As a pool owner you are always hoping there is nothing wrong with the pool, after all it costs money anytime something does break or turn green. You may not know there are looming problems with the pool unless they are apparent and obvious.
Most of the hidden damages in a swimming pool & pool equipment are the leading cause of green swimming pools.
See: Why is my pool always turning green?
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Common Hidden Pool Damages
Most of what can be classified as “hidden damages” are found within the pool equipment, and underground. Signs of distress inside of the pool are a bit more evident, but hidden damages are the cause of other symptoms – the ones we see.
For example, the pool leak is a symptom of a crack in a plumbing pipe, but all you can see is the water loss.
Anything you can’t see could potentially have damages you are unaware of, but there are ways of checking on these things periodically or during routine service & maintenance.
Common places, parts and equipment that could be hiding some damage that may lead to bigger pool problems:
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- Broken filter parts
- Cracks in pool filter parts
- Broken DE pool filter grids
- Cracks in pool filter parts
- Cracked concrete can be a sign there is a problem underneath
- Worn bearings in pool cleaner
- Pests & rodents making nests inside the pool heater
WHEN TO CHECK YOUR POOL FOR REPAIRS
Over time there’s no doubt that your pool will need some repair, but you can minimize the frequency and stress of constantly repairing things on your pool if you know what to look for.
Check your pool for anything out of the ordinary 2 times per year, at least once before winter and once before a summer season.
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HOW TO CHECK POOL & SPA FOR HIDDEN DAMAGES
Again, we are talking about things that are not so obvious. So if your pool equipment has a puddle of water around the pump, and you can clearly see what the problem is – we are not talking about that type of pool problem.
Inspect Swimming Pool Equipment
Please note that inspection procedures may vary due to a wide range of brands & models installed.
Pool Heater check
A common issue with pool heaters is that most pool owners do not frequently go out and start up the heater and let it run for 10 – 15 minutes once per month, because of this pests and rodents tend to make it their home thereby destroying the electronic components inside of a pool heater.
How to check pool heater for hidden problems:
1 – Open the pool heater main access panel and inspect for rodent debris & droppings, wasps nests or ants.
2 – If you have anything like that inside the heater, get a shop vac and remove it all.
3 – Then start up the heater and make sure everything works.
4 – If you are having problems and still need help, ASK a PRO about my pool heater
Pool Pump check
Most commonly a pool pump basket will break and the debris can pass through to the pump impeller which can clog over time causing poor circulation in the pool.
How to check your pool pump for hidden issues:
1 – Take the pump lid off and inspect the lid itself for any cracks.
2- Then check the pump pot strainer basket to make sure that is not cracked or broken.
3 – Under the lid of a pool pump (depending on the model) is a black rubber ring, you want to make sure this o-ring looks “ok” and is not broken or stretched out.
4 – If you notice the pump basket is broken it might be worth checking the pump impeller to see if it may be partially clogged. Since there are many brands of pumps out there ASK a PRO about my pool pump
Pool Filter Inspection
You could have dust and debris bypassing the filter right back into the pool and not even know it – it could be so fine that you can’t see it with your eyes – but can cause problems down the line.
How to check pool filters for hidden problems:
Note: you can do this each time you manually clean the pool filters. See: How to clean swimming pool filters
1 – DE & Sand check the multi-port valve, making sure that water is not running through the backwash line when the pool is running.
2 – Pressure gauges do not last forever, make sure that the gauge appears to read the correct operating pressure of the system when on, and drops to zero when the system is shut off.
3 – Inside filter parts, for either DE or cartridge filters it will be easy to spot defects. When it comes to a sand filter it’s a bit more involved having to remove the sand to fully check for damages.
Pool Salt Cell Inspection
Besides checking for scale build-up every 3 to 4 months, you should also look closely at your pool salt generator for warped plates, broken bits of plastic, and debris clogged from what the filter should have caught.
Control & Timers check
For analog style pool timers, the one that looks like a clock dial, you can easily check it’s operation by a viewing window to the motor gears. Check this at least once per year.
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Read from a pro: Hidden Damages & Pool Repairs
