pool.

Luckily for you, a fiberglass pool that has become dislodged can be re-installed. A gunite pool is completely scrapped. A contractor will actually use more water to float the pool out of the mud, re-dig and regroom the floor with new sand, and re-install the pool. You'll never know the difference when you are through.

[Guest anna Mason]

Are you in New Jersey by any chance? I'm in the process of looking for a Fiberglass pool and want to make sure the installation is a good one.

[Guest bill]

this is for jeremy- since you have installed pools maybe you can help me. the pool is leaking we know it is in the plumbing but don't know how the underground lines run. we think the pipe at the bottom drain has a leak and can't figure out how the pipes run. how do they run from the skimmer to the filter? is the bottom drain connected in any way to the filter system? of course there aren't any directions that tell how the lines were run but they must all follow some general principle. do you have any suggestions as to how we might find and fix the leak? we dug up where the bottom drain is but now we don't know what step to take next. thanks bill.

[Guest Bill Beason]

Jeremy - Can a relief valve be installed after the fiberglass pool has been installed?

[Guest Philip]

I think they were bought by Blue Hawaiian. What state?

[Guest rose]

I also purchased a pool from BLUE DOLPHIN, which is now Blue Hawwaiian.

Same people run the business, same address, same from number, but they refuse to honor the 25 year warrenty.

You definitly have a leave that caused the water to sit around the pool which caused it to pop out. We also had a leak but cought it in time.

Installed in 98. complained about a hairline crack which they said was just cosmetic.The installers filed chapter 11. still have the crack wich is now putties but still a slow leak.

[Guest Pablo Urquizo]

Hello,

If you can help me , where can I find the hydro-static releif valve, in a Fiberglass Pool

Thanks....

[Guest harley matsil]

Interested in bl haw big blue key. In orange county ny 1 hr nw nyc ANY TIPS? Installers, Price, Make sure they...?

[Guest Allison]

Hello Fellow Pool Owners,

I had my Fibeglass pool istalled 20 Years ago by Sutcliffe Pool Company. Located in Beaufort, South Carolina!!! I've never had any problems ever, I would recommend them to anyone in the South Carolina area who is looking for a pool. They install Fiberglass and liner pools. Their a locally owned and operated company thats been in business for 35 years! Contact them at 1-843-525-1155 or Toll Free at 800-364-1949. I hope this helps! -Allison

[Guest jesus v.]

Is there any body in the Pembroke Pines ,FL area that can give me there experiance with fiber glass pools.

Rgds,

[Guest Jean]

I had a pool instlled by Sutcliffe in Beaufort and would NOT recommend them to anyone. We have had ongoing problems for a year and they are still not fixed. Now I am hearing from many others with problems.

[Guest Bill Miller]

Swimming pools no matter the construction will pop and or float a liner if ground water is higher than the water in the pool bottom line. And sometime surroundings change, a new home next door perhaps. Make sure your pool will not be low and collect water arount it. Check it out for yourself.

Now, Take a cup and fill with water then put in your sink now add water to the sink and see what happens, Basic hydraulics 101.

Every well built liner, gunite and some fiberglass pools (although more every day) are installed with a hydrstatic relief valve. Although you the pool owner must keep water in the pool. Be sure to have a qualified pool service company on hand when you need repair or yearly maintenance, its money well spent.

Please also note that it is not correct to say a fiberglass pool will pop out without damage, most consumers are not that lucky and yes it is very costly to re set the pool at the very least, not to mention your pool deck will need alot of repair work.

Bottom Line

Your best insurance is doing business with a licensed pool builder with insurance.

Good Swimming

Getapool.com

[Guest Carl Otto]

I have a fairly large gunite ( 20x40 maybe? ) pool that has poped-up out of the ground in the deep end ,about a foot. Is is possible to push it back down? Is there any hope to reapir it? It did not crack. It simply lifted up. I'm thinking about filling it up with water in hopes it will sink back down. Should I try it or will it just break?

If I want to install a *new* pool how much will it add to the price?

I'm in winter park florida, just outside of orlando.

Thanks.

[Guest pammejo]

Looking through the message boards and am looking for someone that might have a little knowledge about fiberglass pools; seen you were an installer for 27 yrs so thought maybe you could answer my question. We have had our fiberglass pool for about 4 months now and all of a sudden we have a green stain radomly on the sides under the water and scattered on the floor of the pool. We did have a problem a few weeks ago with algae and put hydroflock in it. Now this has come up - we have put Algicide in it and are trying to get the ph up in it. Is there anything else we can do - we think it might be a stain but really we aren't sure. Thanks Pam

[Guest Laurie]

We just had a fiberglass pool installed and large spots are appearing on the pool floor and along the sides of the pool. It is not algae. Hawaiian Pools in Pinellas did the install. Nothing but problems and poor workmanship. This pool has not yet passed final inspection. Anybody else out there with problems by Hawaiian?

[Guest Sue]

We have a fiberglass pool that we would like to remove. How do we go about draining it and what is the process for removal? A contractor has recommended cutting out the shell, busting up the surrounding concrete deck, filling the hole with the concrete and with dirt, compacting it several times. Does this process sound right? Also, our MultiFlo mechanical septic system in located approx. 20 - 30 ft. from the pool. Will draining the pool harm the systmem? And what about all the chemicals in the pool water - is this hazardous to put into the ground?

[Guest Sue]

We have a fiberglass pool we would like to remove. How do we go about draining out the water? We have a mechanical septic system (MultiFlo) approx. 20-30 ft. from the pool. Will draining the water from the pool harm the septic?

A contractor has recommended cutting up the fiberglass shell and removing it, busting up the concrete pool deck and dumping the concrete into the hole, then doing several compactions and fill-ins with dirt. Does this process sound right?

Will any residual chemicals from the pool be harmful to put into the ground? We have had on-going algae problems and have used a lot of shock, ph booster, etc. We hate this pool and just want it GONE.

[Guest Robin]

I would like to know where you are and the name of your installer. I am having problems of my own and wnat to know if we had the same installer

[Guest cj]

Hi, we are thinking about putting in a pool, but honestly can't decide between liner or fiberglass. Everyone tells me a different story. We are thinking about the SAN JUAN brand of fiberglass pools, we have heard from many people that this is the best, but of course, who knows....thank you for your advice.

[Guest Amy]

I was hoping I might could get some input since you have experience in installing fiberglass pools. We have had problems from the very beginning. The pool was unlevel, it wasn't back filled properly I don't think. Then half the water drained out and the pool has lifted up a lot. Water is all under and around it. There is much more to the story but that is the jest of it! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Guest Amy]

I was hoping I might could get some input since you have experience in installing fiberglass pools. We have had problems from the very beginning. The pool was unlevel, it wasn't back filled properly I don't think. Then half the water drained out and the pool has lifted up a lot. Water is all under and around it. There is much more to the story but that is the jest of it! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[midwestpoolsmichigan]

This post reminds me of my grandparents arguing over which brand of house paint to use in their kitchen. Sure the quality of paint that they choose to use is somewhat important but it is the preparation that is done before the paint is applied that makes all the difference in the world. The same is true in the swimming pool industry. Good preparation and backfill make a world of difference. If you read enough posts you will certainly find one or more negative remarks about every pool manufacturer. More often than not it is the pool installer who is at fault. There are way too many unqualified individuals out there that refer to themselves as pool builders. DO YOUR HOMEWORK- a pool is a one time investment that can not be redone.