Swimming Pool advice

Summer is finally here, and as sure as night follows day, we will certainly be registering claims for damage to swimming pools and associated filtration plant, housing and accessories. Whilst pools are fun to use, they do take a lot of effort to maintain and each year customers 'start up' their pools only to find water leaks, cracks, damaged liners and covers and malfunctioning plant.

Swimming pool problems can rise with building superstructure and fabric, space heating and moisture control. Much can go wrong with pool plant and installations that include HVAC plant, filtration equipment, pumps, dosing equipment, circulation pipework, skimmers, drains and inlet returns.

Common problems we see at this time of year include claims for cracking to pool structures, damage to waterproof finishes, frost damage, loss of metered water, flood damage, foreign objects entering the pool (roe deer and cows for example) and filtration plant, chemical spills and condensation damage to superstructures.

While many scenarios are covered by our insurance, there are some that are commonly excluded – many of these are preventable or caused by wear and tear, such as, frost damage and freezing of water in pools and in pool plant; damage by atmospheric and climatic conditions; rusting; corrosion; mould; rot, damage caused during any process of restoration, repair, treatment or cleaning by someone other than a professional business. Subsidence, heave and landslip damage to pools may also be excluded.

A good care and maintenance routine can avoid many of the above scenarios. Carefully look after and maintain our swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs with all the paraphernalia that goes with them. We recommend that clients use expert people to recommission their pool ready for the summer season, and thereafter to prepare for winter and the cold period.

Here is some helpful advice:

Clean up plant debris

From the pool deck, patio, nearby planting beds - virtually anything that has the potential for producing debris in a pool, as these could eventually cause water problems.

Check your pool supplies

Check expiry dates on all pool chemical containers. Cleaning supplies that are past expiry date should be properly disposed of and replaced with new chemicals. Also remember that if a chemical was not properly sealed before being stored in the off-season, you will need to replace that as well as this could cause a calcium problem and impact the chlorine purity.

Pool water balance

One of the most important measures of swimming pool maintenance is achieving water balance. Understanding water balance can also be one of the most confusing processes of pool maintenance. Because of its complexity, some new pool owners may not know everything they have to do to keep their pool water safe, comfortable and corrosion free. Get expert advice about pH control, stabilisation and chemical treatment.

Inspect the pool

Remove expansion or freeze from the surface skimmers and wall returns, and restore directional fittings. Make sure to inspect the filter and pump for possible damaged or worn parts and buy a replacement. To prevent lights from cracking in areas where it freezes, underwater light fixtures are often removed from their housings, with the wires still connected. Coil the wire into the niche and reattach the light fixture. Also, be sure to look chips in the plaster and indentations on the deck and coping. It's also a good time to remove any calcium scale and stains from the tiles with a household tile cleaner or baking soda and a tile brush. For tougher stains, try using a pumice stone.

Gunite pools

Check and repair any cracks as soon as you find them. Checking for cracks should be a standard part of regular maintenance. It's especially important to check for cracks at the beginning and end of the swimming season. Cracks often develop from ground shifts. Water may be lost as well. Repair cracks in accordance with guidelines on the product label or instructions from the manufacturer.

Fibreglass

Hairline cracks are normal; inspect for other damage. Hairline cracks often occur in fiberglass over a period of time. Since fibreglass pools have a gel coating, hairline cracks do not tend to leak or affect the integrity of the pool. If a major crack or damage occurs, however, call a fiberglass pool specialist.

Check the filter cartridge

The filter is vital to the operation and safety of pools so it is important that is kept in a good state of repair. Remove the top of the filter and check the filter cartridge (if applicable.) The filter should be clean, with no cracks or blockages. If you have a sand filler, refill it to the indicated level. Also check the piping in the filters for cracks or leaks.
 

Taking good regard of these steps can help prevent complex and sometimes highly disruptive claims and leave more time to enjoy the pool throughout the summer!

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