Pool Repair near you

Some problems are obvious; others show up as small changes over a week or two. Call a technician when you notice any of these.

Every outdoor pool loses water to evaporation, splashing and backwashing, and more on hot, windy days. A bucket test tells the two apart: set a bucket of pool water on a step so its water line matches the pool's, mark both levels, and compare them a day later with the pump running as usual. If the pool has dropped clearly more than the bucket, something is leaking.

Repeating the test with the pump off narrows it down. A bigger loss with the pump on points to the plumbing, while a steady loss either way points to the liner, shell or fittings. Technicians then use dye near suspect spots, pressure tests on individual lines and listening equipment to find the leak before anyone cuts into the deck.

A repair fixes one defect; a renovation replaces a worn surface or component across the whole pool. The line depends on the pool's age, how widespread the damage is and whether you are patching the same problem every season. Liner replacement, resurfacing, new coping and decking are covered on the pool renovation page.

Circulation equipment runs all season, and most failures show up at start-up or in midsummer heat. Motor and wiring faults go to a licensed electrician. Gas heater repairs go to a licensed gas technician: a fuels contractor registered with the TSSA in Ontario, or a contractor holding the appropriate RBQ gas licence in Quebec. If you smell gas near the heater, leave the area and call your gas utility from a safe place.

Skimmers and return fittings sit where the plumbing meets the pool wall, and frost in the ground and ice in the water put them under stress. A cracked skimmer body, a loose faceplate or gasket, or a cracked return fitting tends to leak slowly, often just below the waterline.

Freeze damage is the other spring surprise: water left in a line, pump or heater expands as it freezes and splits it. Exposed pipes and equipment are simple to replace, but a cracked line under the deck may mean cutting into concrete or pavers, so its location is confirmed with a pressure test first. Book these repairs before the season starts, and treat a thorough fall closing as the prevention.

Many repairs are done with water in the pool: liner patches, fitting replacements and some crack repairs can be made underwater or with the level only partly lowered. Draining is a professional decision, because the water holds a liner in place and balances a shell against the soil around it. Where groundwater is high, an empty fibreglass or concrete pool can be pushed upward, and an empty liner can shrink, shift or tear.

When a pool has to be emptied, for a new liner, resurfacing or a structural repair, the technician checks groundwater conditions first and plans the work so the pool sits empty as briefly as possible. Ask your municipality where the water may be discharged, since the rules for storm drains, sewers and neighbouring lots vary.