The swimming pool is a stressed person’s sanctuary to take refuge after a hectic day.
The slightest damage can cause a leak in your pool, resulting in an inconvenience.
Without much further ado, this blog will apprise you of the best tips to repair your leaky swimming pool.
How to Locate the Leak?
Before jumping on to repairs, you need to locate the leak.
Now, pool water is subject to evaporation as well, so you need to be sure if it’s a leak or the weather being hotter and drier than usual.
The bucket test is handy for homeowners.
Take a bucket and fill it with water. Use some tape to mark the top of the waterline. Do the same with your pool.
Now leave the bucket for a day or two beside the pool. If there is a significant difference between the two levels, it implies that there is a pool leak.
Note: It’s risky to inspect the pool yourself, especially if there is electrical wiring nearby.
Thus, be cautious while handling this project.
How to Fix the Leak?
Your plan of action for repairing the leak depends on the cause of the leak.
By taking measures to find a pool leak, you will apprise yourself about its cause.
Here are a few common issues that come up and how you can fix them.
1. Leaking Pool Pipe Connection
This may be the simplest cause of all. Your pool pump has a system of pipes that helps in filling water into the pool.
To repair the leak, grab some Teflon tape and silicone sealant. First, unscrew the leaking pipe.
Next, use the silicone sealant to coat over the male threading of the screw.
Once that’s done, wrap the Teflon tape over the sealant by moving it anti-clockwise 3-4 times.
You can then reassemble the parts you’ve removed.
2. Leaking Pool Skimmer
The issue generally comes up when the skimmer gets separated from the concrete.
Inspect the skimmer-concrete connection first, by removing the outer cover.
The water level must be at least half an inch before you can proceed with the next steps.
Once, you’ve pinpointed the leak, use a repair putty for swimming pools to seal the leak.
Ensure you give a smooth finishing using your hands. When the putty has become hard, cover the simmer box and you’re good to go!
3. Concrete Leak
Over time, crack lines may appear on the concrete slab of your beautiful swimming pool.
It spoils the look and must be taken care of immediately.
If you see a small hole or crack, repair it right away. You can use epoxy putty for the repair.
Clean the area that is leaking, and paste the epoxy over it. It works as a quick remedy and remains durable underwater.
You can even resort to rubber-based sealants as an alternative.
4. Leaking Pool Liner
As long as the crack is not huge, you can repair the liner using a simple DIY method.
Duct tapes are easily available and can be used to seal the leak completely.
Run the duct tape along the lines of the leak; it also wouldn’t hurt to cover the entire lining with it.
If you want a permanent solution, apply the vinyl patch kit on the surface.
It works well for underwater leaks and isn’t much of a hassle either.
What Happens if You Can’t Pull These Hacks Off?
Some people can’t handle such repairs on their own. It’s not a big issue!
Locate the best pool contractors in your area and hire them to take care of your problem.
If you’ve managed to locate the leak, you can nudge the professional in that direction to help him out.
Alternatively, you can buy a home warranty plan that covers repairs and replacement costs at a small premium.
However, you might have to research which home warranty companies offer coverage for swimming pools.
These options might be helpful in case you want to avoid the DIY route.
How to Prevent Leaks?
Timely maintenance is the key to avoiding such problems. It also keeps the water clean and makes your pool look inviting.
Make it a routine, at least once a week, to remove the debris, leaves, or any other uninvited thing that can later clog your drains and spoil the water.
It’s high maintenance yes, but doing this keeps you stress-free for a long time.
Final Word
Not every problem requires shelling thousands of dollars on professionals.
However, with regards to safety concerns, they have an edge over DIY methods.
But, if you’ve handled some projects on your own, then you can definitely try and sort things yourself!