Rust Around Skimmer

I have a 24' round pool that has very bad rusting around the skimmer. Is there anyway to repair it? Thanks



Hi. There are several ways to go about this. If the rust is not terrible, as in not through the wall, you could probably repair the area. To do this you would need to lower the water level to below the skimmer area and remove the skimmer. You could then remove a few top rails and pull the liner back. You could then sand and paint the rusted area. This should prevent further rust and extend the life of your sidewall.

If the rust is through the wall I would patch the opening and cut a new one in a good section of wall. Doing this would also require draining the water below the skimmer. A piece of flat metal, or aluminum, could be duct taped over the existing opening. You then need to move over a section of wall and cut a new skimmer opening.

If moving the skimmer location is not a good option you could rebuild the existing opening. To do this you would need to cut the rusted area back a couple of inches. You could then rivet a piece of flat metal over the opening and cut a new skimmer opening. You do not want to install the skimmer over two pieces of metal so be sure the original wall is cut back far enough so that it is not in the way.



I have seen all of these methods work with great success. They make a lot more sense than replacing the entire wall. If you keep in mind that most of the water pressure on the wall of an above ground pool is on the lower half, repairs on the upper half do not need to be nearly as strong. A patch taped to the wall works just fine.

This page tells you how to cut a new skimmer opening.

Repair Skimmer Opening In Sidewall

This page shows another option, the skimmer panel.

Replace a Section of Pool Wall