Is Your Phoenix Pool Trying to Tell You Something?
OK, OK, your pool probably isn’t going to yell, “Hey! I need to be resurfaced!” but there will be signs. If you’ve been wondering when Phoenix pool resurfacing makes sense, your pool’s surface may already be dropping hints.
Do your steps suddenly feel rougher when you walk on them? Do you have a stain that you have scrubbed more times than you care to admit, but it keeps coming back? Maybe the color of your pool is starting to look different from what you remember, or you have spotted a crack and now find yourself staring at it every time you walk outside. Those are all signs!
Pools age, and here in Phoenix, their surfaces deal with a lot. Intense sun, extreme summer temperatures, evaporation, mineral-rich water, pool chemicals, and a long swimming season can all affect how a pool finish looks and wears over time. Arizona’s high evaporation rates can also concentrate minerals in pool water, increasing the potential for scaling when water chemistry becomes unbalanced.
The good news is that some surface changes are cosmetic, but others are your pool’s way of telling you it’s time to have someone take a closer look.
Here are five signs your Phoenix pool may be ready for resurfacing.
5 Signs Your Phoenix Pool May Need Resurfacing
1. Your Pool Surface Feels Rough or Pitted
Run your hand along the pool wall or pay attention to how the steps and floor feel under your feet. Has a surface that used to feel relatively smooth started feeling gritty, scratchy, uneven, or almost like sandpaper?
If so, that deserves a closer look.
As plaster and other cement-based pool finishes age, portions of the surface can wear or etch away. Rough or pitted surfaces are among the common signs that a pool finish may be approaching replacement.
Roughness can also make the pool less comfortable and nobody wants scraped toes to become part of swim season!
That being said, a little texture is normal depending on your pool finish, especially with aggregate finishes. What matters is a noticeable change. If an area that used to feel one way now feels significantly rougher, pitted, or worn, have it checked.
2. Those Pool Stains Refuse to Leave
Every pool gets dirty. Arizona certainly gives us plenty to work with between dust, minerals, leaves, sunscreen, and everything else that ends up in the water.
A stain that disappears with normal cleaning or proper water treatment is one thing but a stain that keeps staring back at you after cleaning is another.
Persistent brown, gray, white, greenish, or discolored areas can develop when minerals, metals, scaling, chemical imbalance, or aging affect the surface itself. Cement-based pool finishes can become stained, etched, or scaled when water chemistry remains outside a healthy range for too long.
Before assuming resurfacing is the answer, it makes sense to identify what caused the staining because some stains can be treated.
When discoloration has worked its way into an older, worn surface, especially when it appears alongside roughness or pitting, resurfacing may be the better long-term solution.
3. You’re Seeing Cracks, Chips, or Areas That Look Like They’re Peeling
This is where homeowners understandably start to worry.
First, seeing one tiny line in your pool does not necessarily mean you have a major pool problem. Hairline cracks and small areas of crazing can occur in cement-based finishes, and some may be cosmetic.
Where you need to look a little closer is at cracks that are spreading, areas that are chipping, pieces of the finish coming loose, hollow spots, or sections where the pool surface appears to be separating.
That separation is sometimes called delamination. And unfortunately, at that point, you are dealing with more than a color issue.
A professional can determine if the problem is limited to the finish or if something deeper needs to be addressed before resurfacing. That distinction matters because a surface crack and a structural crack are very different repairs.
If you notice a crack changing in size or an area beginning to break apart, take a picture. Check it periodically. Better yet, have someone who works with pool surfaces take a look before the damage progresses. Oh hey, that’s us!
4. The Finish Is Fading, Blotchy, or Looking Worn
Depending on how long you have had your pool, you may remember the color it had when the finish was newer. But years of Phoenix sunshine can make that memory feel a little distant so you might not notice the color is very different from a few years ago.
Some fading and color variation naturally occur as pool finishes age. Colored cement finishes, in particular, can change appearance over time, so fading alone doesn’t automatically mean the pool needs to be resurfaced.
Pay closer attention when the color change comes with other symptoms.
These include certain areas that are dramatically lighter than the rest of the pool or you can see patches where the finish appears etched or thin. You might even notice the steps look worn while other areas still have their original texture.
When fading becomes part of a bigger pattern of surface deterioration, your pool may be showing its age in more ways than one.
5. The Pool Surface Is Actually Starting to Break Down
This may be last, but it’s not least, because it is the sign we pay the most attention to.
If pieces or particles from your pool finish are coming loose, the surface is crumbling in areas, or portions of the underlying pool shell are becoming exposed, it is time to have the pool evaluated.
Look around the pool and your filtration system. Are you finding material that appears to be coming from the pool finish? Can you see spots where the original surface has worn completely through? Are chipped areas becoming larger?
Once the finish is actively deteriorating, waiting can allow more of the underlying surface to become exposed. That can mean additional preparation and repair when you eventually resurface.
This is the point where your pool has moved beyond whispering and starts yelling to get your attention. Don’t ignore it!
When Is Phoenix Pool Resurfacing Necessary?
We get this question several times a year, and our answer depends on what your pool is doing. The right timing for Phoenix pool resurfacing depends on the condition of your existing pool finish and how much wear or damage we’re seeing.
A pool with cosmetic staining or some fading may have plenty of life left in its surface. A small isolated problem may also be repairable without resurfacing the entire pool.
A pool with widespread roughness, deep pitting, delamination, exposed underlying material, or a finish that is actively shedding deserves attention sooner rather than later.
No need to panic the first time you notice a blemish but you also don’t want to wait until a worn surface has deteriorated enough that additional repairs become part of the resurfacing project.
Basically, the best time to have the pool inspected is while you still have options.
One More Thing…Pay Attention to Your Pool Chemistry
Your pool surface and your water chemistry have a close relationship.
Water that becomes too aggressive can etch cement-based surfaces. Water that becomes too scale-forming can leave calcium deposits behind. Arizona’s heat and evaporation make staying on top of that balance especially important.
If your pool suddenly seems harder to maintain, take a look at the whole picture rather than simply adding more chemicals.
- Check the water
- Check the surface
- Look for roughness, scaling, pitting, or areas that appear to be deteriorating.
Sometimes the surface problem starts with the water chemistry, and sometimes an aging, rough pool surface simply makes pool care more frustrating.
Either way, figuring out what is happening first can save you from throwing money at the wrong solution.
Does Your Phoenix Pool Need Resurfacing?
Wondering if it’s time for Phoenix pool resurfacing? Getting a quick inspection from AZ Oasis Pools can help you answer this question.
We can take a look at your existing pool surface, talk through what we see, and help you understand your options. If your pool still has life left in it, you should know that too!
If you are in Phoenix or the East Valley and your pool has been dropping hints, give AZ Oasis Pools a call.
We speak pool even when your pool is being a little dramatic.