Above Ground Pool Repair Questions

[cramorale]

Hi all. We are attempting to do some repair work on our AG pool that came with our house (pre-owned). Believe it's about 10 years old. We have noticed a lot of rust and corrosion around the support legs and the wall. I have several questions pertaining to this. I have included a few photos to show the type of pool & condition.




1. This is a salt water pool. Is rust common with salt water pools? Should we consider converting it to chlorine?

2. We are planning to replace the legs and due to this will be draining the pool. We've heard that if you drain the pool, the liner should also be replaced. Is this true and why? The liner is in pretty good condition. If replacing the liner is recommended, are they specific to the pool?

3. I'm hoping to use some "anti-rust enamel" on the pool wall per the instruction manual. Anyone successfully done this and have any product recommendations?

4. Based on the limited info we received on the pool, looks like the manufacturer is Wil-bar International. I have instruction manual "95-0444 02-06" however it does not state an exact model number anywhere. Looks like Wil-bar is now Sharkline. I have tried contacting them to get parts through mypoolwarranty.com (understanding that it is not a warranty issue), however multiple attempts to contact them have failed. Anyone familiar with this manufacturer or line of pools? Looks like I can get some of the parts from aftermarket websites but not sure if they are correct as the manual doesn't even have part #s.

Sorry for such a long post. Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Casey]

Salt water will definitely corrode and eat away the pool surface. Chlorine bleach also adds a minimal amount of salt over time but it's much less than using a SWG.

Draining the pool can ruin a liner. The water holds the liner in place and after years of being full, once empty, the pool liner becomes brittle and shrinks, pulling it away from the wall and floor and sometimes tearing, depending on how much chemical abuse the liner took while full of water. It is not unusual to have to replace a liner.

I've not specifically dealt with rust yet so I can't really answer.

 

[Blake1989]

To answer your liner question, yes you will have to replace the liner. Reason being, when you first fill the pool with a new liner, the liner is super elastic. It's meant to stretch and fill the bottom of the pool fully. Afterwards, the liner loses much of its elasticity. So if you drain it fully and refill, you risk either: A, ripping the liner. Or B, the liner will pull in your pool walls. Bending them. Not a pretty scenario.

Next, your salt water question. I've known people that have used salt systems on their above ground pools for years with no problems. Looks like your pool is mostly steel, maybe someone else with one could chime in and voice their opinion. If you do choose to convert to chlorine, consider the BBB method. Pool care has never been simpler since I converted. Also, if you do not have a test kit which I hope you do, consider the TF100. Super accurate and affordable!

 

[cramorale]

Thanks for the info. Do you think if we don't fully drain it the liner would still be an issue? We could potentially leave 8-12" of water in it and may be able to replace one leg at a time. With that amount of water it may be okay structurally.