Above Ground Pool Skimmers
Above Ground Pool Skimmers
This brief article is about one of the most overlooked and least expensive parts of the above ground swimming pool, the skimmer box. The pool skimmer is responsible for the transfer of water from the pool to the filter system. And because it is one of the only openings cut into the pool liner and pool wall, it is often the source for leaks and corrosion.
If the leak is unaddressed, over time the corrosion would eat right through your pool wall. In fact leaking skimmers are return jets are responsible for 90% of pool wall failures. Luckily this is a cheap and easy part to replace.
Is My Pool Skimmer Bad?
Streaks or water stains on the pool wall just below the skimmer are evidence of a leak, and a sure sign that you need to take a closer look at the skimmer. Other signs of leaking are wetness on the bottom of the skimmer box and rust near the skimmer opening. Sometimes leaks are hard to find and often go unnoticed. This can be a result of a skimmer leak that has occurred between the liner and the pool wall. Leaks of this nature can be tricky and only discovered by liner removal or damp earth below or near the skimmer area. Many skimmer leaks are not the fault of the skimmer itself, but occur due to faulty installation. Be sure to carefully place gaskets and snugly tighten but not over-tighten all screws. There are several ways a skimmer can fail, having cracks in it's structure, bad gaskets or stripped out screw holes are the most common. Remember this is a plastic component and years of sunshine and weather take their toll on them. They become brittle over time and gaskets shrink and dry up.
Replacement Pool Skimmers
The most common time skimmers are replaced is during the pool liner change process. The water is out of the pool making examination and replacement a snap. But if you suspect a leaky skimmer at anytime, you should address it and likely replace it. Because you need to lower the water level in the pool to remove the skimmer just to look at it, my recommendation is to just replace it if you suspect an issue.
