Winter can be an extremely challenging time for pools and pool owners. From worrying about structural damage, to fixing broken pipes in freezing weather, there are many things that can go wrong in the off-season. And if you have an above ground pool, you know how difficult it can be to protect your beloved pool in winter. In this article, we discuss how to prevent and fix above ground pool ice damage.
Iceberg in Your Pool
Above ground pool walls are cold, like an ice cube tray, and the ice sheet grows very fast and thick. Inground pools have soil surrounding the walls, which gives both support and temperature regulation.
As water turns to ice, it expands 9%, putting pressure on the pool walls as it expands outward. Using an air pillow under a tight pool cover is crucial to prevent ice and pressure buildup.
In addition, the water level in your pool supports the floating sheet of ice, as it presses up against your pool walls and liner. If the pool develops a leak, the heavy ice sheet can scrape down the sides of the pool wall as it falls, shredding a pool liner.
Skimmer Wall Buckled:
When the water level in the pool drops even an inch, the ice sheet will also drop. If the ice is frozen into the inside of the skimmer, this can cause serious damage to the pool. Using a skimmer cover will keep thick ice from freezing into the inside of the skimmer, which can crumple the wall below the skimmer.
Alternatively, you can use a Gizzmo type skimmer guard. A skimmer guard works like an air pillow by absorbing ice expansion. But instead of protecting the pool walls, it protects your skimmer walls from the outward expansion of ice. Without a skimmer guard, a plugged skimmer can easily crack from freeze damage, requiring replacement.
Above Ground Wall Collapse:
If an above ground pool leaks while the winter pool cover is frozen solid into the ice sheet, either the cover will rip, or the pool walls will collapse inward. This is why air pillows are so vital for above ground pools. When used properly, they will prevent ice from freezing solid under the pool cover. You will need enough air pillows to cover about 10% of the pool surface area. The unfrozen area under the air pillows allows the ice to expand slightly inward, instead of expanding outward against the walls.
Pool Cover Ice Damage:
But what about a giant ice sheet on top of the pool cover? Usually the pool cover will fail first, unless the pool has serious structural damage and weak supports. A heavy ice sheet on the cover can also develop sharp edges as it thaws, which can cut the pool cover. This is why using a cover pump is so important for above ground pools. Cover pumps prevent rain and snow melt from building up on the cover, which can damage the cover and pool. 1–2 inches of water is not concerning, but an excessive amount of water can eventually freeze on top of the cover.
Use your cover pump regularly to keep the pool cover drained, or even better an automatic pool cover pump, so you don’t have to think about it during winter. We have several automatic cover pumps, the 350 GPH Ocean Blue, the 1200 GPH Water Wizard, and the 1800 GPH AquaPro cover pump, all feature automatic shut-offs when the cover pumping is complete.
Snow Damage to Above Ground Pools
A foot of snow covering the entire surface of a 24′ round pool can weigh over 9,000 pounds. Walls may bend or bow at the weakest point, or uprights can buckle. But the biggest worry may not be wall problems, but pool liner ice damage. The weight of snow and ice on top of the remaining water in the pool increases the pressure, and can cause tiny weepers in a pool liner to open up into full-on leakers.
Now we have real problems, because when the water leaks out, it no longer supports the ice sheet above it. When the ice sheet falls suddenly, it can rip the liner or damage the pool wall.
Pool ice sheet slips and falls: Even when the water runs out beneath the block of ice, a pool ice sheet can be stuck hard to the edges around the pool, and become suspended above the water, wall to wall, with open space between the ice and the pool water. Then the ice begins to melt. Shrinking around the edges first, the ice sheet slips, and falls to the water level.
However, it won’t usually fall straight down to the water. Large sheets of ice on a pool often fall unevenly, at jagged angles to the pool wall and pool liner.
A 6″ sheet of ice on a 24′ round pool can weigh over 6 tons, and with sharp icy edges that can rip a pool liner, you can understand why this may be your largest winter worry about your above ground pool – leaking water in a pool with a large ice sheet on the surface.
Leaking Winter Pools
Water leaks are not only a nuisance in the swimming season, but they actually are much more mischievous and detrimental in the winter months. Without the water level in the pool to support the ice sheet above it, a leaking pool can be damaged from the ice sheet when it falls or shifts. Under the cover, ice will form because of freezing pool water. Ice will also form on top of the cover from snow and ice accumulation. If the pool water beneath the ice sheet was to drain out, the support for the ice is gone. In both situations, the ice will settle where gravity takes it and the only thing standing in its way is your pool walls and pool liner.
A leaking pool can also cause extensive damage to the above ground pool’s frame. While the pool is covered, if you notice the cover sinking into the pool (from a leak in the vinyl liner) and/or there is visual stress where the cover meets the top rail, we suggest releasing the cover into the pool. This will relieve the stress and tension on the cover that can cause a collapse. If you are able to detect even a slight leak during the swimming season, take every step possible to fix any leak before closing the pool.
