Leaking Pool?
Re: Leaking Pool?
My pool guy stopped over and suspects this area may be a problem in the skimmer…
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220607/ed0a4e04351c87e4a8e53068c1cbc811.jpeg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220607/ca14b721bfecca8b9e076c665613872b.jpeg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220607/ed0a4e04351c87e4a8e53068c1cbc811.jpeg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220607/ca14b721bfecca8b9e076c665613872b.jpeg[/img]
Re: Leaking Pool?
Since I have the bucket of pool patch (maybe a quart or two) which I believe was less than $30, I just went at it, grabbing some powder with my bare hand from the bucket and mixing it on top of the bucket lid with my fingers. I smeared the mix on several of the cracks in and around the tiles. I understand that at this point my pool is clearly compromised at a level that’s at least two inches below the tile (based on the repairs needed to make the pool hold water last year).
I think the pool was holding water at a slightly higher level last year than it is this year because I believe I had it running problem free from about July 15 to probably October. Maybe with the heaving of the earth during the winter months, a little movement caused a few extra cracks at the top, and I didn’t do anything to protect the tile more than last year.
I should have used the pool patch before trying to open the pool this year, or perhaps when we dropped the level to close the pool. Since pool patch is so cheap, I think that annual maintenance like this, maybe even at both times, closing and opening, would make sense.
I’m learning.
Did I solve my leak issue? I won’t know probably until I get back from vacation. My tenant will have to keep an eye on the pool level for me to assure that the equipment doesn’t suck air while I’m gone.
I think the pool was holding water at a slightly higher level last year than it is this year because I believe I had it running problem free from about July 15 to probably October. Maybe with the heaving of the earth during the winter months, a little movement caused a few extra cracks at the top, and I didn’t do anything to protect the tile more than last year.
I should have used the pool patch before trying to open the pool this year, or perhaps when we dropped the level to close the pool. Since pool patch is so cheap, I think that annual maintenance like this, maybe even at both times, closing and opening, would make sense.
I’m learning.
Did I solve my leak issue? I won’t know probably until I get back from vacation. My tenant will have to keep an eye on the pool level for me to assure that the equipment doesn’t suck air while I’m gone.
Leaking Pool?
Conveniently (?) we had a major rainstorm last night, and the water level rose significantly IMO. I haven’t yet seen the water levels in other basins that might be good measurements of the amount or rain we had but this is what the pool looked like this morning around 10 am.
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220609/9fd4fae07c49ae29ddf350511d5a8f3e.jpg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220609/b936461ba4575089dd1d693bb8d7ef46.jpg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220609/d40e8cf360dc84d6898cf54d7be42e89.jpg[/img]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... 5a8f3e.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... d7ef46.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... e42e89.jpg
Those pictures show the level of the water is now above the plugged drain box, and they also show some the worst tile that I “pool patched”, and just one of tons of additional areas that I didn’t get to with the pool patch.
The process of “grouting” with pool patch is pretty rewarding. Better looks and hopefully a better maintained pool.
You can see that the paint on my pool is flaking. My pool guy says paint is no good, but my gut it telling me it’s going to make sense to repaint the pool. When we drain the pool in the fall, I should at least paint the high areas of the walls. Now what paint to use will be a challenge. And do I need to pressure wash off the old paint first, my gut says yes, at least lightly.
I’m learning.
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220609/9fd4fae07c49ae29ddf350511d5a8f3e.jpg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220609/b936461ba4575089dd1d693bb8d7ef46.jpg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220609/d40e8cf360dc84d6898cf54d7be42e89.jpg[/img]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... 5a8f3e.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... d7ef46.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... e42e89.jpg
Those pictures show the level of the water is now above the plugged drain box, and they also show some the worst tile that I “pool patched”, and just one of tons of additional areas that I didn’t get to with the pool patch.
The process of “grouting” with pool patch is pretty rewarding. Better looks and hopefully a better maintained pool.
You can see that the paint on my pool is flaking. My pool guy says paint is no good, but my gut it telling me it’s going to make sense to repaint the pool. When we drain the pool in the fall, I should at least paint the high areas of the walls. Now what paint to use will be a challenge. And do I need to pressure wash off the old paint first, my gut says yes, at least lightly.
I’m learning.
Leaking Pool?
One day later. Level is dropping, perhaps it could be a LOT OF evaporation, but I suspect there’s still some leakage.
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220610/65d8d02b5b714ea38e84c13f543b0241.jpg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220610/6430dcd972876a60a9ad42334314f7dc.jpg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220610/026c951c3afb6a78ac430136a340afb4.jpg[/img]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... 3b0241.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... 14f7dc.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... 40afb4.jpg
I doubt I will be able to monitor the level over the next week, but I will see if there’s any chance I’m able to do so.
