Temporary repair on frame

[invertere]

I found a decent sized hole in my pool frame today. It's losing water and flooding the yard pretty badly. Is there anything that I can seal this with as a temporary fix until a repair person can make it out? I tried gorilla tape but its still leaking water. It's a steel frame.

 

[Texas Splash]

Where exactly is this leak? On the wall? How high or low? Maybe show another pic from further back? If you can get to it from inside (between the liner and shell) near the top, you might be able to patch it with some metal and adhesive from the inside. You can't use anything from the outside. The water will just push it off.

 

[Newdude]

Did something puncture all the way through or do you have a higher leak that finally broke through the wall there ? The rust says it's been leaking for a long time but maybe a flying pebble from the lawnmower simply hit the wrong spot making the problem worse.

If you stop the leak in the liner it will temporarily be fixed, but the wall is on borrowed time.

 

[invertere]

It's about a foot from the top of the pool. This is under my pool deck and behind the wedding cake stairs inside the pool which is puzzling as to how it happened. Nothing could have punctured it from the inside and its pretty much shielded from the outside because of the deck. A higher up leak that found its way down is the most likely cause I guess. It wasn't jetting out water until I poked around trying to find the leak that was flooding my yard. What adhesive should I be using for the temporary repair? Something like JB weld?

Also, the pool is only 6 years old in a few months. Should I bother trying to pursue a warranty claim or will the liner leak void that?

 

[Texas Splash]

If it were me, I would lower the water level a bit so you can work on in it and pull the liner back. Then cut a sturdy piece of metal to patch over the hole and glue it in place. Just about anything will work since the liner should do the job of keeping water out. If the liner got punctured, then of course patch that as well.

 

[Newdude]

+1. It's leaking and it needs wall patch/brace. It needs to be drained to do so, so do so but watch for when the spray stops. The liner leak will be at that level. Keep draining to be able to get to the wall area. Mark the leak area once found to be able to patch it when working on the wall.

Expect to find it much worse on the inside and the current fix to be temporary. You're on borrowed time.

 

[invertere]

It's an estimated 2k repair from the pool company (liner and wall repair). Will that metal repair likely last long enough to make it worth it? I know it depends a little on how much worse the rust is when the liner is removed. I'm still waiting to hear back from the original installers about the frame's warranty.

 

[Newdude]

It's an estimated 2k repair from the pool company (liner and wall repair). Will that metal repair likely last long enough to make it worth it?

It depends on if the rust is isolated to that area once you pull the liner and reasses.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the original installers about the frame's warranty.

At best its usually small potatoes. Say, they protate you a couple hundred bucks for a new wall but you're on the hook for draining, a new liner, the wall replacement labor, liner install and refilling / rebalancing.

You can get full warranty coverage and still be out the $2k or more.

Every situation is different and you may be able to sweat equity some of the labor but it'll still may hurt.

 

[invertere]

Ok, thanks for the info. That's helpful and makes me think it's not worth pursuing if it's a headache. Only $1000 of that quote is for the frame issue.

When I brushed away some of the drainage rocks around the section with the hole, I noticed some rust along the bottom of the pool. It doesn't seem to be leaking from there. It looks like its just on the outside which I'm hoping will make this ok for a few more years? I am thinking either the higher leak has been happening for a while or all the water from people exiting the pool is sitting there for too long despite being sloped away from the pool edge. I have a plan to catch it and direct it away now that I know it's an issue, but is this now a situation where a replacing the pool is now the better option? I'm hesitant to ask the pool company in case they just want the more expensive pool sale.

 

[Texas Splash]

Corrosion at the bottom is never a good thing. So much water pressure and no way to properly get it all out. A rupture down there would be a disaster and potential safety hazard. I would prepare for a replacement.

 

[invertere]

Ugh, I thought so. Thanks for the input. I think I'll start looking at a resin pool to replace it instead since the area gets so wet apparently.

 

[Newdude]

Make sure it's truly all resin. For several years, what are now considered hybrid pools were known as resin pools. They didn't update their descriptions when something better came out.

 

[invertere]

Yeah I'm seeing that in my research. Many of these still say steel walls which sounds like it wont actually be beneficial? I don't see rust on the supports or anywhere else aside from this entry/exit panel.

 

[Newdude]

Many of these still say steel walls which sounds like it wont actually be beneficial?

Well it's beneficial for anyone who had their legs or rails rust, but not for walls. However, IIRC 3 years ago they started offering resin walls too, and it's a game changer IMO. I'd move mountains to afford the upgrade if I was going through the effort of installing a traditional above ground.

 

[invertere]

Are there walls that are more than just a "resin shield" steel? Because looking up my pool information, that appears to be what I have already.

 

[Newdude]

Are there walls that are more than just a "resin shield" steel?

Yes. The saltwater aurora is one brand/model. The pool factory likely has others also.

Another option is the aquasport (or clone) with interlocking aluminum rails. I took down the one we inherited after moving and at 17 years old it laughed at me and my power tools. For hours. Parts in the dirt came out dirty obviously but otherwise brand new for 17 years old. It's not resin but it is a tank of a pool.