Hi, TFP! My purpose for this post is at the end.. I feel you should hear this short prelude because you'll either be amazed like I am, or you'll be able to provide an explanation on how this is possible.
Last fall, approx late Sept, while I was working on my new pool deck, I struck a nail wrong and it kicked back and landed in the pool. This was a galvanized 8d or 10d nail 1.5 inches long. I saw the splash when it landed, then peeked moments later and spotted the nail safely resting on its side. Since i was busy and no one was using the pool, i left it until later that evening. When i went back for it, the nail was nowhere to be found. I got my son and daughter to carefully feel around for it and none of us were able to locate it (my wife proceeds to tell me i must have imagined it at this point). We never used the pool again after that and closed and covered it in October. Today, we removed the cover and started preparing for opening.. i recalled the nail and since the water was lowered at closing decided i would hop in and check again. After a thorough search, I spotted a rust stain near the wall and a dark rusty object about the size of a nail head... it couldn't be?! Using my toe i carefully felt the object and it definitely appears to be the nail.. flush with the liner on the floor as if someone hammered it there intentionally. I have no idea how this happened - the pump did run and circulate water the day the nail went in and every day after that until we closed the pool.. I'd say no more than 20-30 days. No one entered the pool except for the day we were looking for it and I really doubt myself or my kids (16 and 12) would've put enough force to put the nail through the 35mil liner and 1.5 inch rigid foam beneath it without feeling it. I also cannot imagine how this nail could get upright and driven down like this on its own, or with the gentle force that the pump creates. It's a mystery to me.. we didn't run the pool vac or anything.
Anyway, finally to my point.. i have to patch this. I am sure there must be some leaking, but i cannot see any water near the wall on the outside, but the pool sits under the ground surface and also there is the foam underlayment so there's no telling where the water is traveling. My question: should i try to remove the nail which will leave a hole of about 1/8 inch, or should i just patch over the top since the nail seems to be preventing the water from leaking quickly? The pool is a round 33' ag, the level is close to 5" lower than what it was at closing, but we did also have a very rainy winter and the weight of water on the cover pushed excess water back thru the return and skimmer, but i can't say all of that loss came from those events, I'm sure the nail contributed over the 6-7 months it was closed.
The nail is, again, close to the wall very near the cove.. while it shouldn't get stepped on often, it's certainly a possibility. Should i double patch it or pull the nail and patch? I'll be doing this under water.
Last fall, approx late Sept, while I was working on my new pool deck, I struck a nail wrong and it kicked back and landed in the pool. This was a galvanized 8d or 10d nail 1.5 inches long. I saw the splash when it landed, then peeked moments later and spotted the nail safely resting on its side. Since i was busy and no one was using the pool, i left it until later that evening. When i went back for it, the nail was nowhere to be found. I got my son and daughter to carefully feel around for it and none of us were able to locate it (my wife proceeds to tell me i must have imagined it at this point). We never used the pool again after that and closed and covered it in October. Today, we removed the cover and started preparing for opening.. i recalled the nail and since the water was lowered at closing decided i would hop in and check again. After a thorough search, I spotted a rust stain near the wall and a dark rusty object about the size of a nail head... it couldn't be?! Using my toe i carefully felt the object and it definitely appears to be the nail.. flush with the liner on the floor as if someone hammered it there intentionally. I have no idea how this happened - the pump did run and circulate water the day the nail went in and every day after that until we closed the pool.. I'd say no more than 20-30 days. No one entered the pool except for the day we were looking for it and I really doubt myself or my kids (16 and 12) would've put enough force to put the nail through the 35mil liner and 1.5 inch rigid foam beneath it without feeling it. I also cannot imagine how this nail could get upright and driven down like this on its own, or with the gentle force that the pump creates. It's a mystery to me.. we didn't run the pool vac or anything.
Anyway, finally to my point.. i have to patch this. I am sure there must be some leaking, but i cannot see any water near the wall on the outside, but the pool sits under the ground surface and also there is the foam underlayment so there's no telling where the water is traveling. My question: should i try to remove the nail which will leave a hole of about 1/8 inch, or should i just patch over the top since the nail seems to be preventing the water from leaking quickly? The pool is a round 33' ag, the level is close to 5" lower than what it was at closing, but we did also have a very rainy winter and the weight of water on the cover pushed excess water back thru the return and skimmer, but i can't say all of that loss came from those events, I'm sure the nail contributed over the 6-7 months it was closed.
The nail is, again, close to the wall very near the cove.. while it shouldn't get stepped on often, it's certainly a possibility. Should i double patch it or pull the nail and patch? I'll be doing this under water.