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220610/65d8d02b5b714ea38e84c13f543b0241.jpg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220610/6430dcd972876a60a9ad42334314f7dc.jpg[/img]
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220610/026c951c3afb6a78ac430136a340afb4.jpg[/img]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... 3b0241.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... 14f7dc.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... 40afb4.jpg
I doubt I will be able to monitor the level over the next week, but I will see if there’s any chance I’m able to do so.
Leaking Pool?
Continued dropping level just a few hours later, maybe 1 pm and the above was about 8 am.
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220610/5f05e16be87ca09bf0c7cf7d46e4f201.jpg[/img]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... e4f201.jpg
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220610/5f05e16be87ca09bf0c7cf7d46e4f201.jpg[/img]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202206 ... e4f201.jpg
Re: Leaking Pool?
I don’t have any evidence bc I haven’t been doing a good job of tracking, but I think I lost maybe a half inch in two days (dry days), and I had to add water before the pump ran overnight. I’d been running it in the day to be able to see bubbles and monitor the level when it matters most (when the pump is running), but because I saw that you should shock the pool at dusk and run the pump after, I decided to switch the pump times. But that’s making me a bit more stressed out.
More water, more chemicals, more damage to the concrete behind the tile and plaster. July, August, September, maybe even some October. Hmm… maybe I need to get leak hunting again. I’m feeling quite neurotic.
More water, more chemicals, more damage to the concrete behind the tile and plaster. July, August, September, maybe even some October. Hmm… maybe I need to get leak hunting again. I’m feeling quite neurotic.
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Re: Leaking Pool?
I just went through a leaking pool situation but with a vinyl liner pool. There is normal evaporation with may be determined by your local climate.
What loss do others with pools like yours have?
What loss do others with pools like yours have?
Re: Leaking Pool?
sakleiner wrote:I just went through a leaking pool situation but with a vinyl liner pool. There is normal evaporation with may be determined by your local climate.
What loss do others with pools like yours have?
Good question. I guess I need to identify others in the area with pools.
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Re: Leaking Pool?
For reference this time of year here maybe .25 inch of evaporation loss per day would be normal on my 16x32 pool. With the leak it was losing about 1,5 inches per day
Re: Leaking Pool?
sakleiner wrote:For reference this time of year here maybe .25 inch of evaporation loss per day would be normal on my 16x32 pool. With the leak it was losing about 1,5 inches per day
Wow. I don’t think I’m losing that much. Maybe it is just evaporation.
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- Pool Industry Leader
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Re: Leaking Pool?
You could try a bucket test. Mark a water level in a bucket and compare the loss to the pool level, if they are the same its evaporation. Bucket near the pool as possible.
I may not give you the answer you want to hear, but I will give an honest opinion of your situation as you decribe it.
Leaking Pool?
Teapot1 wrote:You could try a bucket test. Mark a water level in a bucket and compare the loss to the pool level, if they are the same its evaporation. Bucket near the pool as possible.
Thanks for mentioning this again. I keep forgetting to do this, but that should be my next step as I’m not sure I see any obvious places to patch. Maybe this coming week I can do the bucket test.
Edit: 7/2/2022 video:
https://youtu.be/AHWIJqQ2A_k
Leaking Pool?
Edit: 7/17/2022 video:
https://youtu.be/6vBvp97RYS0
Bucket test revealed the pool level dropping about an inch or so more than the bucket from Thursday to Sunday. I decided to turn off the pump (so the skimmer doesn’t suck air) and let the level balance out. If I let it sit a few days, I figure I can assume the leak is above the level of the water.
Now I also understand that it’s possible that I could have a crack below the water level that feeds to a crack that runs up higher somewhere behind the face. For example, a crack in the concrete could be half way up the tile, but the tile could be letting water behind it at the bottom of the tile.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202207 ... 14f9c6.jpg
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220718/24d11bd68b272d088beeedd84814f9c6.jpg[/img]
Edit: 7/18/2022 video
https://youtu.be/s5dnNj0Q7Rk
https://youtu.be/6vBvp97RYS0
Bucket test revealed the pool level dropping about an inch or so more than the bucket from Thursday to Sunday. I decided to turn off the pump (so the skimmer doesn’t suck air) and let the level balance out. If I let it sit a few days, I figure I can assume the leak is above the level of the water.
Now I also understand that it’s possible that I could have a crack below the water level that feeds to a crack that runs up higher somewhere behind the face. For example, a crack in the concrete could be half way up the tile, but the tile could be letting water behind it at the bottom of the tile.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202207 ... 14f9c6.jpg
[img]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220718/24d11bd68b272d088beeedd84814f9c6.jpg[/img]
Edit: 7/18/2022 video
https://youtu.be/s5dnNj0Q7Rk
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- Pool Industry Leader
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- Location: United Kingdom
Re: Leaking Pool?
While the pump is off, to check you haven't a leak in your pipework, plug all inlets and outlets with expandable bungs
Re: Leaking Pool?
Denniswiseman wrote:While the pump is off, to check you haven't a leak in your pipework, plug all inlets and outlets with expandable bungs
Ahh… good call. I hadn’t thought of that.
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