Every pool owner knows that pool repairs are a necessary part of owning and enjoying a swimming pool. Pool restorations and pool resurfacing are also necessary items you want to keep in mind when you’re thinking about getting a pool because they’re essential parts of the ongoing care and maintenance. Every type of pool will need repairs sooner or later, and we’re going to outline the biggest issues most people see based on their type of pool.
Concrete Pool Repairs
Concrete pools are very popular with homeowners who want a large range of customisation options with their pool. Since the company will come to the location and pour the concrete right on site, you can customise the size, shape and any features you want right on the spot. They’re good if you have an odd-shaped yard or a smaller space where a traditional pool won’t fit. However, concrete comes with a set of problems, and they include:
- Structural Cracks – Concrete carries the risk of having a structural crack if the design isn’t correct or something goes wrong during construction. If the pool can’t handle expansive or unstable soil, a structural crack can lead to failure and large leaks.
- Scaling – Not having the correct calcium, alkalinity, or pH levels in your pool water can lead to scaling. This is a deposit or buildup of minerals that can cause etching or form mounds or drips. You’ll have to brush the sides of the pool regularly to stop scaling.
- Shifting Earth – One of the biggest reasons you’ll need pool leak detection with a concrete pool is due to shifting in the earth around the pool. If this happens, you may have to tear out parts of the area that the leak is under to repair it.
Fibreglass Pool Repairs
Fibreglass pools are immensely popular throughout Australia because many of them give you the luxury of a pool but with less maintenance. They’re also a very durable choice that can last for decades without having problems and they come already made and ready to sink into the ground or sit above it to reduce your overall installation costs. The owners of fibreglass pools can potentially also experience some problems which can result into possible swimming pool repairs, including:
- Spider Cracks – Tiny hairline cracks can form in the gel coat on your fibreglass pool if high amounts of pressure push against the surface. This can happen during delivery or installation if the company isn’t careful. They should not impact how well your pool looks or works, but they can lead to small leaks down the line.
- Settled Plumbing – If you backfill the area around the pool with sand or a self-compacting product, it puts downward pressure on your plumbing. This can separate your piping at the coupled joints, causing a leak. You’ll have to dig up around the plumbing, fix the leak and backfill it with something like ¾-inch stone to prevent it from happening again.
- Wall Bulging – If water gathers around your fibreglass pool, it creates hydrostatic pressure. The pressure can get too great for your fibreglass mold when it mixes with sand. This then starts to get heavier than the water in the pool, and it can cause the pool wall to bulge. This can be a very expensive fix if you don’t catch it right away.
Vinyl Pool Repairs
Vinyl pools are common for both above and inground pool systems. You use a typical pool structure, but you put a sheet of vinyl between the structure and the water to help protect it. The liner locks along the top edge into a track at the bottom of the coping. This makes them more flexible, and it also means that vinyl pools can’t crack like concrete pools. However, they have their own sets of issues, including:
- Fading Colors – You’ll have to treat your pool with chemicals, and it’s essential you keep them in the correct ranges. If you don’t, you could notice your vinyl liner starting to fade or yellow. This is more cosmetic than anything, but it can lead to your liner deteriorating quicker and you’ll have to pay out to replace it.
- Wrinkling – Water pressure can cause a vinyl liner to wrinkle, but the most common cause is having a low pH level and high chlorine or other chemical levels in the water. Wrinkles make it very hard to clean the pool, and it makes the liner more prone to damage.
- Failing Liner – On average, your vinyl liner will last between 8 and 12 years. However, this can shorten to 5 years or go up to over 15 years, depending on how vigilant you are and how quick you are to call pool repair services when you need them. A failing liner can lead to leaks.
Why Pool Resurfacing is Important
Pool resurfacing is one thing many people don’t think about when they pick out a pool for their home. Exposure to chemicals, water and general wear and tear can cause your pool’s surface to chip, crack or peel. This makes it more prone to leaking or other types of damage. Depending on the type of pool you have, you may have to schedule pool resurfacing every 10 or 20 years.
This process involves getting your existing pool a new surface. To start, you’ll drain the pool and hydroblast it. Then, you’ll go back and sandblast it before bond coating it. This will chip away at the old surface to give you a clean slate to work on. Your pool repair service members will apply a polished finish or a finished coat made out of glass, glass beads, quartz, exposed pebble, plaster or a polished finish. Once it sets, your pool can look good as new and be ready to use again.
If you don’t take care of your pool’s surface, it could crack or chip. These small defects can cause large issues later on. For example, they could lead to costly leaks that require a company to come in and perform pool leak detection before patching it. Depending on the location of the cracks or defects, this can easily cost thousands of dollars. The price only continues to climb the longer you let it go unaddressed.
Pool Renovations Can Help You Design the Perfect Pool
Maybe you’re sick of having to do pool leak detection or your pool doesn’t fit your lifestyle anymore. If so, pool renovations are a viable option to look into. Completely redesigning and renovating an older pool is a great way to update it to help you create a more enjoyable space. Renovations also give you a way to make the whole area safer while making sure it falls in line with the most up-to-date council recommendations and regulations.
Pool renovations can be something as simple as resurfacing the pool, or you could take out your current pool and switch it out for an entirely new type. Perhaps you have concrete and you want fibreglass, or you’re interested in a vinyl pool. The goal is to lower your overall maintenance costs while enhancing your pool and increasing the value of your home. A pool renovation can help you achieve all of these items at once.
Consider Pool Restoration
If you’re not ready to do a full renovation of your current pool, you can restore it. Pool restoration will help you get rid of any current problems you may have like leaks or problems with a vinyl liner. Additionally, pool restorations are a way to get a new feel to your pool without adding an entirely new one.
The company you contract with for your swimming pool repair services will be able to perform leak detection, take stock of your current pool and assess whether or not pool restoration is the best route to take. Restoration can get rid of stains, restore a wrinkled vinyl liner, help with any chips or cracks in the pool itself and fix leaks all in one go. Additionally, restoration works well on smaller above-ground pools and large in-ground ones.
You can also choose to update your current pool’s look by choosing new aggregates or tiles to go on the inside of your pool up the walls. It’s possible to change the colouring too, and this is a fun way to match your current design aesthetic without tearing out your current pool and adding a whole new one.
The Pool People Offer Swimming Pool Repair Services
We at The Pool People offer complete swimming pool repairs in the Central Queensland Region. So whether you’re looking for pool repairs in Bundaberg, Emerald, Gladstone, Rockhampton or Yeppoon (and the surrounding townships), we’re the pool company to call. We’ll take care of all pool repairs, pool restorations and pool renovations. Contact us today!
