This picture is flopped, the handle imprint is to the right, and the small hole is visible
Fixing last years mistake!
- Thread starter Axhammer
- Start date
This job cost me about $2800, a little over 2k in labor and the rest was for parts and materials. We got some rain last night, I woke-up this morning to a heavy deluge. I'll be running the pump, filtering the water and adding chemicals later today. The big question is what the bottom will look like next week when the water is clear. Ground water is a concern around here, but the guys who did this job seem the think everything will be OK, and they said they will stand behind the work. I had a bad experience last year with a pool company, and I'm hoping this year will be different.
Wish me luck everyone!
Wish me luck everyone!
No, I have not tested it. I'm trying to determine how much water it holds, before I add chemicals. Any help appreciated. I have another thread in the BBB forum. Thanks!
Responders seldom track down OP's other threads. You should keep your "story" under one thread.....It makes it much easier to see where you have been so we can advise how to proceed.
duraleigh said:
I respectfully disagree sir. My pool renovations story is under one thread, this thread. I linked an associated thread from last year in my opening post of this thread, to better tell this story. I started a thread in the BBB section that has nothing to do with my pool walls collapsing, it's topic is concerning chemicals required to treat the water.
Using your logic, if I have a question about pool cleaners, I have to ask that question in this (under construction) "fixing last years problem" thread.
Anyway, my new bottom is holding water, and I cannot feel any low spots or dents with my brush like I did last year when the walls collapsed. I'll report more as soon as the water is clear, Thanks everyone!
That is not the water color, there was dirt or mud in my mian drain, I'm thinking it came from the dirt under the collapsed wall? There was some yellowish colored dirt that must have been added fill-dirt from when they made the pool. The dirt in this area is dark brown or lighter colored sand.
My pool does not leak like it did last year after the new liner was installed :-D.
Last year it lost a noticeable amount of water every night, and I was chasing the leak even though the bottom had collapsed
.
When we dropped the liner and rolled it up in the shallow end recently, the source of the leak was found. When the liner was replaced last year, the old liner was cut away around the returns, the old liner was left in place, with the new liner installed over the old one. This can be seen in the second picture of this thread.
While the pool guys were fixing my bottom, I fabricated two sheet aluminum patches to repair the corroded walls where the returns attach. Because the earth and return lines have settled, the return flange's are no longer perpendicular to the walls. I fabricated two custom gaskets to fit the misalignment, filling the gap between the return flanges (that have settled) and the newly fabricated wall patches. I took 1/2" rubber and sanded it with my belt sander, creating a tapered gasket that is 1/8" on the bottom and 3/8" on the top. After fine tuning the gaskets to fit slightly thicker to allow for crush, I sealed the back sides of the the patches and gaskets to the flanges and walls, and then attached everything with the four return plate screws, using a longer screw on the top due to the thicker gasket. After an overnight cure with everything bonded in place, I used 16 SS screws to attach each patch's to the aluminum walls, then I remove the return plates and four screws, before rehanging the liner.
My pool guys like the repairs, and everything seems to be working without leaks, so I am happy!
Pictures to follow in case anyone else has an old pool with corroded walls where the returns attach.
Last year it lost a noticeable amount of water every night, and I was chasing the leak even though the bottom had collapsed
. When we dropped the liner and rolled it up in the shallow end recently, the source of the leak was found. When the liner was replaced last year, the old liner was cut away around the returns, the old liner was left in place, with the new liner installed over the old one. This can be seen in the second picture of this thread.
While the pool guys were fixing my bottom, I fabricated two sheet aluminum patches to repair the corroded walls where the returns attach. Because the earth and return lines have settled, the return flange's are no longer perpendicular to the walls. I fabricated two custom gaskets to fit the misalignment, filling the gap between the return flanges (that have settled) and the newly fabricated wall patches. I took 1/2" rubber and sanded it with my belt sander, creating a tapered gasket that is 1/8" on the bottom and 3/8" on the top. After fine tuning the gaskets to fit slightly thicker to allow for crush, I sealed the back sides of the the patches and gaskets to the flanges and walls, and then attached everything with the four return plate screws, using a longer screw on the top due to the thicker gasket. After an overnight cure with everything bonded in place, I used 16 SS screws to attach each patch's to the aluminum walls, then I remove the return plates and four screws, before rehanging the liner.
My pool guys like the repairs, and everything seems to be working without leaks, so I am happy!
Pictures to follow in case anyone else has an old pool with corroded walls where the returns attach.
This picture shows the old liner and gasket that was still on the return when we dropped the liner recently. The wall is completely missing where the return should attach to the wall due to corrosion, and if you look closely you can see the return flange has settled and is no longer perpendicular to the wall, or rather where the wall should be.
A close up shot of the missing wall and misaligned return flange. The aluminum wall has returned to its natural state, via corrosion!
This is what both returns looked like prior to glueing-on the wall foam and rehanging the liner.
I have good news to report. My new pool floor is holding its shape, without any collapsed walls, and my pool is not leaking. I am very happy to report this after the experience I had last year. I still have to re plumb my pump/filter deck, hopefully after that I will only have to monitor and treat the water, along with daily/weekly cleaning.
I'm pleased with the way this turned out!
It is hot outside today!
I'm going to brush the walls and then weed-eat my property, a job that will work up a sweat, and then I'm going swimming.
If anyone needs a good reliable and fair pool guy in Chesapeake VA, send me a PM
I'm pleased with the way this turned out!
It is hot outside today!
I'm going to brush the walls and then weed-eat my property, a job that will work up a sweat, and then I'm going swimming.
If anyone needs a good reliable and fair pool guy in Chesapeake VA, send me a PM
That's nice work on your returns. 
I get a vague feeling that may not be your first time working with metal! 
I get a vague feeling that may not be your first time working with metal! I'm a retired aircraft structural mechanic. The best part about the patches, are the custom make gaskets on the backsides that seal up against the return flanges. My poolis now leak free due to taking a little time and making the parts to fit.
I re-plumbed the pump/filter deck today. Some of the old PVC joints pulled apart by hand, no wonder my basket was never full of water and the returns were pumping air bubbles. I feel like my pool is in close to perfect condition, it has a new liner, the floor is in good shape without any dents or weak spots, and it' is not leaking at all, no air or water leaks! All I have to do is put the ladder in, as soon as I find the rubber stop my dog ran off with. I'll post some plumbing pictures tomorrow.
I re-plumbed the pump/filter deck today. Some of the old PVC joints pulled apart by hand, no wonder my basket was never full of water and the returns were pumping air bubbles. I feel like my pool is in close to perfect condition, it has a new liner, the floor is in good shape without any dents or weak spots, and it' is not leaking at all, no air or water leaks! All I have to do is put the ladder in, as soon as I find the rubber stop my dog ran off with. I'll post some plumbing pictures tomorrow.