pool repair

[bertie]

We are having a few problems with our pool. It is 9m x 4.5m and needs to be topped up by between 10cms and 15cms twice a week. Our pool man has suggested replacing all the pipework and to buy a new liner, it is has tiles at the moment. Although we will do this if necessary I would prefer an expert to come and look at it first to try to identify the source of the leak.

Does anyone know of a reliable firm in this area (dept 11, south of Carcassonne) who does this?  You can pm me if that avoids breaking any rules.

Thanks

[Poolguy]

Helloeillen

I can help you if you want as I get down to 11 reasonably frequently to service customers there.

You say that you have a concrete pool with tiles and it is loosing more than 15 cm per week. That is certainly a significant leak and will be very hard to keep topping up the water especially during Summer.

We can fix your problem but exactly what to do to fix it is at the moment uncertain till the source of the leak is discovered.

Can you tell me in the first instance. If you don't top it up does it keep going down and down and down, or does it go down to a level and then stop?

Secondly, how old is the pool, how long has it been leaking.

I'll help you if I can.

Andrew

[bertie]

Hi Hendo

We have only left it without topping it up for a short while because we were worried about the water going below the level of the skimmers. We were told that this would allow air into the pump and ruin it. In the winter when everything is turned off and the water level is lowered it does not appear to drain away completely, probably to about half the depth. I am down there on the 1st Dec for a week so I could look at it then.

 We inherited the pool with the house so we are not sure how old it is but the previous owner was a DIYer and probably built it himself. As an example of how good he was we found a live wire in a walk in wardrobe!

Thanks for your help

 

[Poolguy]

EEEEEEKKKK

(live bare wire in the cupboard... watch the fingers)

OK

Well if the water will go half way down the wall that rules out the upper pipe work and the pump house.

When you are there call me and we will do a test for the lower pipe work. If that can be ruled out then its a crack in the concrete shell for sure.

I was afraid of that because it will not be fun to fix - nor cheap.But it is doable.

Going to a liner will be costly as all the tiles must come off. But that is not as drastic as it sounds and if you do put in a liner it will ensure that the reason you have a crack now (perhaps geological movement) will not effect it in the future. That is we may repair the problem now only to have it reoccur somewhere else in the future.

Don't worry about letting air into the system so long as it has been winterised, then there should be no need to run the pump at all. Just stop the system and see how far down the water goes.

Once there is a better plan I will meet with you and do an assessment if that is what you want.

Andrew