Hello all! Two years ago I discovered a small hole in my wall about 18” from bottom on the curve of my 12x24 oval. An un-noticed puncture in the liner (1/8 inch round) rusted the inner wall until it created a leak on the outer wall. I sealed both the inner and outer holes with JB weld and, aside from numerous wrinkles in the liner, all seemed well. Until now. The area within a few feet of the hole is looking strange. The wall in this spot has some slight bulging and warping. It feels firm and strong, it sounds solid when tapping on it. But It moves when pushed much easier than other parts of the wall. Unfortunately it also bulges out at the very bottom but it’s behind a support pillar, so I can't see the outer bulge. There are no bubbles or wrinkles visible on the outside wall in this spot (but of course I can’t see behind the pillar!) I realize the only way to know for sure what's up is to drain and peel back the liner - a huge task! I feel I can keep going if I can just reinforce the outer wall in this spot. I wonder if I can spray some sealing foam into the inside of the pillar and epoxy some sheet metal to the problem area to secure it?
Concern for Bulge in Wall
- Thread starter steveromo
- Start date
I'm no expert but that looks like a lot of rust around that repair. It is still rusting and that would mean the fix is not holding. The bulge could mean the water is going thru the hole and pooling between the liner and the wall causing the rust spot to get bigger and the wall to bulge. It seems the only way to fix it is to pull the liner and remove the wall rust and reinforce it with sheet metal on the INSIDE of the wall. The outside fix will not stop the rust. Did you make sure your patch in the liner held? I understand you don't want to pull the liner but you probably have to to fix it before it gets worse.
We just did these repairs around the skimmer and return openings. Cut sheet metal and bolted it to the wall (against Doughboy advice, they say you have to replace the entire wall).
I hope this helps.
We just did these repairs around the skimmer and return openings. Cut sheet metal and bolted it to the wall (against Doughboy advice, they say you have to replace the entire wall).
I hope this helps.
Thanks Mariane. I appreciate your reply. I know deep down that there is rust on the wall interior from the hole that needs repair. The JB weld should have stopped the leak, but I'm guessing that the water that built up while the hole went unnoticed has caused more rust since the original repair from two years ago. What I really want is to make that repair during the fall or winter and be able to at least continue using the pool this summer. The liner has numerous wrinkles but otherwise is firmly against the wall. When pushed from the inside of the pool, the wall and liner move in unison so there is no air or water between (except possibly in the wrinkles.) So my question is, can I get through this summer before needing to do the repair? The exterior wall is bulging, but there are no other visible flaws (i.e. bubbles, rust spots, cracks, etc.) I am adding pics of the INTERIOR of this spot and a link for a video clip which demonstrates the "ripple" I get when rubbing the wall. ANYONE who has any input, please send me a reply. I value everyone's opinion. (Having trouble adding pics, look for additional reply later.)
Let's try this:
Pic1: Interior of problem area Dropbox - Pool Int1.JPG
Pic2: Closer look of interior: Dropbox - Pool Int3b with Caption.jpg
Pic3: Hole repair interior: Dropbox - Pool Int2.JPG
Video clip: Dropbox - Pool Wall WMV.wmv
Please let me know if these links work OK.
Thanks for any and all feedback!
Pic1: Interior of problem area Dropbox - Pool Int1.JPG
Pic2: Closer look of interior: Dropbox - Pool Int3b with Caption.jpg
Pic3: Hole repair interior: Dropbox - Pool Int2.JPG
Video clip: Dropbox - Pool Wall WMV.wmv
Please let me know if these links work OK.
Thanks for any and all feedback!
The only way to fix this problem is a proper repair on the wall. You will need to drain the pool and pull back the liner. Any existing rust needs to be treated a with rust stabilizer, and rusted thru areas cut back to solid metal. Then a sheet metal patch needs to be applied to the inside wall of the pool. It should be bolted in place and the edges of sheet metal covered in multiple layers of duct tape. The bolts also need multiple layers of duct tape. This particular liner looks like it needs to be replaced. You can't get a patch to hold water tight over a wrinkled section of liner. Here are some additional instructions for patching a metal pool wall: Advanced Wall Repair for an Above Ground Pool
I also had a rust issue on my pool. Unfortunately I didn't take care of it soon enough and ended up losing the pool during Harvey. I had previously drained below the rusted out hole, but didn't get the repair started and rains over winter and spring refilled the pool above the rust. A couple of days before Harvey I drained it down again, but 40 some odd inches of rain filled my pool 3/4 full. Before I could drain it again the pool ruptured about 11:00 at night during another heavy rain. I can guaranty that whatever rust you see on the outside of the wall, the inside of the wall is worse.
