My Dream Pool Disaster

[Gwenefar]

I bought a house with a fully operational inground fiberglass pool less than a year ago. Then our area got a huge noreaster with torrential rains. The consensus is that the water table raised and popped our pool out of the ground, causing it to crack and compress on the sides. When it cracked it allowed the remaining water in the pool to spill out and wash away the ground underneath. We have had the insurance adjuster out to look at the damage, however the homeowner’s insurance has denied our claim, stating we do not have flood coverage. I was hoping that someone could give me some suggestions. I am hoping that there is something I can do to fix the current structure. I am completely sick and heartbroken over this. This was my main reason for wanting to buy this house. We don't have the kind of money that it takes to replace it.

These are some of the pictures of the damage.

[telstar]

From the pictures of the pool that you had posted, brings to mind several areas of concern

not only with regard to the structural integrityy of the pool shell, but also with the fill area

and the decking surrounding the pool.

What you will probably find is that even though you may feel or hope

the pool "can possibly" be fixed in some form or another, you will probably find that no licensed contractor will be willing to touch that pool. Not to be mean, but any vessel that has that much structural damage done to it is likely to have broken pipes, soil vacancies where the water table has

washed dirt away from underneath the deck as well as from behind the walls of the pool.

My point is that there are too many unknowns that you would be asking a contractor to take for granted if they were to stop anywhere short of complete removal and examination of all the damaged areas of that pool, piping, decking etc.

[perksplus]

DID AREA POOL DO YOUR CEMENT WORK < YOU KNOW THAT GUY NAMED CHAD

[perksplus]

DID AREA POOL DO YOUR CEMENT WORK < YOU KNOW THAT GUY NAMED CHAD

Hey I saw a pool today with a little spot that wasnt finished, i was about to notify you.

Was it Gwenefar? your idea of little spot*LOL*

[michiganpoolsandspas]

I bought a house with a fully operational inground fiberglass pool less than a year ago. Then our area got a huge noreaster with torrential rains. The consensus is that the water table raised and popped our pool out of the ground, causing it to crack and compress on the sides. When it cracked it allowed the remaining water in the pool to spill out and wash away the ground underneath. We have had the insurance adjuster out to look at the damage, however the homeowner’s insurance has denied our claim, stating we do not have flood coverage. I was hoping that someone could give me some suggestions. I am hoping that there is something I can do to fix the current structure. I am completely sick and heartbroken over this. This was my main reason for wanting to buy this house. We don't have the kind of money that it takes to replace it.

These are some of the pictures of the damage.

Looking at the photos tells me a couple of things. One, no re-bar was used to tie the coping of the pool to the cement. Two, I do not see a sump crock at the deep end of the pool. You cannot control ground water without a sump crock. Three, It appears by the scum lines on the pool that it was drained down quite a ways. The beauty of fiberglass is that you do not drain any water thus not allowing for the hydro-static pressure to force the pool out of the ground.

This pool is in my opinion a total loss.

[StationWagon]

OUCH!!!!

[dorway]

OUCH!!!!

The pool is not a total loss. I have helped several folks get their pool back in better shape than ever, and many of the pools were in worse shape than your's appears to be. These types of issues almost always happen on pools that have had multiple owners. Each subsequent owner knows less on the "do's & don'ts of how to take care of the pool & what the warning signs are for future issues.

I do agree with the gentleman that no sump line appears to be visable in your pics. This could have removed the water under the pool shell, but I would never like to see a pool deck with rebar attached to the coping in an expansive soil enviroment. As well it appears that the concrete was not poured under the pool coping. There is less chance of the pool & deck separating if this is done or if the deck is cantilievered . Even then the concrete needs to be pushed under the coping.

The pool has been draining for a prolonged period of time as the "bath tub" rings on the pool indicate. Likely you could have mitigated some of the damages if you acted soooner.If you want to know my game plan on how to fix the pool, let me know.