Ice & Snow Repairs to Above Ground Pools
Wall damage may seem irreparable, and in some cases it is – but in other cases, there are methods for repairing an above ground pool damaged by snow and ice.
Since most above ground pool walls come in a continuous roll of sheet metal, you can’t usually just order a new panel, unless the damaged area is a separate stainless steel panel used for the skimmer and return, which is not very common.
Straightening Pool Walls:
You can usually straighten out most bent and buckled steel walls and uprights. All you need is lumber and a large hammer or maul. Lower the water in the pool to a point below the damage, and pull the liner away from the wall. Have a helper hold a large kicker – heavy 6×6 lumber nailed into a triangle shape, on the inside of the pool, while you hammer on the outside. Heavy blows will flatten the wall, remove the creases, and restore the wall to full height.
In cases where the pool wall is bent, bowed or buckled, you can use full wall height sheet metal pieces, ‘glued and screwed’ in place, on the inside of the wall. Duct tape the wall repair sheet edges and cover with Wall Foam, before reinstalling the pool liner.
Pool Wall Repair Panels:
The best sheet metal pieces for wall repair are called ‘Flats’, don’t bother with the 12″ wide roll sheet metal, it’s not very strong. Find a 48″ tall flat sheet of Galvanized Steel with thickness of 20-30 Gauge. Securing a full height piece is more work, but will add strength to the area, and give you better odds for a successful pool wall repair. Find these online, or at your local metal supply company.
Fixing Buckled Pool Walls:
On crumpled or bent pool walls, first bang out the bumps with the method described above, to restore the wall to full height *important*.
Skimmer holes and return holes can be drilled and cut out if needed. Secure with Liquid Nails, followed by small rivets or screws every 3″ on both sides, and then duct tape the edges. Finish with a layer of Wall Foam over the area, or around the entire pool wall.
Preventing Ice & Snow Damage
- Always use an Air Pillow under winter pool covers.
- If the pool leaks during winter, release the pool cover.
- Remove snow buildup on top of the pool – carefully.
- Use skimmer closures like Skimmer Plug, to protect your skimmer, and wall.
- Use a good pool cover pump to keep the ice sheet thin.
This winter has been tough on above ground pools, I hope this post answered your questions about your particular situation.
Hello! I am having our pool installed right now! We also are going to build a deck. We are considering a deck completely around the pool so that we can have a safety cover. I am not sure which cover is best. I live in Michigan and everything freezes during the winter. Should I stick with a regular pool cover with the air pillows? What about mesh? Will the pool water level become too high and pour over the sides of the pool after all of the rain and melted snow? I am going to use a skimmer plug. Is it best to keep the water level or drain below the skimmer if using a mesh cover? Should I use a solid or hybrid regular cover AND a safety cover? I am going to have the deck built depending upon if I use a safety cover or not. Thank you so much:-)
Gina
A solid safety cover without drain panels would be best both in terms of not filling the pool with water (under the cover) and for protecting the water from algae. Plus they are safe, and they last for years and are virtually indestructable. Avoid the mesh covers for aboveground pools (i.e. Enviromesh) but if you don’t do a complete surround pool deck, use a solid winter cover, the best are the Ultimate 3000 covers, although you will have to drain some water from the inside when it gets too full. Otherwise the regular solid winter pool covers, no need to use a cover in addition to the safety cover, if you go that route. Air Pillow – yes, that prevents the pool from forming a solid sheet of ice across the surface, which puts pressure on the walls. Skimmer plug also good idea, but disconnect the skimmer hose also, just in case it leaks or rain seeps in from the skimmer lid. You can put the water just below the skimmer, 1-2 inches.
Why is the bottom 6″ of my pool wall is curved to the outside so it pop out of the base track ? I will have to replace the wall and liner this spring.
Mario, I’m not sure why, perhaps an ice sheet formed in the bottom of the pool, if the water had become very low?
My above ground pool skimmer buckled over the winter and the pool is not even a year old, is there anything I can do to save the pool? The last pool I had (from the same company) lasted me over 15 years with no problem until last year when I ordered this new pool.
Hi Sandy, you may be able to rescue the pool. (I Hope So!) The wall crumples can be banged out, like dents in a car, but you need some heavy hammers and 6×6 boards and strong arms. It’s quite a bit of disassembly too, pull back the liner, remove the skimmer, etc. It can be easier if you actually take the pool down and lay that wall section horizontal, to really bang it flat. Otherwise, you could order a new wall panel section and carefully disassemble the entire pool, and erect a new pool wall in place, assembling everything. Lots of expense and time, etc. But still less than buying the entire pool. Good luck!
My problem is the frozen ground due too much fall rain has pushed the legs up on the above ground pool. Not sure how much damage that will cause.