This is about a softball size hole rusted through. Liner did not leak.
Within 2 days of last photo. Cracked one of the fence supports where the pool slapped it as it uncoiled.
Rust on the outside of the wall where it ruptured.
Inside view of the same piece of wall.
The piece of metal next to the pool was a section of wall from my sister's old pool. I was going to use it to patch mine. We had bought our pools within a year of each other and she had the same model as mine. It had a straight line of what appeared to be surface rust running straight down the wall from a return leak. It opened up like a zipper during a heavy summer rain.
I also had a rust issue on my pool. Unfortunately I didn't take care of it soon enough and ended up losing the pool during Harvey. I had previously drained below the rusted out hole, but didn't get the repair started and rains over winter and spring refilled the pool above the rust. A couple of days before Harvey I drained it down again, but 40 some odd inches of rain filled my pool 3/4 full. Before I could drain it again the pool ruptured about 11:00 at night during another heavy rain. I can guaranty that whatever rust you see on the outside of the wall, the inside of the wall is worse.
This is about a softball size hole rusted through. Liner did not leak.
Within 2 days of last photo. Cracked one of the fence supports where the pool slapped it as it uncoiled.
Rust on the outside of the wall where it ruptured.
Inside view of the same piece of wall.
The piece of metal next to the pool was a section of wall from my sister's old pool. I was going to use it to patch mine. We had bought our pools within a year of each other and she had the same model as mine. It had a straight line of what appeared to be surface rust running straight down the wall from a return leak. It opened up like a zipper during a heavy summer rain.
+1 to what zea3 says.
Also, the lower the rust spot is on the wall, the more water pressure pushing out at that specific spot. You risk a fail this summer and for sure next season it will be even worse. That JB Weld really did not fix anything. See how the rust is discoloring the repair. And it really doesn't look like that patch is stopping the water, hence the rust colored drippings. Are you loosing water and having to replace often? That shows the repair is not holding. Also at the bottom of the wall there is rust and looks like inside the pool the liner looks discolored and lots of wrinkles. Don't mean to harp on you but water is continuing to rust the pool wall.
Also, the lower the rust spot is on the wall, the more water pressure pushing out at that specific spot. You risk a fail this summer and for sure next season it will be even worse. That JB Weld really did not fix anything. See how the rust is discoloring the repair. And it really doesn't look like that patch is stopping the water, hence the rust colored drippings. Are you loosing water and having to replace often? That shows the repair is not holding. Also at the bottom of the wall there is rust and looks like inside the pool the liner looks discolored and lots of wrinkles. Don't mean to harp on you but water is continuing to rust the pool wall.
Thanks for the follow-up. I understand your recommendations despite how much it hurts to end our summer this early. Liner replacement is way beyond my skill level so I'll be contacting the pool repair facilities in my area. Incidentally, the rust colored streaks on the exterior have been the same since the day I first spotted the leak and applied the JB Weld two years ago. That is not new. No moisture is seeping thru to the outer wall. The inside was originally patched with an adhesive clear patch which held well for a year, but then loosened so I used JB weld on the inside too. There has been no measurable water loss, and I regularly check the ground surrounding the area for any moist soil and it has been dry. I don't feel that there is any active leaking, but the wrinkles tell me that moisture was trapped between the liner and the wall since the original hole, and that has probably cause rust to develop over time. I am fearful of what it will look like when revealed. Will let you know when the liner is off. Thanks again! Your replies are greatly appreciated!
