Mike's Diving Services

Mike's Diving Services Mike's diving services. Underwater search and recovery. Underwater repairs. Survey and photograph
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Returned to this customer's large inground pool, to inspect and replace the main drain gaskets. The top gasket was in f...
09/09/2026

Returned to this customer's large inground pool, to inspect and replace the main drain gaskets. The top gasket was in fair condition, the bottom gasket under the liner was completely deteriorated, and there had been underwater sealer applied to the gasket (just the bottom). I had to use a putty knife to remove the old sealer and deteriorated gasket. This is when I noticed that one of the screw holes had a crack (and that is where the bottom gasket was most deteriorated. I put new gaskets in place and did best to tighten the ring screws. There was still leaking around the three screws which would not fully tighten. I used ketone based adhesive which starts to coagulate when exposed to water. I just kept injecting the adhesive into the leaks until the water stopped flowing and the adhesive set.
Once the drain was back together (and appeared to be sealed) I went to the deep end jet, it's gasket ring was cracked and warped with rust stains underneat.h (with no rubber gasket), and I replaced it with a new gasket ring and gasket.
Customer will fill up the pool to level and check it after the weekend. If this doesn't seal we still have a couple more options on that drain.

I returned to this customer to replace the gaskets on the second main drain. The customer noticed continued water level...
09/04/2026

I returned to this customer to replace the gaskets on the second main drain. The customer noticed continued water level drop, and without a doubt it was both main drains. This one, the gaskets were deteriorated. Top casket was like soil, it just rubbed away. Bottom casket was cracked and deteriorated. I cleaned the surfaces and placed new gaskets skillfully in place, tightened the gasket ring screws properly. This should eliminate water loss from the pool. Air temperature 93 degrees, water temperature 80 degrees.

This customer has a partial inground oval pool, with two main drains. They observed water loss (with bucket test) accou...
09/03/2026

This customer has a partial inground oval pool, with two main drains. They observed water loss (with bucket test) accounting for evaporation. I inspected the liner, and found no leaks (cove, sides and bottom). Liner/pool is three years old and liner is in excellent condition. I inspected the main drains and the area immediately around the main drains was wet, in some places, there was a loss of sand. I took the covers off and found the gasket ring screws were loose--enough to allow a 1mm gap in the "sandwich" between gaskets and liner. This gap was likely because the installer didn't have the arm strength to tighten those screws. I was able to drive them all down at least two more full turns.
If tightening these screws doesn't fix the leaking, I can replace these gaskets underwater, without draining the pool.

This customer, prior customer this year, has had continuing pool leak issues. After thorough search of the liner for le...
09/02/2026

This customer, prior customer this year, has had continuing pool leak issues. After thorough search of the liner for leaks, our conclusion: the main drain line has a confirmed pipe break under the concrete pool deck (inground pool). Water loss occurs and the pool water level settles at the same depth as the main drain pipe crack.
Solution: re-stopper the main drain, until the pipe can be replaced (which involves busting up concrete and repairing the pvc line and laying new deck concrete). Until then the customer will rely on the two pool skimmers and a robot pool cleaner. I also did another full liner inspection, and checked the main drain gaskets (they look intact, gasket ring screws are tight). One of the jet gasket rings has some cracks in it, from prior pool installer over tightening the screws. Light fixtures, same. Photo'd those for documentation. Water temperature 79, air temperature 95 degrees.

Return to this kayak partial inground pool. There was still water loss, and after several liner inspections, and inspec...
09/01/2026

Return to this kayak partial inground pool. There was still water loss, and after several liner inspections, and inspection of the back of the pool wall (exposed) to see if there's leakage from the jet, the light fixture or skimmer, my hunch was one or both of the main drains leaking.
I had tightened these gasket ring screws on last visit (they were very loose) which means that the gaskets had deteriorated and shrunk. This turned out to be true! the upper gasket was falling apart and had the texture of soil. The bottom gasket (which was the original rubber gasket) was falling apart and cracked into pieces. I replaced both gaskets with great skill (this can't be done when the pool is drained! must be done underwater!)
I used the original holes in the liner. after cleaning the liner of old gasket residue, I placed the new gaskets in position and secured the retaining ring.
I did only one of the drains (to see if this was the only one leaking) and if required I will follow up and change out the other drain gaskets this week. Water temperature 82, air temperature 93 degrees. The heat wave is back

This customer had storm damage in their aboveground round pool. Recent storms placed leaf debris in the pool, and it's ...
08/29/2026

This customer had storm damage in their aboveground round pool. Recent storms placed leaf debris in the pool, and it's likely a branch falling in the pool caused a serious double puncture. The customer was aware of the double puncture, which I patched. While that patch was curing, I located two additional leaks, one near the two large punctures. This leak was approx. 1/4" long. The other puncture was underneath the stairs. It's likely a small stone or pebble got lodged underneath the ladder and when someone entered/exited the pool, the ladder pressing on the pebble put a pinhole in the liner. Patched! I recommended the customer purchase a ladder mat to protect their liner.

This prior customer needed a visit; one of their patches was pulled off the liner by the pool vacuum. I placed those pa...
08/29/2026

This prior customer needed a visit; one of their patches was pulled off the liner by the pool vacuum. I placed those patches last year. They are made of polyurethane and I've found better material to patch (clear vinyl). I located the place where the old patch had fallen off (I spotted the adhesive still stuck to the liner). Cleaned it up and cut a new patch, and replaced it. While that cured, I inspected the liner and other patches. Two other patches were loose and almost completely off. Two other patches had some peeling, and one patch was firm. I remove the loose patches, cleaned up and put in place clear vinyl. The two patches which needed additional adhesive, I applied adhesive underwater and allowed it to bond. While these patches bonded I did a full inspection of the liner cove, bottom and sides and found no new leaks.

This customer owns a new (this season) pool, large oval pool, new liner. Recent severe storms dropped a tree branch in ...
08/28/2026

This customer owns a new (this season) pool, large oval pool, new liner. Recent severe storms dropped a tree branch in the pool, which punctured the liner. Customer placed temporary patches over the visible puncture. My job was to replace the temporary patch with a permanent one. While the patch I placed was curing, I did my standard liner inspection and found an additional hole the owner didn't spot. This one the size of a dime, crescent cut, about a foot and a half from the big puncture. I patched it and returned to my inspection. No leaks along the cove, the walls. Both patches cured well and are save for vacuuming. Air temperature 83 degrees, water temperature 79 degrees.

08/27/2026

’s diving services

This prior customer had continued leaking. I had placed three patches in the pool, but there was still unexplained leak...
08/27/2026

This prior customer had continued leaking. I had placed three patches in the pool, but there was still unexplained leaking. I inspected the existing patches (all good), and then a reinspection of the liner. I found some pinholes at the bottom front step, one of them on the cove of the step which was leaking a lot of water (the patch was pulled into place solidly by the leak) However these small leaks don't explain why there was so much water loss. On a hunch I pulled the covers off the main drains and checked the gasket ring screws--all of them were loose and the ones that were leaking showed rust stains around the screws. The screws themselves won't rust (stainless). I also checked the skimmer. Loose! rust stains on a couple of those screws too. tightened all those gasket ring/faceplate screws (skimmer and main drains). Customer did mention when the filter was off they were getting dripping from the skimmer. Likely it was those loose faceplate gasket screws. Water temperature a wetsuit-friendly 75 degrees, air temperature 83.

Address

Plainfield, IL
60586

Telephone

+18155146525

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