Hi Debby, I have seen that before, when one side of the yard traps more water, and then ‘Frost Heave’ lifts up the ground on one side of the pool, which in some cases can crumple or dent a pool wall and/or upright posts, and in other cases, when the ground thaws, the pool settles back into place with very little noticeable damage, if you are lucky. It might be worth doing some drainage work in the yard, to channel away excess rain water, using swales, french drains, or actual drains in the yard (that’s what I have at home). If the wall is crumpled, you can use 2×4’s and a sledge hammer to work out some of the bumps (pulling back the liner first).
This was the first winter that I have used a skimmer plug and it seems to work good. But the problem is that we got about 70 mm of rain a couple of weeks ago that I was not able to pump off and than flash froze that night. I now have my frozen pool filled up right to the rim. Any suggestion on what I can or should do before it for damage
Thanks Jorge
Jorge; the only thing to do is wait for it to thaw. It will thaw first underneath the ice, so when it becomes thin enough, break the surface and you can then set your Cover Pump in to begin pumping off the melted water. It may then freeze again before it all melts and is pumped off, but wait again and repeat the process. For aboveground pools, an Air Pillow should be used, to compensate for the ice expansion.
Thank you so much for this informative article. Although I grew up with a pool and worked as a lifeguard I am now a proud owner of a pool myself. Much like many things in my new house that the previous owner neglected, the pool is not exception. For example, they never drained the filter for winter which led me to replacing the stack and laterals after the old ones gave the pool a sandy bottom.
Last winter I noticed a my winter cover slowly dropping and by the time I opened it in May there was a foot of water left. I did find a quarter size rip in the liner summer and promptly patched it. This winter the water dropped substantially quicker and led to the winter cover collapsing into pool itself which is a good thing I suppose according to your post. I recently blogged about this on my blog stemvalue.com as I was hoping to get some feedback.
I am curious as to what happened as I searched all summer for tares and found only the one. Also, the cover collapsed in December and there wasn’t much ice or snow yet, but it was a very wet fall. It seems like I lost 2.5 feet in 2 months. It certainly is a mystery to me.
Hi Drew, if you were using a cover pump to pump off rain water, a small hole in the pool cover could pump water out of the pool, thru the hole and thru the pump. The only other possibility is a small leak in the pool, which goes unnoticed in the summer, with rain refilling the pool. Loose return plugs could also be a reason, if water was dribbling out of the return line.
We got a new pool 2 years ago and the pool company that sold us the pool had there guys install it. We are noticing that the outer seam of the pool, not the liner, but the metal seam, all of the screws or rivets are starting to be seen and push though the liner, it has not caused a hole or leaks yet but pool company is basically saying nothing they can do. Any suggestions??? Or idea how to fix that?? It’s our 1st pool and I don’t know where to start.
Hi Josh, that can be considered normal. Any bumps or lumps in the wall or floor will tend to show thru the liner, when lighting is right. When you replace the liner in the future, you can use wall foam, which will hide the rivet bumps.
Hi!
We live in upstate NY (IDK why I thought a pool would be a great idea, but I digress lol) In the fall, we lower the water about 4 inches below the skimmer, detach everything, put an innertube in the middle of the pool, tied on 4 sides, cover with a winter cover, strapped down with that plastic coated wire and use gallon milk jugs around the pool as a just in case. We use a pool pump to remove water that has collected til the snow comes. When the snow melts, we pump that off as well and continue until we open the pool. When we opened the pool this year, there was maybe 2 feet of water in the pool. Walked all around, checked the ground, nothing was saturated. Liner looks ok, no bubbles on bottom or sides that we could tell. The skimmer pot was cracked, which isn’t unusual, we’ve replaced that 3 times so far but da heck happened and do we need to be concerned? Walls are definitely solid, no crinkle anywhere. ugh
Hi Gina, thanks for the comment – so the water level is only 2 ft now, and where did it all go?!? It either was pumped out thru holes in the cover, by a cover pump – or the liner has a leak somewhere. It can happen also, that during winter when there is a solid sheet of ice in the pool a foot thick, that it places more pressure on very small holes in the vinyl, and they leak more than normally. Especially if the cover is also full of frozen water. So, you may have a small leak in the vinyl. If not that, assuming your skimmer and return line plugs were not leaking, the other possibility is the return and skimmer wall gaskets, or any other purpose-ful cuts in the liner that are gasketed. By the wall, if the skimmer keeps cracking, you may just disconnect the pipe, or leave the pump drain plug out, or seal the lid with plastic, or use a skimmer Gizzmo, or use the Aquador aka Skimmer Plug, lots of ways to protect the skimmer from cracking. Cracks in skimmers can also be repaired (for a while) with pool putty.
