How Can a Repair Be Made to an Above Ground Pool Leaky Skimmer?

Leak Test

• If you are uncertain about the leak coming from your skimmer there is a test you can perform to confirm your suspicions. Many pool professionals use a red food coloring mixture to find a leak near the skimmer. Mix a dark red solution with water. Fill up a traditional turkey baster and inject the red dye slowly around the perimeter of the skimmer. If the red dye seeps through the skimmer seal, you have a leak somewhere around it.

Materials

• There is no need to buy a new skimmer unless the skimmer itself is visibly cracked, which then is most likely the source of your leak. If the faceplate is cracked only, you can purchase a new faceplate without replacing the entire skimmer mechanism. For a standard leak you need to purchase new gaskets. You need one for the inside of the pool wall and another for the outside. Match the correct shape of your skimmer. Some above ground pool skimmers are standard square shapes while others are wide mouth. You will need a tube of silicone caulking as well.

Preparation

• You need to drain the pool below the skimmer line, to avoid flooding your backyard while removing the skimmer. Drain the pool using the filter. Turn the filter off and switch the multi-port valve to the "drain" setting. This will lower the water level to below the skimmer, providing enough room for you to work. Remove the old skimmer by scraping off the caulking around the outside of the skimmer first. Remove all the screws on the faceplate of the skimmer and the additional screws behind the faceplate that hold the actual skimmer in place. Set the skimmer aside.

Assembly

• Align the new gasket with the pool skimmer and hold the skimmer in place against the pool wall. This is made easier with another set of hands. With the skimmer held in place, take the interior gasket and align that with the skimmer opening. Replace the screws that hold the gaskets and skimmer in place. Do not overtighten. Assemble the faceplate again with the remaining screws. Apply a layer of silicone caulking around the edges of the skimmer's seal on the outside of the pool wall.