Just4fun

My neighbour had a repair guy fix and paint his stairs. (25+year old IG vinyl lined pool, concret deck all 'round') This was done 3 yrs ago. The pool was drained to below the bottom stair tread. The repair guy drilled 3/8" holes in the "flexing stairs" about 4 / step spaced evenly. Thru the holes he sparyed / filled the space below the stairs with expanding foam. the foam expands and oozes out the holes. Told me he had to be careful not to over fill else it could buldge the stairs. Next day, cleans up the holes, then mixed up some Polyester resin and glass fibers, fills the holes. Sands and paints using Gel coat (polyester 2 part paint). The steps are still fairly solid, although i've not been in the pool to test em in the past 2 yrs. Seems a decent solution to me.

Espanola....near Sudbury If your water drops when the pump is running its a pressure leak (from pump to pool). best way to test is 1) make up a couple of fittings one with a car tire/bicycle fill valve. another with a pressure guage and a couple of sealed ends. 2) attach fittings so the line at the filter is closed off; the opens at the jets into the pool will have a fill valve screwed in and the other with the pressure guage and the last one sealed. Fill the line with air 30 psi is good. make note of the pressure if you have a leak it will keep falling and not hold. To find leak a pro uses a pair of heavy listening devices(stethescope like) to hear the air escaping under the deck or if you're lucky, under the sod. You may be able to use an upside down clay pot placed on the deck with the drain hole up and listening carefully for the hisss. If you use high enough air pressure the hiss is quite loud. IF the leak is under the sod, the grass /ground area would be green and wet. Sooo its likely under the concrete. When you find it by listening (moving the pot along the deck from the jet towards the pump.) you'll be able to cut the deck right above the leak. The pipes run along the outside of the pool wall and all gang together when the get close to the filter/pump.

Use your vacuum head (funnel shaped tool) with a plug in the end (where the vacuum hose connects) Use this to seal the top of the skimmer strainer ; just like you would to vacuum. Keeping the 2 openings at the bottom of the skimmer open, the pump will pull water from the second hole (drain opening) to lower the pool. If the seal at the vacuum head is not tight air will draw in the kill your prime. My vacuum head has a rubber gasket and seals well, and has a plug attached for just this reason. Some skimmer kits dont have a "funnel" shaped vacuum head rather a flat tools with a hole, but it still will work if you seal the hole where the hose is connectec.