It looks like you fixed the interior with JB Weld? Is that correct? I would put a regular vinyl patch over that. JB Weld is great stuff, but on thin flexible vinyl, I bet it isn't doing much to stop that leak and by also closing the hole on the outside you are sort of forcing water to stay between the liner and wall. I bet if you do the correct patch on the inside you will be ok until you can take things apart in the fall. Just get a new liner rather than dealing with an old one drying out while you do repairs to the wall.
Also, I would like to see what it looks like under the gravel right there where the rust is. Could the wall be out of the track?
Edit - oops I see you did have a vinyl patch originally, still I think I would do that over.
Also, I would like to see what it looks like under the gravel right there where the rust is. Could the wall be out of the track?
Edit - oops I see you did have a vinyl patch originally, still I think I would do that over.
Thanks for the replies. After thinking it over, I have accepted the fact that I have no choice to shut it down and I have begun draining it so I can see what the extent of the rust / damage is behind the liner. I am expecting the worse and assuming that both the wall and liner are done. I see plenty of liners available for purchase, but I do NOT see a 54" pool wall for sale anywhere! Please oh please can someone tell me that you can purchase a wall and liner only. Accidents happen, can't I replace just what's broken without starting over. Thanks again for the replies.
When we considered replacing the wall, we were quoted $900/$1000 for just the wall sized 16x28x48 thru Doughboy. Nothing else included.
If you have to replace beading, or if your liner is an overlap then probably metal stabilizer bars, plastic coping because they rust and get brittle.
Liner could be $500 (make sure you get at least 20 mil or comparable 25/30 gauge (that is a discussion in itself). If your lower track is rusted, you will probably be replacing that. Some of the upright caps could be rusted and it might be hard to get them apart in one piece.
The number$$$ keep going up.
After you remove the liner you'll see what you've got to work with.
It might be cheaper to buy new just as #40Fan suggested after you've calculated what you can fix and what needs to be replaced.
We just did all this in the last month so I have recent experience
I think replacing parts, fixing rust and redoing portions of our pool we have spend around $1000 but our pool is 15 years old and had a bit of rust around the skimmer and return openings on the wall, several top plates, and metal stabilizer bars. No wall replacement but sheet metal to repair it, expensive liner and a number of metal fixture replacements. Then we had to replace the skimmer housing, repair a leaking heater and fix a leaky Jandy valve.
For us each one was just "one more thing" that kept having to be dealt with.
Hope this helps and all goes much better for you than us.
If you have to replace beading, or if your liner is an overlap then probably metal stabilizer bars, plastic coping because they rust and get brittle.
Liner could be $500 (make sure you get at least 20 mil or comparable 25/30 gauge (that is a discussion in itself). If your lower track is rusted, you will probably be replacing that. Some of the upright caps could be rusted and it might be hard to get them apart in one piece.
The number$$$ keep going up.
After you remove the liner you'll see what you've got to work with.
It might be cheaper to buy new just as #40Fan suggested after you've calculated what you can fix and what needs to be replaced.
We just did all this in the last month so I have recent experience
I think replacing parts, fixing rust and redoing portions of our pool we have spend around $1000 but our pool is 15 years old and had a bit of rust around the skimmer and return openings on the wall, several top plates, and metal stabilizer bars. No wall replacement but sheet metal to repair it, expensive liner and a number of metal fixture replacements. Then we had to replace the skimmer housing, repair a leaking heater and fix a leaky Jandy valve.
For us each one was just "one more thing" that kept having to be dealt with.
Hope this helps and all goes much better for you than us.
In order to replace just the wall you will need to know the brand and model of the current pool. You might also need bottom rails if they are rusty too.
Hello all. So, I found a found a nearby pool company that does this kind of repair. They had standard corrugated pool wall steel that fit over the interior damaged area and was riveted to the existing wall, they then placed foam padding over the wall and a new liner. It looks great and feels nice and sturdy. We're back up and swimming! I am so relieved that I didn't have to replace the entire wall or, even worse, have to rebuild the entire pool! Thanks for the replies!
Just curious.
What was the condition of the wall when you removed the liner? Was the wall damaged as well as rusted? How bad was it? (I realize bad enough to replace but how bad? ;o)
What was the condition of the wall when you removed the liner? Was the wall damaged as well as rusted? How bad was it? (I realize bad enough to replace but how bad? ;o)
