Cement block issues

[bkjohnson]

I bought a home with a large cement block pool. It is essentially an above ground pool that is back fill on two and 1/2 sides. It issue is it develops leaks quite proficiently. No one is my area knows anything about these things, and neither do I. There is a service in the area that will prep for and apply two coats of Tnemec pool epoxy. They did this less than 3 years ago (so the owners could sell a home with what looked like a functioning pool), so its effects are not very long.

In the 2 summers we've lived here the pool has leaked to the point of sucking air in the skimmers (which were placed poorly as well). I've had the leak fixers here once, and they id recommend resurfacing the pool, which I am looking at doing soon.

A plaster company says they offer no guarantee for a concrete block pool, so that's out (otherwise its a lot of money for no guarantee of working).

The west side of the pool is not back-filled, and seems to leak the most. It is also the longest wall (45'). I was thinking maybe applying carbon fiber to the outside to make more structurally sound.

I should also mention the grounds do have a slope from the house to the pool, into a ditch.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to make this pool stop leaking: Epoxy paint, fiberglass (inside and/or outside), or something else?

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Cement block pools are DIY low cost pools. They are not built to last and no professional pool company builds them that way for the reasons you are seeing.

Hang a vinyl liner in it or build a new pool.

Or just accept the periodic maintenance to keep yours going.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Pictures of the pool would help.

But @ajw22 hit the nail on the head - the previous owner took the cheap route and built a pool that cannot last. Cement block is not a good choice for pool walls unless it is to simply hold a vinyl liner in place (cement walls instead of steel walls or polymer walls). You need an inground pool installer that does vinyl pools to look at it and give you an estimate of what it would cost to retrofit the pool with a liner track and a custom made vinyl liner. Assuming the walls are structurally sound (placed on footers with rebar and cement filled cores), you should be able to add a liner.

 

[bkjohnson]

Thanks @ajw22 and @JoyfulNoise! You confirmed by fear. Though, I will admit, I was hoping for a miracle solution. My next go 'round will probably be a liner, as I can't afford to start over at this point.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I would suggest when it is emptied that you have a licensed contractor look at the structure. I would be very worried about long exposed wall. Since this all sits on a slope, if the structural integrity of that wall is not good, your pool could blow out along that wall and end up in the ditch below. Never underestimate the force of water on a structure - the pressure and stresses caused by tens of thousands of gallons of water are immense.