Pool wall rust

[pooley1]

Our pool is 4 years old, we ordered online and installed ourselves. There is a 5" diameter rust spot on the outside wall approximately 1.5' from the top. I started to sand and some water started to drip. I don't think there is a hole in the liner, but the water is coming from somewhere. I haven't lowered the water to look at the inside of the wall yet. How dangerous is a pool wall with a hole? What is the likelihood of the pool wall bursting? We have a SWG which doesn't help anything. Is it recommended to repair or replace the wall?

Thanks

 

[cantplay]

I'm new here with not much pool experience, but I had a pool wall so rusty it blew out this season on a ~18-20 year old pool. Gather it is not that common for pool walls to collapse but mine did.

Is your rust under the skimmer? Mine was. Sorry, remembered wrong, it actually was under the return jet where mine got so rusty and blew out.

Can you post a picture of your rusty area?

 

[Vickery]

Water certainly suggests a leak. Even a pinhole through the metal can raise a burr on the inside. My old pool (20+ years) blew out, so catching it now is important. The metal can be patched from the inside AFTER rust converting; the patch riveted or screwed with smooth headed screws and covered with tape. The liner will likely need to be patched. The pool will have to be drained to below the level of the hole to get to it from the inside, since you installed it you know the drill. While it's still in the season, I wouldn't put it off too long.

 

[pooley1]

Also, the bottom 4" around the perimeter of the pool, is beginning rust and peeling paint. I had fabric and CA-7 clean aggregate around the pool, when I pulled it back I saw the rust. Everyone I've talked to says it's due to the SWG. Definitely worse along the bottom under the skimmer. BTW, what is your method of rust converting? Sand, prime, paint? How can I tell if the wall isn't worth saving? Without removing the wall I can't treat the wall that sits in the bottom track. I assume this area would continue to rust. This is our first pool, never had anything but salt, if we keep the pool will switch to chlorine I guess.

 

[Vickery]

Rust converters use tannic or phosphoric acid to convert the oxide to a stable state. Rustoleum, Corroseal, Ospho make them. Home stores and good hardware stores should carry some. Do a web search for a better understanding. Salt is sodium chloride. Guess what that means? Chlorine. It doesn't matter whether it is from salt or a bottle, the corrosion potential is the same. A chlorine pool is a salt pool. Apparently "everyone" doesn't include people knowledgeable about chemistry, which is mostly everyone. The amount of "information" distributed by people who are actually ignorant about the TFP is rather broad. The pool manufacturer likely didn't use a coating that would stand up to the normal conditions that a pool will experience. Of course many pool manufacturers won't warrant a salt pool because it gives them an out. You may be able to drain the pool down far enough to get some rust converter on the wall bottom behind the liner. Obviously a lot of work and you don't want to drain past 12" deep to prevent liner issues.

 

[pooley1]

Thank you for the info. I was not aware of rust converter products and I will definitely look into it. I agree about the coating. This is our first pool, we bought online and installed ourselves. Maybe the quality is not up to par. I'm definitely not an expert about pools or the chemistry involved. I appreciate your suggestions. I'm not against replacing the liner to get a look at the wall inside. We currently have an overlap liner and thought about a beaded one.

 

[pooley1]

Started pumping water out of pool. As expected behind liner was larger rust area. We started to notice bumpy areas at other areas of the pool on the face of the liner. When you run your hand across you can hear a crunch sound, rust I'm sure. Could there be pinholes all over? We have an overlap liner, never had any issues with losing water. Could condensation between liner and pool cause that much rust in 4 years?

 

[Vickery]

Condensation can result in a lot of rust. I suspect that there is a significant amount of humidity in the area...there is a fairly large source of water nearby. Rust never sleeps.