Leak around pipe in pool

Coolaholigah

hello all and hopefully thanks in advance. I have a long term problem with the spot where a pvc pipe joins a pool. The builder was very good and we worked together well but he has passed away now after a long illness and I couldn’t bother him or his familyThe pool is fibreglass lined but there seems to have always been a leak where this pipe joins even though the fibreglass seems to have been wrapped around the join. The pool is actually on the first floor so the leak goes thru 200mm of concrete and into a room unfortunately. If it was in the ground it wouldn’t matter.

so, after a few other things failed, the builder fibreglassed over this section but unfortunately I think there was a tiny lip where it joined the tiles and the leak continued, smaller, but still there. (I removed that fibreglass ‘cover’ before taking photo.) I removed the single tile at the right to check whether the fibreglass went under there, which it seems to, or whether it was another layer the builder had put on. I can’t tell where the leak is exactly. Maybe at the couple of chips you can see in the photo (or maybe I made those chips removing the ‘cover’). Maybe where the fibreglass seems a bit thinner at the bottom. It is impossible to tell.

so, how to permanently fix this? I feel fibreglass to the tiles as the builder did has the potential for a lip again. I feel fibreglass should smooth or blend in over the top of the other fibreglass. I could remove another row of tiles without it being very visible
does anyone have any suggestions? Could I do a fibreglass patch myself with zero experience working with fibreglass. If a professional would be better what type of pro is it? Surfboard repairer?

it is not a huge pool, maybe 12,000 litres but at the bottom so maximum pressure for a small pool. Also, the pipe is not necessary for the function or safety of the pool so it is ok to block it off.

sorry such a long post but I thought detail most helpful

thanks

MitchellMc

Hi @Coolaholigah,

When using fibreglass to make a watertight connection, it really needs to be done correctly from the base layer to the top. Applying additional layers over the top will seldom solve the issue if there is a separation or crack in a lower layer. The crack or gap really needs to be chased out with an angle grinder until solid material is found. It's quite possible that this lipping you've described is the cause of water creeping under it. The other likely issue is that the matting wasn't wet out completely with resin.

What is the pool made of? If it is of concrete construction, I'd suggest your best option could be to remove all the fibreglass work back down to concrete, fill the hole, apply a paintable waterproofer and then tile back over it. Can I also ask where the leak appears exactly? Is it just seeping out the side of the pool, or is there a drip from a pipe?

Without knowing exactly where the leak is coming from, if you attempt to re-fibreglass yourself, you'll be working in the dark trying to fix this issue. Before proceeding, even a skilled fibreglasser will want to start cutting the area back to discover the likely cause.

If you were looking for professional assistance, you might like to speak to a few pool companies, especially those dealing with fibreglass pools. They'll likely have contacts with someone skilled in fibreglassing who can complete the job.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell