The owners in a residential development are alarmed because the swimming pool is losing water, a lot of water, and the level is dropping noticeably. Be careful. The water being lost always goes somewhere, and it can be quite dangerous, depending on where it is seeping. Quite apart from the cost this uncontrolled loss of water will add to the bill, it can lead to a bigger problem. First, once it has been ruled out that the problem lies with the filtration system or the skimmers, if the leak comes from the pool shell, you must find where the crack is through which the water is escaping. On that basis, we will look at two possibilities:
1.- If the crack is in the bottom of the pool. Water is being lost and, after draining the pool, it has been confirmed that the crack is in the bottom, but the still water level, when the pool was full, ran in line with the mosaic tiles. The pool is perfectly level. The repair may simply consist of applying a special resin to seal the hairline crack or crack found and restoring the mosaic tiles on the bottom.
2.- If the crack is in the wall or walls of the pool. Now you need to check whether the still water level runs in line with the mosaic tile lines. If it does not -on one side of the pool it matches the joint lines, and on the other it gradually deviates until it forms an angle-, that may mean that the pool shell has broken. This break may be due to differential settlement of the shell, which has split. In that case we do not know how far it will continue to break or settle, and filling the pool with water may make the shell break or settle further and cause more damage. The crack must be located, and this is done by draining the pool through the outlet provided for that purpose until we can see the crack and confirm that below that point there are no further losses, and the water is no longer being lost or escaping uncontrollably.
Failing to do so can be very dangerous, because the damage does not end there: the uncontrolled water can reach neighbouring foundations or the building’s own, with a harmful effect on nearby foundations. We advise closing the pool and having a thorough repair carried out by a specialist company.
Liability: In any event, the developer or development company, for 15 years from completion of the property. If the shell has broken due to differential settlement and the pool is included in the design, the Architect may be liable, but only for 10 years. Nevertheless, if you have any questions, please consult us.
Any questions?