Pool Problems in Southwest Florida: Leaks, Cracks and Wear
Losing water, cracks and worn plaster each have their own page, and each can look like another. Here is how to tell them apart, and which page to read next.
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Pool losing water
The water level keeps dropping and you are refilling more often than you used to.
Cracks in the pool
Fine lines, a web of hairline cracks or one longer crack in the pool surface.
Worn, rough or stained plaster
The finish feels rough underfoot, looks etched or blotchy, or has stains that will not brush off.
How to tell pool problems apart
Losing water. Some loss is normal: a Florida water management district says most uncovered pools in Florida lose about ⅛ to ¼ inch a day to evaporation. A bucket test tells evaporation from a leak, and is your pool losing water walks through it. Keep the level topped up meanwhile: a pump maker warns that a level below the suction port lets the pump run dry and damages its seal.
Cracks. Fine hairline cracks may be check cracks in the surface of the plaster, which a Florida plaster maker calls inherent to some degree in all cement mortar mixes. A crack in the shell is a different matter, and the same maker says the two cannot be told apart for certain without draining the pool. Surface crazing or a structural crack explains what you can check from the deck.
Worn plaster. Rough or etched spots, stains that will not brush out, chips and hollow-sounding areas across the pool are the signs a Florida plaster maker lists of a finish that needs resurfacing. Signs your plaster is worn out lists them with what causes each, and how long marcite, quartz and pebble are said to last.
The three overlap: a crack can leak, and a worn finish can crack. If you see more than one, start with the bucket test.
Two more problems are covered on the service pages rather than here: a pool pump that will not start or prime, and a pool heater that runs without heating.
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