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Pool Hose Problems
How to Prevent Pool Water
Loss Caused by Broken Pool Hoses
By Mark J.
Donovan
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I’ve owned two above ground pools over a 12 year period and have inevitably
found myself replacing pool hoses each year. Sometimes I replace them as a
standard maintenance task and other times I’ve found myself replacing them
due to a sudden broken hose. Pool hose problems abound with above ground
pools.
The main reason is due to poor quality pool hoses being sold by the pool
manufacturers.
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The hoses are made of extremely thin plastic that is highly susceptible to
ultraviolet light, which leads to cracking. Another key reason is the fact that
the pool hoses hang off the side of the pool at nearly 90 degree angles. Due to
the constant on/off water pressure through the hose, as the pool pump is turned
on and off throughout the summer, the pool hoses are stressed. Finally, if the
pool hoses are not outright cracking or breaking, they sometimes simply
disconnect from the water outlet or filter connections.
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In each case, thousands of gallons of water are drained from the pool. Replacing
the water can cost hundreds of dollars and you may go without your pool for
days. No fun on a hot summer day with children wanting to swim in the pool.
There are a number of recommendations that I can make to avoid pool hose
problems and prevent pool water loss. First, make sure to buy the highest
quality pool hoses you can buy. |
Throw away the standard ones that come with the pool kit. They’re garbage and
will end up costing you a lot of money when you least expect it.
Second, make sure to install shutoff valves on the pool filter and/or outlet
and filter assembly. This way you can easily shut off the valves in the event of
a pool hose problem and more easily change out the broken or cracked pool hose.
| Third, go very sparingly on the Vaseline. The pool
manufactures recommend applying Vaseline to the hose or the adapter that it
slides over. Though this makes sliding the pool hose over the adapter easy
it also increases the possibility of the pool hose sliding off once it’s
under pressure, even if a hose clamp is firmly fastened to it. Lastly,
apply duct tape near the end of the pool hose and then wind the duct tape up
onto the other end of the pool valve assembly, basically forming a type of
bra. |
Photo By Mark Donovan |
Though it may look slightly less than beautiful and sound a little funny, the
duct tape can help to reinforce the hose at the tight bend and prevent the hose
from simply falling off of the adapter, which I’ve seen happen before.
By following these few basic precautions you can avoid unexpectedly spending
hundreds of dollars on adding fresh water to your pool and going without your
pool in the peak of the hot summer.
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