Cracks in your pool surface are concerning but common. The most common cause of pool cracking is ground movement. Not all cracks need to be addressed as emergencies.

 

 

What is crack repair?

The focus of crack repair is to prevent further leakage of water through existing pool cracks. In some cases, the structural integrity of the pool will also be addressed.

 

Will the fix be permanent?

Since all crack situations are different, there is no guarantee that the fix will be permanent. Unless the cause of the crack is identified and addressed, the pool may continue to crack.

 

Do all cracks need to be repaired?

Surface cracks are not uncommon in swimming pools. If there is water loss in the pool, these cracks can be dye tested to see if they are leaking. Surface cracks that do not leak do not necessarily need to be repaired.

 

What is done?

The first step is to sawcut any cracks and chip out the plaster to expose the gunite. At this point the crack is evaluated for repair. Any cracks smaller than 20 mil will not accept injection of epoxy and will be topcoated only. The topcoat provides a flexible waterproof membrane to prevent water leakage through the crack. In cases where the pool has cracked in excess of 20 mils but not greater than ¼”, the crack will be pressure injected with epoxy, or in essence “glued” back together. The epoxy will be allowed to set for several days, and then the epoxied crack will also be topcoated with a flexible waterproof membrane. In each case, after the topcoat is complete the materials will be allowed to cure, at which point a plaster patch can be applied.  In severe cases where there is damage to the gunite or to the rebar in the gunite, areas may need to be jackhammered out and rebar replaced/added to solve the problem. In cases where this work is required, additional charges will apply.