Above Ground Pool Rust Out

Swimming pool wall rust is a common problem for above ground pools, but images like this 24′ round pool in Orlando are an extreme example of what can happen when the pool wall fails. The image above is an example of a wall finally giving up and failing to hold back the tremendous weight and pressure of the water inside. There are several reasons this can happen and several ways to prevent it from happening to you.

Theoretically an above ground pool would last forever if the pool was assembled correctly and the wall never rusted or corroded. Steel is a very strong material and plenty capable of hold back thousands of gallons of water. Sheet steel is what most pools are made from and this is the better material for pool construction. Walls made from steel are far superior to sheet aluminum pools and they’ll last many years longer on average. Once the aluminum walls begin to get holes in them they tear apart like a cheap suit, so if pool shopping look for an American pool made from steel.

Rust or corrosion around the pool skimmer or return jet is by far the biggest problem area of any metal above ground pool and where about 90% of wall failures occur. I’ve seen thousands of pool walls in Orlando and Central Florida and almost every time you see rust in this area it’s due to a leaky skimmer or return gasket. There are other causes of pool wall rust and they are covered in other blogs. I wanted to to focus on stopping it from occurring so you can avoid this tragedy happen to you. If you take the precautions this’ll keep your pool in shape for many years to come.

The easiest way to stop the skimmer or return jet area from rusting is by purchasing an above ground pool with the stainless steel service panel. These pools are made with a section of the wall constructed from stainless steel just for this purpose. If you are shopping for a pool this one is an excellent place to start. If you’re lucky enough to already own one than this isn’t a problem you have, although you could have rust in other areas.

Whether you have the stainless wall panel or not the key to preventing a pool wall failure is to not be a cheap skate. By this I mean change your pool liner if you suspect it’s leaking and you can’t find the leak. Or better yet change the pool liner every 5 years whether it’s doing fine or not, in Florida average pool liners don’t last much longer than this anyway. The reason I suggest this is it gives you the opportunity to view the entire pool wall from the inside and deal with any potential rust issues before the get too bad.

When changing above ground pool liners be sure to use new gaskets for the pool skimmer and returns. This is where they leak and gaskets are cheap insurance. Be sure to scrape off any rust from the pool wall and spray the areas with some Rustoleum spray paint to stop it from getting worse. Stay on top of the wall corrosion and your pool will give you many years of faithful service.