The question "How do you sink a pool?" can be interpreted in two distinct ways: either how a person can sink in a pool of water, or how the pool structure itself can sink into the ground. This answer addresses both possibilities.
Interpretation 1: Sinking in a Pool (for a Person)
Sinking in a pool, in the context of a person, refers to overcoming natural buoyancy to rest on the bottom. Most people naturally float, especially when their lungs are full of air. To sink and stay on the bottom requires specific techniques to reduce buoyancy.
According to the video titled "How to lay on the bottom of the pool - HOW TO SINK", there are "only two ways you can sink and stay on the bottom of the pool." The reference notes that "Most people will naturally float. With full lungs." It also mentions the action "Just take a deep breath tilt." While the full details of the two methods are not explicitly detailed in the provided text snippet, the core concept is counteracting the body's natural tendency to float.
Methods typically involve reducing the air in the lungs or adding weight:
- Exhaling Air: Releasing air from your lungs reduces the volume of displaced water relative to your body mass, decreasing buoyancy and making it easier to sink.
- Adding Weight: Using weights, such as a weight belt designed for diving or simply holding heavy objects, increases your overall density, allowing you to sink.
- Technique/Positioning: Specific body positioning or actions, possibly related to what the reference describes as "take a deep breath tilt," can also help manage buoyancy and stay submerged, especially after exhaling.
Interpretation 2: A Pool Structure Sinking into the Ground
When a pool structure "sinks," it typically means the pool shell or deck has subsided or settled unevenly into the ground beneath it. This is generally an undesirable structural issue.
Common Causes of a Pool Structure Sinking
Several factors can lead to a pool structure sinking:
- Poor Soil Compaction: If the soil beneath and around the pool was not properly compacted before construction, it can settle over time, causing the pool or surrounding deck to sink unevenly.
- Hydrostatic Pressure: High groundwater levels can exert upward pressure on the pool shell (especially when the pool is empty), potentially causing it to lift or shift, and subsequent settling when the pressure changes.
- Soil Erosion or Washout: Water leaks or poor drainage can erode the soil supporting the pool structure, creating voids that lead to sinking.
- Improper Drainage: Inadequate drainage around the pool area can lead to saturated soil, which can lose its load-bearing capacity and cause settlement.
- Faulty Construction: Errors in the initial design or construction process, such as inadequate foundation preparation, can contribute to sinking.
Sinking or significant settlement of a pool structure is a serious issue that often requires professional assessment and repair by a structural engineer or pool contractor.
Summary: Sinking Interpretations
Here's a brief comparison of the two interpretations:
Aspect | Sinking in a Pool (Person) | Sinking into the Ground (Structure) |
---|---|---|
What Sinks | A person | The pool shell and/or surrounding deck |
Why | Overcoming natural buoyancy (air in lungs) | Soil issues, hydrostatic pressure, construction flaws |
How | Techniques to reduce buoyancy (exhaling, weights), positioning | Caused by external factors; addressed by repair |
Reference | YouTube Video: "How to lay on the bottom of the pool - HOW TO SINK" (describes person sinking techniques) | General construction & geotechnical principles |