Hello. I have a slice in my liner along the floor seam that is above the visible seam and along the where the overlap flap and liner come together about 1 inch above the visible seam. Do you think this would be covered under warranty? The pool installer thinks this may be ice damage but it is in the bottom of the pool and it occurred in early January in the northeast NY. There would have had to have been a 4′ of ice in the pool by that time which I find very hard to believe. Is this type of separation typical? They are sending it to the manufacturer but am curious. Thanks
Hi Ben, I agree about the ice, most pools will freeze 6-12″ thick in northern states, but never down to the floor. Not a typical separation, and if it is a slice next to the lap weld seam, but not actually a separation of the lap weld seam, then likely not covered under warranty. Sometimes while cleaning a pool, or using the pool, a sharp object can cut the liner… that would be the most likely cause… liners don’t just ‘split’ in odd places, well sometimes they do, when they are very old, but up along the high wall, not on the floor. Good Luck!
We just took over a small pool company last year. A pool we installed early last year and closed last fall has had the skimmer wall buckle. Is this a manufacturer’s wall defect, or our issue because we didn’t use an air pillow or skimmer plug? We’re in Ohio and it was VERY cold this year. Previous owner said it’s only happened two other times in the past 10 years.
Hey pool guy – let’s review, a thick ice sheet had frozen solid across the pool, and right into the skimmer. Then, the pool lost water level, under the ice sheet, causing it to fall at any angle, and because the ice sheet was like frozen solid into the skimmer, it caused the wall upright to buckle, or more specifically the skimmer wall panel is buckled. Is that what happened? An Air Pillow would have kept the pool from freezing solid across, and a Skimmer Plug, like the AquaDor or Lid’l Skimmer – snap on faceplate covers or plugs that block the front opening into the skimmer, would also prevent the ice from extending into the skimmer – so either should have been used. Ohio is always very cold, every winter – not exactly a sunbelt state! 🙂
Hi, we purchased a pool 3 years ago going into the 2nd season we discovered a leak. They replaced the liner now again this winter the pool is leaking and half the water gone. The previous pool we had lasted 8 years no problem. Bad liners or poor installation. It seemed fine till we put the cover on. Yes with a pillow and we are in NC so no snow just alot of rain. Any suggestions
Hi Joanne, sometimes a run of bad luck can cause liner holes. Here’s some other possibilities, 1. When the pool cover has collected a lot of rain, it pushes the water under the cover, up higher so that it leaks out an (unplugged) wall return, skimmer, or even over the top of the pool wall, or… 2. If your pool cover has holes near the cover pump, water can be pulled thru the holes and be pumped out… or 3. A loose plug on a wall return fitting, can cause water loss on an abg pool. If none of that pans out, then remove the cover and look closely for a leak source. try not to disturb the water too much, and you may see bits of debris gathered near and stuck into, the hole(s) in the liner. FInd it an patch it with Andersons Leak Sealer or EZ Patch 28, two ‘goop’ type of vinyl liner repair sealants.
I have a above ground pool. This past fall, we had a large amount of rain that filled my pool to the extent that it was over flowing the top rails. Then it froze before I was able to drain it again below the slimmer. I figured I would leave it alone and hope for the best. This week we had a large snow storm. The snow is about 16” above the side rails. I notice now that there is iscles forming from the skimmer. I had used a skimmer cover as well as covered the top. The water is leaking from the side skimmer cover. What can I do to stop the water? I don’t want the pool water level to drop slicing my liner. There is a lot of snow on the pool that willeventually melt and add additional weight. Any ideas?
Hi Tom, that is quite a situation. I would start by carefully removing most of the snow with a plastic shovel, being careful not to puncture the cover. Then get a cover pump placed on the cover, all set-up and ready to go, so all you have to do is plug it in, or if an automatic cover pump, it is left plugged in all the time. For the skimmer, you may have to replace it come spring, or small cracks can be mended with Pool Putty. Be ready when it warms up (this weekend?) and start pumping, under the ice sheet, as it melts.
Does it make a difference if it is a mesh cover? If I start pumping from the cover, it’s going to start lowering water level and possibly slicing liner.
Yes, I see the concern, you don’t want to pump out beneath an ice sheet, or the water won’t be able to support it, and it can fall, and harm the liner, skimmer or wall. But if it did start to melt on top somewhat, i guess you could chip out an area to set the pump, and try to pump off as it thaws?
I have a 15ft Intex above ground pool. I have an air pillow but no cover. The air pillow seems to have a leak and now has only half the air in it. It’s now frozen into the center of the pool. We are going to have freezing temps for the next week or so. Can I try to break up some of the ice and remove it so I can install a new air pillow?
Hi Kyle, the cold temps will cause air pillows to shrink somewhat, but if still half inflated it could be doing the job, that is to keep the area beneath the pillow unfrozen, which allows space for surface ice to expand into. BTW, I’m not sure if an Intex pool really needs an air pillow? Being that the walls are flexible… especially when only 15′ dia? Not sure, I also may not advise to break up the ice, unless it is very thin, because jagged edges could (?) puncture the side of the pool, unless you were very precise and careful.
