Mike's Diving Services

06/04/2026

This customer had an urgent water leak! lost 8 inches of water in a day. I located the leak, it was a cut about 4.5 inches long, caused by the pool steps getting lowered too quickly into the pool. Remember to lower the pool steps slowly and secure them to the deck properly!
I cleaned the area around the leak, prepared a clear vinyl patch and placed it over the cut. The water pressure helped to bond the patch and while it cured, I did a full liner inspection. Liner is in great condition. No signs of chlorine bleaching or damage. Seams are good. Water temperature 69 degrees, air temperature 87 degrees. Patch cured quickly and I instructed the customer to secure the stairs about a foot over from the repair. This will put the repair under the stairs, where it wont be disturbed.

06/04/2026

This customer had a skimmer which had been installed (liner cut) before the pool was filled. The liner stretched down and had torn at the skimmer face plate screw holes.
The old skimmer was cracked from age/ice damage. A new skimmer was ordered, old one removed and sealer/caulk removed. Old patches removed.
New skimmer installed, new reinforced vinyl patches cut for just below the skimmer for torn liner and across the skimmer.
Once it cured the gasket and face plate were installed and inside liner trimmed. Customer hooked up their pump and filter and started filling once the face plate was installed.

05/26/2026

This customer I had originally located a leak and patched it three years ago. In addition to full pool inspection (and replacing that leak patch which came off recently from pool vacuum), the side of the pool by the deck had a rusty hole in the pool wall and a clean cut in the liner. Customer put in temporary patches on the inside and outside. I prepared underwater epoxy to plug the hole in the pool wall, and prepared clear vinyl patches for the bottom leak (old) and the new pool wall leak. Water temperature 70 degrees, air temperature at start 77 degrees, at end 83 degrees. Pool liner is in great condition, pool is an oval flat bottom, no main drain or deep end.

05/12/2026

Upgraded/repaired the safety covers at The Flex in Joliet, the former Galowich YMCA pool. Ready for swimming!

05/02/2026

05/02/2026

Who’s going diving?

03/25/2026

First pool repair customer of 2026. This pool had big holes and no water! Liner is actually in newer condition. Holes look like they had been punctured by the handle of the leaf skimmer.
I cleaned each of these and was able to patch the smaller holes with clear vinyl. The biggest cut I used patterned vinyl. Since these aren’t underwater they take longer to cure.
I advised customer to wait 48 hours (at least) and then begin filling the pool, on a sunny day at least 70 degrees.

01/25/2026

Took some time to suit up in my pinnacle Kodiak semi dry suit. The subzero wind chills let me cool off for a bit so I didn’t overheat! This suit was modified from the original design—it’s had combat leg pockets added and a latex dry hood so it seals nicely to the full face mask. Also had a true dry zipper installed, to replace original zipper (which had a design defect) I used to ice dive in this suit, and I’ve dived with it at Mall of America in the shark aquarium (no drysuits allowed in there!). Suit still fits. I use this suit very rarely but it’s good to have a backup in case the drysuit has a zipper or valve failure.

01/16/2026

With Ocean Technology Systems – I'm on a streak! I've been a top fan for 18 months in a row. 🎉

01/16/2026

With Donald Gann – I'm on a streak! I've been a top fan for 12 months in a row. 🎉