Pool Wall Buckled Under Skimmer

by Lisa
(PA)

I have a 16x26 oval Solex pool by Cornelius Pools, 52inches with a-brace option, installed in 2007. Due to the winter we had in Pennsylvania this year my wall around my skimmer buckled and under the post between skimmer and return.

The wall came out of the track on top over skimmer and behind the post. The liner looks OK and the rest of wall is fine. My skimmer is slanted and was wondering what can I do to fix. Please help. Thanks, Lisa

Hi Lisa

I have seen a lot of this type of damage this year because of the harsh winter you northerners had. I have told by a number of people that the cause is from water freezing in the skimmer. If water is allowed to get into the skimmer, and it freezes, it then becomes connected to the water in the pool. If the pool water lowers, for any reason, the skimmer area gets pulled down. This is what causes the dents and creases under the skimmer.

In the future you might consider using a skimmer guard to keep the water out of it. These are pretty easy to install and would probably prevent this type of damage from occurring again.

To fix the wall at this point you will need to drain the water down below the skimmer area, probably to about the half way point. You could then remove the top rails, rods and coping from that area, maybe five rails total.

You can

keep the liner in place over the wall with cloths pins to keep it from falling into the water, you do not want water getting in behind the liner. I would not take the skimmer off at any time during the repairs as you might not be able to line the holes back up. Working with one hand in behind the liner, and the other on the outside of the wall, you should be able to pop the creases out. It might be necessary to use a rubber mallet and a block of wood to get it to stay flat.

A small amount of liner shrinkage could hold the skimmer down and not allow it to pop back up all the way. If this happens make use of warm weather and direct sunlight. If that's not available a hair dryer might work. The liner may need to give just a little for the skimmer to raise all the way up.

If you can get the skimmer in place, and the wall flat, but it will not stay that way, you still have options. The stabilizer rods should hold the wall in place long enough to fill the pool back up, then the water pressure should keep it all flat. If it appears that is just not going to work you could reinforce the inside of the wall by taping pieces of sturdy flat metal over the areas that need more strength. This is done by using flat stock and duck tape onto the pool wall behind the liner.