Hello, we have not had much snow up here in the Northeast this year. Last week I noticed that my pools water level which is frozen/underneath cover is starting to push up near the outside edges/ wall line. I checked the ice level and started to chip away and found that it is about 7 inches think on top about half way from the wall to the pillow. The weird thing is the closet part of the pool cover which faces the sun has no ice on it. I’m just trying to figure out how the ice underneath is starting to push up. Should I start to remove the ice on top? Is the ice on top getting to heavy and pushing in on the center water causing the ice underneath to push up?
Hi Mikey; sounds like the ice, which expands 9%, has met the pool wall, and cannot expand laterally, so it is expanding vertically, on the edges. Ice on top of a solid cover can also raise the water level in the pool, or ice in the center only, will raise water level near the edges. Don’t try to remove the ice, but be ready when it thaws, with a pool cover pump to remove the water on top of the cover.
Hi!
We closed our above ground pool this fall and placed one of those skimmer plates/plugs at the skimmer opening. It is still in place but it seems as though water has escaped a bit and filled the skimmer and it is now frozen solid. I understand that I might have to replace my skimmer come spring if it cracks, I am just hoping it won’t crumple the wall. I am hoping that since the skimmer plate is still in place that I won’t have to worry about the ice sheet problem since it’s not a complete block of ice from the pool into the skimmer. Thoughts?
Hi Kris, yes correct, most damage occurs when the ice sheet is solid across the pool and into the skimmer, 3-4″ thick – then, if the water level leaks from the pool, the ice sheet can fall, and crumple a wall (its’ rare). In your case, the skimmer well is filled with water, but not solid into the skimmer? If the skimmer is not already cracked, you can prop up a hair dryer to work on the ice, to melt it enough where you can pull it out. then use a Gizmo or empty bottle half full of gravel or pebbles, or pool antifreeze, to absorb the ice expansion, should the skimmer well fill up again. You can also seal up the skimmer lid (the top cover) with a grocery store bag or piece of plastic, to keep out rain
I have an Intex above ground pool and live in Mn. Unfortunate circumstances had us out of town and came back to 2″ of ice on top and leaves underneath. We bought a submersible heater but to fir the 5000 gallons of water to fill pool. How can we dissolve that ice so we can drain the pool and pack it away. And is it safe to move the pool 30 yards to a heated garage to pack away without cutting or tearing the liner because of freezing temps?? HELP
Is there a way to use a air pillow when your not covering the pool ?
Hi Justin, yes, you can use thin rope or twine to secure it tightly to the surface. Placing weights on the corners will help it stay put, but nothing that will rust – You could fill small milk or juice jugs with pea gravel. Or you could use the Spider cover saver, and adhesive or Velcro, to hold the pillow in place.
I live in Maine and have a crestwood pool and upon returning from spending the month of March in a Florida I noticed the water level had dropped about 7 inches. While we were away Maine had 4 northeaster and I am sure the liner had a heavy load of snow. In the 2 month I have been home the water level has not changed. Is it possible when the ice dropped some of the water escaped thru the skimmer or do you think I have a I have a tear. Crestwood pools are a different design than the ones depicted in your photos.
Hi Susan, when there is a large load of snow and ice on the pool, it will push down on the water level, raising the pool water level higher, which can then escape out of an unplugged skimmer, or even leak out of the skimmer top, or lid. Heavy snow and ice can also press down heavily on the water, which can open up small leaks into larger noticeable leaks, as theorized below on other comments. So, it could be either, cannot tell you if your liner is torn or not, you’ll have to check that yourself! 🙂
When i opened pool yesterday inground 16 32 22,000 gal I had a thin layer of scum on the pool wall from bottom to the water line it was about 1/32 thick. I had this happen last year. I broomed the walls and it looked like opaque lil sheets best idea of what it looked like was when you peel your skin form a sum burn. I flocked and this morning everything is settled.
I check to make sure when I close that all levels are perfect I use a winterizing kit designed for a 35 000 gal pool any ideas what is causing this
Hi Chris, that could be some kind of algae or mold, not sure what – it could be caused by some contamination during the winter. Next year, pull the cover back a little bit – a few weeks to a month before opening, and add more algaecide, or chlorine to the pool and you can likely prevent or reduce the effect next year.
We live in the Northeast, in New York. We close our 24 foot round above the ground pool every September. The past two years when it gets to January/February or pool loses so much water there is like less then a foot of water in the pool. In April we fill up the pool expecting a leak in the liner , but didn’t have one. The pool operated great throughout the summer with normal levels of sun evaporation. Well it happened again this past winter, and again filled up the pool and to this day in May , no leaks. Because we had snow on the ground we couldn’t feel the ground to see any extra wet areas on the grass. We checked during the spring and summer, and no extra wetness anywhere. Why is this happening New have owned an above the ground pool for 14 years, and this pool liner is four years old . Where is the water going and why. Thank you.
