Swimming Pools

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Repairing and Refurbishing a Swimming Pool

Swimming Pool Concrete Cracks and how to Repair

Most well-built and well-maintained swimming pools will last for years. But age and neglect can wear down a swimming pool and deprive it of the sparkling luster that once made it an inviting place to swim.

Even a carefully maintained swimming pool can show evidence of its age: decks can crack due to earth movements, the pool surface can change color, and the support system can break down. When the swimming pool has suffered through a period of neglect, these small problems turn into major repair jobs.

Yet an old swimming pool is not a lost investment. A few repairs – or a simple refurbishing project – maybe all you need to restore the appearance and regain the enjoyment of your swimming pool. Often, it isn't as big a task as it first appears, though most repairs require the services of an expert and can be expensive. Most people still find it cheaper to repair their swimming pool than to replace it.

This topic describes the swimming pool problems you may encounter and explains the necessary repairs; you'll also find a discussion of possibilities for renewing your pool, such as adding accessories and decorative features.

Decide on the repairs or changes you need or want to make. Then determine which jobs you can do yourself. Though most repair work should be done professionally to ensure proper operation of the swimming pool, there's much you can do. It's possible that all your pool needs is a face lifting, with new landscaping and more careful maintenance.

Repair or Replace

If your swimming pool has deteriorated so much that repairing it will cost more than half the price of replacement, of if you have serious doubt about the quality of the original swimming pool construction, you will probably want to replace it.

But tearing out an old concrete or fiberglass shell or removing the walls of a vinyl-lined pool is a messy and expensive job. For most people, repairing the old swimming pool or building a new shell inside the old one is the better alternative.