Above ground pool troubles

[zea3]

My above ground pool has developed a list of aggravating problems and I am looking for the best solution to these issues. I plan to be in this house 4 more years at most, and I have a long list of house problems to fix as well, so I can't sink a lot of money into the pool. Here are the current problems:

1. Pool has developed areas of rust that start out with bb sized bubbles in the paint. It looks like the rust is starting on the inside behind the liner and rusting through to the outside. There is no visible hole but a bubbly rusted area with water oozing out, not even a trickle. I suspect this is caused by...

2. My liner is very wrinkled on the vertical walls and has been for several years (before TFP). From floor to waterline all around the pool are multiple horizontal wrinkles 3 to 12" long. Plus I must have some pinhole leaks in the liner which are causing the rust problem on the steel walls.

3. This year my pool has gone from slightly out of level in one quadrant to 4" out of level on one side. This pool has been in place for 7 years and survived a direct hit from a hurricane without incident. Last summer we had a severe drought. This summer we have had quite a bit of rain. Last month I noticed how out of level the pool had become. I don't see any buckling and it looks like a gradual slope from both sides to the lowest spot.

The only solution I can come up with is to take the pool down, replace the liner, and re-level the area where the pool sits. At this point plan "B" is to just take it down and replace it with an Intex ultra frame until I'm ready to sell the house. Any suggestions are welcome. #heavy sigh#

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, zea,

The out of level is the thing that may get worse quickly. The only solution to that is drain and redo which will involve a lot of time and money.

I personally think the path of the intex ultra frame makes sense.

 

[Speedo]

2nd the ultra frame. That's probably what I would do.

 

[cramar]

My recommendation is to borrow 75 grand and make a backyard grotto with a huge roman style pool with a water fall, 2 wrap around slides and a tanning ledge....actually 2 tanning ledges!!!!

.....wait, maybe that's MY dream.....

 

[msgtdan]

Depending on severity I think the rust and leaks could be repaired, take a look at this site http://www.shadebuilder.com/rust-hole-in-pool-wall.html

The out of level is what really concerns me, but the same site has this http://www.shadebuilder.com/above-ground-pool-not-level.html

I've read a lot of stuff on this site and used much of it in setting up my pool. Dennis has been a contributor on this site and the pool forum.

Ultimately you're the one who knows your situation best. Hope it works out for you.

 

[1380ken]

How much is the pool leaking? Try patching the leaks and get one more year out of it.

 

[zea3]

So far the leaking is slight and I would replace the liner anyway since it has so many wrinkles. The out of level concerns me most. Why would it go out of level after being stable for so many years? I don't know if it is tree root decay or something else going on. That side of the yard is definately lower, but not mushy like would indicate a water line leak.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

With the intex, you'd still need to relevel the area; I don't think there's any way around that one.

 

[zea3]

I found a local company that specializes in above ground installations, so I may have them take a look and see what it would cost to fix everything. A new wrinkle is that the gas and electric guys came by and marked the line locations in my yard. It appears the gas line runs under the 3rd of the pool on the low side. They also marked the electrical for my block on 3 sides. I don't know if they did anyone else's back yard. Anyone know how to find out why they are marking utilities on just my street?