Hello Eileen, I have heard this same exact story at least a dozen times this year (and not in years before). My theory is that the weight of a thick ice sheet on the surface, and a heavy snow load increases the pressure on the water in the pool, which opens up tiny weepers into large leakers – small pinholes that go unnoticed during summer, but open up enough to leak during winter. Just a theory, but otherwise stumped as to the cause – except for cases where a pool cover pump has pumped out pool water thru a hole(s) in the pool cover…
Hello,
We had a ton of snow recently in Minnesota and when I took the pool cover off the bottom of the pool had a ton of tears in it. It was full this fall when I winterized it and now all the water is in the yard. I have never seen anything like this. What do you think it is?
Hi Josh, could be that the liner was in poor condition (?), and the heavy weight of snow opened up small holes into larger tears? Just a theory, another one is small insects under the liner? Or nutgrass? Or could be chemical damage from bits of chlorine that fell out of a floater? Or other chemicals added at closing perhaps, weakening the liner in that area, and then the weight of the snow, and ice, pushing down on the water – lots of pressure…
Hi Davy, just want to know what is the average life span of an above ground pool? We purchased our pool in 1999 and put it up that spring. Its still up and running again this year (2018). I’m wondering how many more years you think we may have before we have to rip her apart. We had hail damage the one year we decided not to cover it which resulted in having to purchase a new liner. Of course we have replace the pump and the filter housing and little parts and o-rings here and there but overall it’s been a good pool.
Hi Lori, there are many ‘grades’ of aboveground pools – economy and basic, or deluxe and supreme, etc… The top of the line pools could possibly last 40 years, but the bottom of the line may go in 10 years. What usually ‘goes’ is the bottom rail and the bottom of the walls, they begin to rust, and eventually buckle. Better grade pools use stronger steel and more protection, or no steel at all and use heavy polymer plastics. The average aboveground pool probably lasts about 20 years, just a guess. Some longer, some shorter. Many times it befalls some calamity like a tree branch, or a lawnmower or teenagers… 🙂
Hello,
Live way up in Northern NY …winters feature lots of snow and ice. We had a new 21′ pool professionally installed and then same people closed pool last Fall. Just discovered skimmer unit has dropped about 2′ tearing pool wall and liner…looks like the cable from leaf net cover might be holding skimmer in place. Picture looks almost identical to 2nd one posted on this blog…same pool I think. The pool is a block of ice,the walls appear to be holding for now but some slight buckling … leaf net cover cable is holding …very tight. Any suggestions/thoughts about what to do now and in the future to prevent this problem would be appreciated? I do have a call into pool company, they don’t open for another week. Thank you.
Hi Carl, sorry to hear about this! The prevention for this horrible problem would be – first would be to use an air pillow (or two) under the cover, to prevent a solid sheet of ice. Another good solution is to use the Skimmer Plug (or Aquador), snap-on skimmer covers that prevents the skimmer from filling with water, and prevents ice in the skimmer. Third thing is to keep the pool cover pumped off, so that the water level on top of the cover does not raise the water level under the cover, pushing it into the skimmer. Disconnecting the skimmer hose or pipe can also be a way to keep ice from forming in the skimmer well, water that enters will simply run out.
Hi I have an above ground pool and didn’t use an air pillow
I was told to drain the pool below the return jet. But after reading all this I’m worried about the stress this winter may have put on the walls. No oblivious signs of concern right now and I have tried to shovel the snow off the cover
Should I be worried and next year should I drain less water out of the pool
Thanks
Hi Monte, the pictures on this page are frightening, and my tone is dire, however – not all pools will be damaged if an air pillow is not used. Some very strong ABG pools can withstand some ice expansion, but – the other reason to use an air pillow is to prevent ice sheet issues, if a leak occurs during the winter. If you have no leak, and you don’t see any damage to the outside walls that is good. If you kept your cover pumped off properly, that is also very important, so pat yourself on the back there. You can drain the water below the return jet not a problem, but plug the jets so water won’t continue to run out the return jet during winter. Some people keep the pool very full, or drain it to the bottom of the skimmer, the put on the skimmer cover plate, and plug the return jet, then drain the hoses and filter system, and store it inside (if small and portable).
I am currently experiencing the same problem as everyone else here. I live in Iowa. Lots of snow and ice this year. My walls are buckling and lost water. Some of the support posts are even slightly bent. Is there any saving this? My pool is only two years old so I would really hate to loose it! My other question is there anything I can do right now or do we have to wait until spring?
