[grove100]

Hi,

We have a 16x32 inground with about a 8.5 foot deep end. When we bought the house we were told that the main drain was sealed over when the last liner was installed. Our problem seems to be twofold. First there is a large amount of water behind the liner. It floats away from the deep end and then the walls. I was originally concered with a broken return line. It seems to do this whether the pump is on or not. But it does seem to do it more quickly when it is on.

I was told by a neighbour and the pool company that did the last liner, that when the last liner was installed that they could not seem to find where the water was coming in. The previous owner had a similar problem. In fact when they removed the liner they pulled out the insulation between the liner and the steel and did not replace it. Would be nice to have it back to keep the pool warmer.

I was concerned about the water table so I dug down around the pool and tapped into the sand base around it. I trenched a deep trench down and away form the pool to let the water drain. I believe that I have at least a 4 to 5 foot drop from the top of the skim basket. This is the best I could do with the slope. When digging the sand around the pool was supper saturated with water, but the clay was dry. The sand kind of just oozed like lava, just as much water as sand if not more. Once I had the drain inplace the level behind the liner seemed to drop 2 inches in 2 days, but realized it would take quite some time for the area around the pool to all drain, if ever.. I thought the problem may have been solved at this point. I left a drain house in behind the liner to pump the water out.

As I was doing this work the pool had not been opened or pump running. The water was pretty green at this point. Now that the pump is running and I can start to see the walls again it seems that the liner is still floating and not improving with the smaller pump draining. The drain pump had a leak in it, as does my filter head. 15 yrs old can not find an "O" ring to fit. I realize that I am losing water out of the filter head, the drain pump water rolls back into pool, but it seems that I am both losing water level and not removing water from behind the liner.

Is it possible that a return line is cracked and causing both of these problems. I will be calling in a pro, but today is Friday. I will be asking them to check the lines with a pressure test and to replace the filter itself.

What is your opinion on the water table, issue? The galvanized steel drops to about 3 to 4 feet at the deep end before the concrete starts. What is the process of checking the seal of the galvanized liner behind the vinyl... To do this will most likely result in a new liner will it not.

If I am going to get "hooked" into pulling the liner what else should I do at that time? Replace my return lines and fittings, skim basket etc.. If I am hauling up deck and soil I want to make sure I do it all at once..

Any ideas?

thanks

Chris

[MrOlaf]

If it is underground water from a high water table you are pretty much stuck with this issue unless you can redirect or relieve the under ground water near the pool. The insulation between the liner and the steel is wall foam, it will not affect warmth in the pool but it used as a cushion for the vinyl from the wall (although this foam in itself makes the vinyl more susceptible to punctures from inside the pool which is why I don't recommend it.) there is no seal on the galvanized steel walls, if the liner is removed and the water is pumped out you might be surprised to find water coming through the sand/cement/vermiculite mix and not through a hole in the steel walls.

Kevin,