Pits and Problems

Pools finish problems can be the result of simple aging, wear and tear, erosion due to water impurities, chemical imbalances, or irregular quality of the original marcite plaster. The first line of defense is home testing, but it is strongly recommended that you use the free testing service offered by the many local pool supply stores, then follow their recommendation to keep your pool in balance and free of harmful contaminates such as iron rust.

Tampa Pool Restorations follows up on all pool finish work with a complete chemical balancing once the pool is refilled.

Check the Glossary to fully understand the terms used in the explanations below.

(click on any of the images for a larger view)

The brown stain on the PVC fixture is common iron rust. The green stains in the pitted finish appear to be copper stains. Early detection and treatment can remove these unsightly stains before they are anything more than an irritation.  Fortunately, the stains can be treated with locally produced water treatments. The downside is that the pits don't go away. Check with your local pool supply store for their recommendations for stain removal or click here for suggested Stain Removal products and an excellent manual explaining pool chemistry and the importance of balancing in detail. This balancing is one of Tampa Pool Restorations most important services, and is included in every pool refinishing project.

Pits etched in the original finish can be the result of water imbalances or irregular quality of older Marcite. This pool was constructed in 1993, and showed significant pitting after only two years. It was suspected, but never proven, that this pool was originally finished with faulty material. In the four years since Tampa Pool Restorations refinished the pool, the owner has reported absolutely no etching problems. 

This is a different pool, built about 1992, with extensive etching. Click for a larger image without the speckling caused by the photo scanning process. This is the same pool being refinished on the SERVICES page.

WHATEVER THE PROBLEM
IF YOU DRAIN YOUR POOL
OPEN THE PLUG IN THE BOTTOM AS SOON AS THE WATER HAS EMPTIED!

With the wide variation in the water table due to droughts often followed by heavy rains, never drain a pool without opening the plug in the bottom of the main drain immediately after draining. We recently inspected a customer's pool that had been drained during a hurricane, without removing the plug. The water pressure underneath the empty pool shell had heaved the shell about a foot out of the ground, breaking up the deck. Fortunately, in this case, the pool shell and plumbing appear to be intact, but major repairs will be required and efforts taken to ensure a dangerous cavity did not remain under the pool. Every pool should be constructed with a drain plug in the bottom drain - under the grate. Opening this plug allows any water underneath the empty shell to run up into the shell, equalizing the pressure. Failure to open the plug may result in the shell being pushed up out of the ground. We have run across a few older pools where the builder had skimped and installed a drain without a removable plug. In these cases it is necessary to drill a hole in the drain body that will allow any ground water pressure to relief itself, then later install a plug.