Hi Amber, sorry to hear about the troubles. If the pool wall and uprights are only slightly bent or buckled, it can be straightened out. Perhaps a handyman service can do it for you if you don’t want to DIY try ~ it will never get bent back perfectly normal again, but can be brought up close to the original height (important), with large bends, bows and buckles removed. Plant a fast growing bush, and you may forget all about it. To reform the wall, it takes a heavy back plate and a heavy mallet, but it is just sheet metal, so it can be reformed. A special ‘kicker’ is built of heavy lumber with a steel plate if possible, and mounted on a skid of sorts, so two people can stand on it, or you can block it with something really heavy, to keep it from moving, and then you hit the other side of the wall with a big maul or hammer. The uprights require a little more finesse, with some special forms used to restore shape. An auto body guy could probably do this job too. I would expect a hefty price to hire this job out, perhaps $1000 or more, but if you find the right person for the job – remember this is not a job anyone has done before, so experience is not a factor, but if they seem confident, it can be done. So I’d start looking for a person now, or if you want to try DIY, start assembling ideas to construct a kicker, and carry out the surgery, sometime in early spring. Go 3-4 weeks before normal opening, to give yourself ample time to get it done before warm weather hits.
I have an above ground pool in Ontario Canada, and recently my pool wall has crumpled in, creased, and torn, presumably due to ice damage (the liner is also torn and most of the water seems to have leaked out of the pool onto my lawn). The damage is in and around the skimmer area for the most part.
I’ve “released” my winter cover from the cords I had holding it to the pool so it’s not pulling on the the pool walls or outside posts so as to hopefully avoid any additional damage, since it seems like most of the water has now leaked out, and at this point I am probably looking at a new liner anyway.
Do you think it would be possible to repair this in the spring by hammering the bent and creased sections of the wall straight, and then patching the “torn” parts with pieces of sheet metal? It looks horrific, but the rest of the pool is great so I would really hate to have to replace my whole pool as a result of this one section. There does not appear to be any damage to the outside posts, top rail or tracks from what I can tell.
Hi James, the area around the skimmer always seems to take a beating more than other parts of the wall, because an ice sheet can flow inside of the skimmer, and because of the cut-out for the skimmer and the weight of the skimmer, it’s just more ‘flexible’ in that spot I guess. As to your question, if the torn area does not affect wall structural support, then it can be fixed. As you describe, carefully hammer the wall sections back in place, hammering against a large, heavy flat surface. Then you can patch holes with sheet metal, using liquid nails and duct tape, and pop rivets if available to you. Your steel patch material can actually be quite thick and tall, find online in sheets. You can cover in Wall Foam to mask the edge or bump0out of the panel. If needed for structural integrity, patch on both sides of the pool wall.
Ontario, Canada. It is an above ground, the liner ripped about a month ago and the cover which is new this winter has sunken deeper into the pool because the water lost. It looks like it is stretching from the weight of the snow. Should we remove the cover? It was “specially” made for Canadian winters and it is VERY securely attached to the outside posts. I am nervous the posts & sides will break under the weight of the snow. What do I do?
Hi Lydia, probably better to just remove the cover at this point. Usually the cover will break before the pool will, but you are correct to think that when the cover is not supported by a high-enough water level, it pulls on and stresses the pool uprights. And even if nothing breaks, it could cause some damage. So remove the cover and find the leak. If it looks patchable, then on a 50+F degree day, patch the leak and fill the pool again and then re-cover the pool (don’t forget to us an Air Pillow). Or, keep the cover off and don’t add water, just add a little chlorine shock and brush and skim the pool each week as needed to keep the water clean and clear. If the liner needs to be replaced, or that’s the plan, you don’t have to worry about keeping it clean and chlorinated
Hi
my above ground pool is going through its 3rd winter, first 2 were no problem. I have just noticed the support legs and walls have lifted 3 inches off the ground on one side only. The other side is still sitting flat on the ground as it should be. Any suggestions?
Hi Rob, what may have happened, (just guessing without looking at it), is the ground may have had ‘Frost Heave’, when saturated soils expand and lift heavy objects like concrete slabs, and even small pools. When the ground resettled, the pool stayed in a raised position. I’m surprised that the water weight did not force it back down on its own… maybe when you fill the pool up in spring it will resettle, might need to have a few heavy people to lean on the top rails at the same time, lol. If the supports (aka uprights) are crumpled or bent that could be the problem, or why it’s not settled, and I imagine the bottom rail is bent or crimped at two points, on both sides, where the raising ends. Or another route is to drain the pool, dissasemble, to bend straight the bent metal again, or replace (lots of work). Or just throw sand under the raised side, lol, I’m kidding. Good Luck!
Noticed my pool level dropped down to about 2 ft above the ground. Weve had a weird thaw freeze cycle this year. Im guessing I have a monster leak somewhere to cause 3 ft plus water loss. It’s frozen solid now so I cannot tell.
Hi Kevin, the ice sheet that forms could be the culprit, as it thaws, and freezes and thaws, edges can be come sharp, or trap sharp sticks, both of which can rip the liner. When it thaws, pull off the cover and get at it >>>!
