Time to Resurface? Water level drops off...

[deilert]

I'm a new pool owner and am concerned about the in-ground pool that came with the home I recently purchased.

Photo below of my gunnite pool near the steps - see gash at lower left. Though the Polaris may have rubbed this too much? I have other spots like this around the pool, this is just the worst of them at around 4" long near the steps. My wife went out and got a quote to resurface the whole thing for just under $6k.

Symptoms are we seem to need to fill the pool multiple times per week. I turned off the pumps for 36 hours and it seem to have stopped at the skimmers so that's more likely the problem.

Does spots like what is shown cause problems with slow leaks and potentially damaging the pool structure - ie leaking through to soften up the cement?


Thanks.

 

[Jimrahbe]

d,

It is very unlikely that your plaster is causing the pool to loose water..

The fact that it stops just below the skimmers, points to a skimmer leak. Cracked or leaking skimmers are quite common.

Resurfacing the pool would make it look a lot better, but it will not stop the leak you currently have.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

That gash does not look very deep. Water leaking past the plaster into the gunite usually show up as rust stains from the rebar beginning to rust.

AS Jim said, it sounds like your leaks are coming from the skimmer areas.

Your pool will need a resurfacing eventually and now you have an idea of the cost. No immediate reason to do it now.

 

[sktn77a]

An acid wash with some minor plaster patching should cost well under $1000. The plaster shouldn't need resurfacing after only 9 years (unless it was a really, really, lousy, thin job). Make sure to locate the true source of the leak first.

 

[ajw22]

I would not acid wash old plaster for just cosmetic reasons. A botched acid wash or questionable plaster can lead to a total replacement. Just ask Dirk.

 

[deilert]

Keith - corrected my signature line. 1997 Pool. Few more years than 9.

In my mind I don't think the small sections that are grey vs. white are a big deal, but the wife is concerned it may enable leakage to undermine the whole structure. Since I'm not expert, the reason for the questions here.

- - - Updated - - -

Alan - would you just let it go for now?

 

[ajw22]

I would leave the plaster alone and look for plumbing leaks.

Pool School - Leak Detection