Stainless steel

How it is built

Construction varies by manufacturer. Natare, a US manufacturer, offers a fully welded stainless steel shell that once assembled forms a single, continuous watertight structure, and lists it for elevated and rooftop pools. It also offers a system of heavy-gauge wall panels bolted together on site and supported by stainless steel buttresses, used mainly for in-ground pools, with welded stainless steel gutters.

Berndorf Bäderbau, an Austrian manufacturer, describes industrial prefabrication of components and the delivery of pool wall elements up to 10 metres long. A Pool & Spa News report on the company noted that stainless steel pools are attractive for rooftop and between-floor projects because of their lighter weight.

Where the pool has an overflow edge, water runs into a channel and on to a balance tank before it returns through the filtration plant. The balance tank, its top-up and its level controls are part of the system to inspect.

Typical problems with age

• Leaks at welds, gaskets or panel joints, depending on the system.
• Leaks at fittings: lights, inlets, drains and the overflow channel.
• Surface staining or discolouration, which a specialist will review together with your water treatment history.
• Wear in the balance tank, the level controls and the overflow grating.
• Damage to coatings, coping and surrounding finishes at the pool edge.

What repairs usually involve

Because systems differ, repairs often need the original manufacturer or an installer trained on that system. Welding on stainless steel is specialist work. Leak detection on a steel pool follows the same principles as on other pools: isolating the pipework, the fittings and the structure in turn.

Natare states that its systems are engineered to remain structurally stable whether empty or full, which supports maintenance and inspection. Check what your own pool's manufacturer says before any work that lowers the water.

Before structural work, ask the specialist to confirm whether the original manufacturer's warranty is still active and whether repairs by others affect it. Berndorf notes that its prefabricated components allow assembly work at any time of year, which can help when planning work around a hotel season.

UAE notes

Rooftop pools sit in full sun with long pipe runs to plant rooms and balance tanks, often across exposed roofs. A leak can first show as damp in the space below rather than as a falling water level. Hotel and residential tower pools also have to be repaired around operating hours, so plan for shutdown windows and access for materials through the building.

What to tell a specialist about your pool

• Manufacturer and system, and the installer, if known.
• Welded or panel construction, and the floor finish.
• Location: rooftop, podium or ground level, and what lies below.
• Overflow or skimmers, and where the balance tank is.
• Drawings, warranties and maintenance records.
• Operating hours and the earliest possible shutdown.
• Any damp, staining or water loss you have noticed, with dates and photos.