My AGP has one side of it bowing in and the bottom, in the worst spot it has pulled over an inch from the dirt/rock around it and away from he upright, causing the wall to come off the track/rail at the bottom. Will I be able to fix this? Im in MN and we are completely FROZEN here for a long time, but its been a VERY cold winter. This is the pools 3rd winter.
Hi Sheri, good question. It is possible to fix such things. Drain pool, pull liner over to one side, and then use supports under the top rail, (piece of wood to keep it raised its full height), then use a block of lumber and a maul (small sledge) to bang the wall straight again, against the wood. Once the metal is bent straight, get it stuffed back into the bottom track, after cleaning the track, or repairing it if needed – add shims or side supports as needed in that area. If wall is tender, you can improve strength by tacking on a piece of sheet metal, over top of the wall, a long 6-12″ wide strip the height of the entire wall, glued onto the wall with construction adhesive, tape over edges with duct tape. Then pull the liner back over and reconnect it, set with a vacuum to remove wrinkles and fill the pool back up. Good luck!
New Jersey. I have been noticing water dripping out of the skimmer even though I had put a skimmer plug on the inside of the pool. I also just noticed a rip in the top of the cover. There was a pool pillow but I think that deflated after the first week. The ice on the top keeps freezing and defrosting on the warmer days. Is there anything I can do at this point or do I just leave it and wait until spring?
Hi Jessica, if the filter hose is disconnected from the skimmer, you can pull out the skimmer plug, and let the water drain down to the skimmer level (although it’s best not to drain water underneath the pool footings, but to attach a hose or lay plastic on the ground, to channel the water away from the pool). If the water dripping is in a crack in the skimmer, usually these can be fixed with Pool Putty, or for severe damage, a new skimmer is bolted in place. For the cover, when the water thaws enough, replace the air pillow, place it underneath the tear or rip, to elevate it above the water, then pump off the pool cover with a cover pump. I would do it as soon you can, and not wait too long. 🙂
A combination of an iceberg and a hurricane wind storm totally ripped my liner and water level is down considerably – hard to tell as it’s still like an iceberg. My question is what should I do to stop the walls from collapsing should the remaining ice melt and possibly completely empty? It’s still in the 20’s here in CT so I doubt anyone would/could change a liner this time of year.
Hi Ed, not much you can do I’m afraid. But most of the water that will leak out should have leaked out, because as the ice melts, the water will replace the ice at roughly the same rate. Most damage to pool walls occurs when the water leaks out rapidly below a solid sheet of ice, then the ice sheet falls, usually at an angle, ripping the liner. Or when the ice sheet is frozen into the skimmer well, and the ice sheet falls, collapsing the skimmer wall. You have probably seen all the damage you are gonna see… hopefully! And yes, no liner replacements in CT until april!
I have a oval above ground pool. When I winterized, I dropped the water level, used pillows and the covered it with a mesh cover. We have had a unseasonable wet fall. My pool filled up to nearly overflowing. It is also now frozen. How do I drain water without ripping my liner? Can my pool survive more weight of snow and ice?
Hi Tom, don’t drain or lower the water level with an ice sheet on top, as you may imagine, the ice sheet will slip and fall, which can damage the walls or liner. All you can do is wait – until the weather warms up again enough to melt the ice sheet, then you can use a small pump or siphon to lower the water level. It’s one reason I am not a fan of the mesh abg pool covers. Your pool will likely be OK however. And if it does warm up for a week, it may melt enough to be able to lower the water. Thanks, good question!
Thanks for getting back to me regarding the water levels and ice now in my pool. The water from additional rain has now put the water coming over the top rails down the outside of pool. Ice is frozen around inside. How much more weight can the pool hold? It’s only December and have a long winter still ahead of me. I’m concerned about it collapsing or ripped liner(which I just replaced in July).
Hi Tom, I understand your worry, yet the risk of lowering the water level at this point may be more than doing nothing, until the ice sheet becomes very thin. Ice actually weighs a bit less than an equal amount of water, so it’s not the weight that is a concern but the expansion of the ice. Since you used air pillows, that should absorb most of the outward expansion, by creating a non-frozen area near the center of the pool, air pillows are sometimes called ice compensators. Anyway, if you are in the great white north and don’t expect thaw for many months, you could try a pond heater, available online, not sure how effective it may be though. If a pond heater and/or enough warm days can shrink the ice sheet to under 1/2″ thick, you could break it up by hand and remove the big pieces near the edge, then quickly lower the water level with a submersible pump. The concern with just lowering the water level without doing that is that sharp edges of a thawing ice sheet could puncture the liner or fall against the pool wall – which is why a leaking and winterized abg pool is a concern, no support of the water under an ice sheet. An opposite issue to what you are experiencing, but related.