Combating Soil Erosion Around Your Pool
Above ground pools are commonly installed on top of a sand bed in a residential backyard. With this comes direct exposure to the elements, landscaping, and uneven ground elevations. Over time, these can pose a threat to your above ground swimming pool, causing pool liner leaks, failure, and pool collapse stemming from soil erosion. LinerWorld wants to share some tips for combating soil erosion around your pool to help keep it usable and save you money in the long run!
Retaining Walls
Backfilling around an above ground swimming pool is an important step during the installation process and provides:
- A natural barrier against moisture such as dew, rain, and snow from getting underneath the pool and washing away parts of the sand bed
- An added protection against the uneven ground which can cause the pool liner to fill in the holes caused by the excavation process, inducing liner failure
During this process, building a retaining wall around your pool will help keep the backfill in place, helping prevent soil erosion around your swimming pool. In addition, it will keep other elements, like rainwater and runoff, from corroding the metal elements of the pool and gaining access to the sand bed.
Tip: Soil can contain corrosive elements. When backfilling around your above ground swimming pool use roofing tar or plastic lining to protect against rust and corrosion!
Detect & Prevent Leaks
Above ground swimming pool leaks can be hard to identify and diagnose. Leaks that are large in nature or go unfixed over a long period of time can aid in soil erosion around your swimming pool. Taking the time to check for leaks is an important preventative maintenance task.
Warning signs of swimming pool leaks
The following can be warning signs of a leak and should be given immediate attention to avoid having detrimental effects of soil erosion around your pool:
- Decreasing water levels
- Standing backyard water
- Auto filler on overdrive
- Cracked or loose tiles
- Frequent algae formation
Having a Level Base
The installation process of an above ground swimming pool is one of the most important steps to combating soil erosion. Focusing on creating a level base in your backyard is key to:
- Ensuring the safety of your swimmers
- Obtaining a nice pool shape
- Decreasing the risk of soil erosion from runoff and other water going underneath your pool and washing out the sand base
There are multiple ways to create a level base that any pool owner can do. Focusing on the most ideal, level location for your swimming pool is the most important aspect. Avoiding property lines, roadways, septic tanks, and any abnormalities in the ground is key. Once your pool site is chosen, these leveling methods can be used to ensure that your swimming pool base is accurate and even:
LinerWorld offers a wide variety of swimming pool liners that are sturdy, heavy-duty, and unique! If you’re experiencing liner failure or swimming pool leaks due to soil erosion, check out our liners or contact us today to learn more!
Thanks for the reminder that monitoring water levels should also be considered when planning to maintain a pool. I want to find a good swimming pool construction service soon because I’m thinking about having a vacation home built this year. Having a pool there will surely add a lot of value to the property.