Pool skimmer blocked

[carlos]

I have a pool that needs a new liner and pump. However the shallow skimmer pipe is blocked and I have been told the pipes will need replacing as the pool has been installed for ten years and the pipes have rotted. Surely all the pipes will have rotted, and so you would have thought they all need replacing. However it must be worth trying to unblock the pipe before digging up the garden. Foes anyone know of a good pool engineer for advise on how to unblock the pipe as I have seen pools that have run for twenty years or more without re-newing pipes underground.
Any advice would be appreciated
many thanks

[stephen conway]

Hi Carlos.
Regarding your blocked Skimmer, the best way is to pressure test that pipe line first. In UK we put our blow up bungs in the skimmer first disconnect the skimmer line in plant room shed then put your test rig onto that pipe take pressure either air or water up to just under I bar if the pressure gauge goes down this will indicate you do have a leak. if pressure on gauge keeps just under one bar release pressure on blow up bung don't put your face or head near it as this will have a lot of force when bung is released this also should clear any blockage as well. Would recommend some one like Shipshape they will have this equipment.
Steve.

[sensiblebob]

Have just had exactly this problem and a local pool person thought the pipe would be kinked and suggested we dig a hole just along the line from the skimmer.SPOT ON.There were two kinks in the pipe where it had been stapled to the concrete wall. As the pipe had not yet ruptured he could not testfor a leak but he had seen this several times around here as the pools (4-6 years old) all put in at same time and mostly maintained by the same person originally who put chlorine in the simmer.This concentratyed dose then sat in the pipe till the pool next came on and...wham the pipes gradually got furred up. Have pictures of the damage which is amazing and the inside of the pipes are reduced to a very small flow but air still gets through so could not be cleared.

Now..laymans question...how do you put chlorine into your pool.

[panoscouse]

If its powder dissolve it in warm water first but beware of the fumes and make sure you run the pump for at least two hours afterwards.

Or use tablets and a floating dispenser.

[sensiblebob]

Thanks for replying I was hoping a few more people would express an opinion on what is a subject affecting many of us. On the separate thread about Cyanuric acid it is interesting one poster mentions putting tablets in skimmers. This is presumably ok when pool is running but in those long periods when it is not running surely a huge concentrated dose of chlorine builds up. My pipes from the skimmer were effectively blocked by this and no amount of pressure testing would help as there was no leak! Once the pipes were exposed thekinks became visible and the insides of the pipe looked like a honeycomb. This is after 6 years. Had I known a bitmore about this NEVER would Ihave allowed my pool cleaner of 4 years to dump chlorine, be it tabs or granules, in the skimmer. For 2 years now I have used the floating dispensers but obviously there problem is the gradual build up of Cyanuric acid.

I would hope a few others (Not just the pool cleaning experts) will express their reactions and opinions. Do the pool cleaners collectively have a policy on this? Nobody shouldpoach opinions from people who make their living from this but a few "best practice" comments on a Forum would be sohelpful.