I would not keep adding water to a leaking pool. It will just accelerate the problems.
Crack has returned in less than 6 months
- Thread starter penquinizer
- Start date
Would this be damaging the to plaster also? To have it exposed to the heat without water?
Plaster is already damaged from the cracking, I’m not sure how to save it.
Your home doesn’t have one of those foundation watering systems does it? (Recently common in Texas)
Right. We're just not looking to replaster the pool again within 6 months.
Regarding the watering systems, no. We got our home foundation checked today and they recommended we start dripping. They also mentioned no repairs to the foundation as that might damage the home more. They had no suggestions for the pool.
Note the pool is in a 30x30 courtyard in the middle of the house. The courtyard is decked with tiles so no soil exposed.
We're back to square one with looking for a company that can do pool foundation repairs it seems.
You should not replaster until it’s fixed and plaster is the least of your worries. It sucks, but it’s kinda already wrecked.
If you are having problems with your house foundation, a leaking pool right in the center of it is a huge red flag saying “hey, it’s me! I’m the problem you’re looking for!”. Water near a foundation is always a bad idea.
I’m not a foundation expect, but I’d drain the pool and keep it dry for a good while and see if the house stabilizes. Then I’d consider restapling all the cracks and replastering. I might even convert the pool to a liner style rather than risk plastering again if the shell is just going to move more.
Do you have expansive soils? Do you have a post tension foundation? If yes to either then the pool shouldn't be in the middle of it.
Tying to understand as people seem to be recommending we stabilize our soil. It seems you're saying even if we find someone to stabilize the pool, the plaster is wrecked and we would need to completely replaster?
Our current thought was to stabilize the pool, repair the crack. Unsure if we're able to replaster the pool twice in less than a year.
I'm not entirely sure but the house was built in the late 70s with the pool, it wasn't a later addition.
I doubt then that post tension foundation work was even a thing back then. I think it evolved in the mid 80s.
“Stabilizing” the pool will wreck any plaster that you have because they jackhammer big holes in the floor pour concrete, footings, or piers underneath them to hold the pool up. It’s not a trivial thing. But if you have actively expanding cracks, that’s not going to be good for saving the plaster. I think I would drain the pool dry to keep it from getting worse and damaging the homes foundation.
Last edited:
- Jul 21, 2013
- 64,979
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
See the link below for what can be involved in stabilizing a pool.
www.troublefreepool.com
Need urgent help with cracking/leaking pool on a hillside in Austin, TX!
We did hire an engineer and he wants us to make a hole from the center of the pool to the bottom of the outside wall but I am not sure who I hire to do that?!? He said this will give us a good cross section of the construction thru the crack. ... Any ideas on who I would hire to make the hole...
www.troublefreepool.com
sktn77a
Gold Supporter
Well, was the work "fit for purpose"? Much depends on the wording in the contract. But it sounds like the contractor had no confidence his work would cure the problem so, unless there's a specific disclaimer, a lawyer would need to determine liability.
The poster was told that the staples may not hold and it seems like they accepted the risk.
They could have asked for some type of definite solution with a guarantee that it would hold for a specific period of time.
However, that would be much more expensive.
In any case, it depends on the exact wording of the contract.
Lawyers don't determine liability; they can only allege liability or deny liability.
Lawyers can negotiate a settlement based on their assessment of liability, but they cannot make a conclusive legally enforceable determination.
Only a judge can make a conclusive legally enforceable determination.
Following up.
2 foundation companies and 1 engineer mentioned that the pool shouldn't be causing the foundation issues in the home and vice versa (Home to pool)
1 Soil stabilization company mentioned there is a rock layer about 6ft deep so their solution won't work (Pool is around 4-4.5' deep). Recommended the foam companies and pointed out how one side of the steps is about an inch lower.
1 Foam company said their solution won't work because the weight of the water is too much.
1 Foam company said they would be able to help lift and level the pool. They would be using Polyurethane Foam.
Waiting for a few companies to give their input.
2 foundation companies and 1 engineer mentioned that the pool shouldn't be causing the foundation issues in the home and vice versa (Home to pool)
1 Soil stabilization company mentioned there is a rock layer about 6ft deep so their solution won't work (Pool is around 4-4.5' deep). Recommended the foam companies and pointed out how one side of the steps is about an inch lower.
1 Foam company said their solution won't work because the weight of the water is too much.
1 Foam company said they would be able to help lift and level the pool. They would be using Polyurethane Foam.
Waiting for a few companies to give their input.
Hi all!
Following up on this to see if anyone could help provide insights into how the water level works.
The pool itself has a small fountain, about 3'x3' and 6" or so deep, and has a spillover to the pool.
With the pool leaking over the past few days and without turning on the pumps, I've observed the fountain water level drop at the same rate as the pool. This seems similar to how the Spa and pool selfs level because their return pipes are connected.
Since the only shared piping between the return and fountain is at the equipment side does this mean water leveling is happening at that end also? Red pipe is the fountain and green is the return lines.
Following up on this to see if anyone could help provide insights into how the water level works.
The pool itself has a small fountain, about 3'x3' and 6" or so deep, and has a spillover to the pool.
With the pool leaking over the past few days and without turning on the pumps, I've observed the fountain water level drop at the same rate as the pool. This seems similar to how the Spa and pool selfs level because their return pipes are connected.
Since the only shared piping between the return and fountain is at the equipment side does this mean water leveling is happening at that end also? Red pipe is the fountain and green is the return lines.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 64,979
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
There is no check valve on the fountain fill line and when the pump is off water will siphon back up the fountain line into the pool until they reach the same level.