The skimmer is not just the "basket" where leaves fall; it is the pool's critical point. Being embedded in the concrete shell but connected to pipes running through the ground, it suffers enormous stress. At Servinmosol, we specialize in this specific repair. We know how to detect if it's a simple sealable crack or if the skimmer has snapped in half and requires replacement.
The Unmistakable Symptom
How do you know if the skimmer is the problem? There is a fail-safe sign:
- The Level Test: If you fill the pool and the water drops day after day until it stops exactly at the bottom of the skimmer mouth, the leak is there. The water stops escaping because it no longer reaches the break point.
Don't break anything yet. We use non-invasive technology to find hidden leaks.
View Leak Detection ServiceWhy do they break?
It's not bad luck; it's physics.
- Ground Settlement: Over the years, the soil around the pool compacts and settles a few millimeters. If the skimmer pipe is not well supported, the weight of the earth pulls it down, cracking the plastic body of the skimmer ("the throat").
- Roots and Pressure: Roots from nearby trees seek moisture and can squeeze or displace the skimmer until it breaks.
Our Solutions: From Repair to Replacement
Depending on the severity of the damage, we act in two ways:
1. Micro-sealing (For minor cracks)
If the crack is superficial and located at the joint with the mouth, we inject ABS welding putties or underwater epoxy resins. It is a quick and cost-effective solution that can extend the skimmer's life by several years.
2. Full Replacement (The definitive solution)
When the skimmer is structurally damaged, it must be changed. This is "major surgery" for the pool, but the team of SERVINMOSOL is expert in removing and replacing the original coping stone so the aesthetic result is completely invisible:
- We carefully remove the top coping stone so as not to break it.
- We chip away the rear concrete to release the old skimmer.
- We install the new model (AstralPool, Hayward, etc.), connecting it with high-pressure PVC pipes (PN10/PN16) to absorb future ground movements.
- We re-concrete, waterproof, and replace the original stone. The result is aesthetically invisible but 100% watertight.
Sometimes we get calls because the pump is making noise or not sucking. Often it's because the basket is missing (and debris clogs the motor) or the floating flap (weir) is stuck.
At Servinmosol, we have spare parts for all brands. A new €10 basket can save a €400 pump.