The three important facets for any business should be profit, customer satisfaction and quality. In addition, a business should always strive towards continued expansion and innovation, when it makes sense of course. For contractors, specifically the basement waterproofing contractor, there are many opportunities to expand services. This report establishes how servicing skimmer repairs can initiate a number of benefits for your business, including the potential to increase profits while reducing cost without compromising quality. These outcomes will ultimately result in improved customer satisfaction.
The skimmer is a vital component of the swimming pool system. The skimmer draws floating debris from the pool surface into the skimmer basket, while controlling the water flow back to the equipment for filtration and chemical treatment. For concrete and gunite pools, the skimmer is set into the pool wall and the path leading into the skimmer (the skimmer throat) is tiled to match the pool’s perimeter tile. This often creates a problem as a new source for water leakage now exists. In order to address water leakage, it is important to examine the initial causes. These causes are the shifting of soil or ground movement, erosion, or the wear and tear of the device itself. Each of these can lead to three different repair scenarios.
The first scenario involves structural damage to the actual skimmer, such as a crack or normal wear and tear. Regardless the cause, the end result is a leak which ultimately disrupts the pool’s water flow. With this scenario, the skimmer often must be replaced. The process of reconnecting and resetting the plumbing is extensive, while also intrusive to the decking. This type of job requires a skilled technician, and normally takes at least a day or two.
A second scenario involves the suction line connected to the base of the skimmer. This leak can be caused by ground movement or faulty plumbing. The repair process for this is similar to the first and typically requires a total skimmer replacement. Again, this is both intrusive and costly.
The more common scenario is also the most frequent of the three. It involves the exposure of voids or small cracks forming as a result of the skimmer throat being pulled away from the pool. This type of leak can erode soil around the skimmer, causing potentially serious structural damage to the pool. This repair is known as a “skimmer throat repair.” A temporary way to repair the skimmer throat is by using pool putty, silicone or plaster patch to seal the outside of the void. This approach typically does not last, prompting the customer to have to do it again each year, which adds up through time. A more permanent repair solution utilizes a urethane foam injection process. The polyurethane foams as a result of mixing and reaction with water in the crack, making it capable of hardening to a flexible rubber. It can expand up to 20 or 30 times its initial volume when mixed with water, and the process completely fills the voids and smaller cracks resulting in its closer and strengthening of the overall structure. This provides for a permanent solution.
Contractors looking to maximize their ability will find that skimmer repair is a service their customers will truly value. The contractor has the opportunity to service a necessary repair that is simple with extraordinary results. This repair solution has the potential to increase profit at a reduced cost to your customers, without compromising quality… ultimately resulting in improved customer satisfaction and retention.
