Vaporize
05-21-2012, 11:41 PM
Hello, I am new to this forum.
I moved into a Texas home last year with my first pool (~ 30,000 gallons - 10 yrs old). Initially, I kept watering the pool everyday but got tired of topping it off each day. I found out it was dropping ~ an 1.5 inches a day in the summer heat. I let the pool drain on its own to find out at which level it will slow down. I noticed it was draining slower and slower each day. By the time the pool was half the level it was dropping ~ 0.5 inch/day. The pool has been empty for the last 8 months. I have been lucky that the pool has not popped up. I finally cleaned the pool and discovered these the other day:
Here are the suspected leaks:
Picture 1 & 2 - Two main drains at the bottom of the pool.
One drain is sealed but the other drain is found to be open to earth/ground (I probbed it). Interestingly, when it rains, it still takes days for it to completely empty. Shouldn't it drain much faster if there is a big hole in the center? I have not opened the other seal.
http://img684.imageshack.us.KILLED/img684/2240/20120519185352.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oa5aWs7RSv8/T7vBev0H94I/AAAAAAAAC-g/2eWgSj-urqc/s640/web%2520main%2520drains.jpg --https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L0Mzk0y4J88/T7vBfdKCxqI/AAAAAAAAC-o/hJ_1BmnrI1Q/s640/web%2520main%2520drain%2520detail.jpg
http://img834.imageshack.us.KILLED/img834/5079/20120519185747.jpg
Picture 3,4 - Vacuum port spring cover is loose (spring not work). Can water leak through the vacuum port if the cover is loose?
http://img526.imageshack.us.KILLED/img526/6744/20120519190908.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1m1-wb7q2mk/T7vBgEUAB1I/AAAAAAAAC-4/G7Py2SthDhc/s400/web%2520vacuum%2520inlet.jpg -- https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-BdWhqjqBHXE/T7vBfZB8zVI/AAAAAAAAC_A/7obKHlVt1Cc/s400/web%2520vacuum%2520inlet%2520detail.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us.KILLED/img338/670/20120519190932.jpg
Picture 5 - Jet Eyeball
Can water leak out of the jet eyeball when the pump is off?
http://img821.imageshack.us.KILLED/img821/9016/20120519191333.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eH52EVxQnUA/T7vBennfNzI/AAAAAAAAC-w/Ljz4_1xtzUY/s400/web%2520eyeball%2520detail.jpg
Other causes:
- About 5 fine, paper thin continuous crack that run down the wall to the bottom of the pool. Difficult to spot with pebble tech finish unless you scan your eyes a foot away from the surface.
- Leak from Skimmers/Pipes connected to skimmer.
I am thinking about filling the pool this week after closing the main drain seal and possibly fixing the vacuum port cover. Is there are thing else I should do before I put back 30K gallons?
I moved into a Texas home last year with my first pool (~ 30,000 gallons - 10 yrs old). Initially, I kept watering the pool everyday but got tired of topping it off each day. I found out it was dropping ~ an 1.5 inches a day in the summer heat. I let the pool drain on its own to find out at which level it will slow down. I noticed it was draining slower and slower each day. By the time the pool was half the level it was dropping ~ 0.5 inch/day. The pool has been empty for the last 8 months. I have been lucky that the pool has not popped up. I finally cleaned the pool and discovered these the other day:
Here are the suspected leaks:
Picture 1 & 2 - Two main drains at the bottom of the pool.
One drain is sealed but the other drain is found to be open to earth/ground (I probbed it). Interestingly, when it rains, it still takes days for it to completely empty. Shouldn't it drain much faster if there is a big hole in the center? I have not opened the other seal.
http://img684.imageshack.us.KILLED/img684/2240/20120519185352.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oa5aWs7RSv8/T7vBev0H94I/AAAAAAAAC-g/2eWgSj-urqc/s640/web%2520main%2520drains.jpg --https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L0Mzk0y4J88/T7vBfdKCxqI/AAAAAAAAC-o/hJ_1BmnrI1Q/s640/web%2520main%2520drain%2520detail.jpg
http://img834.imageshack.us.KILLED/img834/5079/20120519185747.jpg
Picture 3,4 - Vacuum port spring cover is loose (spring not work). Can water leak through the vacuum port if the cover is loose?
http://img526.imageshack.us.KILLED/img526/6744/20120519190908.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1m1-wb7q2mk/T7vBgEUAB1I/AAAAAAAAC-4/G7Py2SthDhc/s400/web%2520vacuum%2520inlet.jpg -- https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-BdWhqjqBHXE/T7vBfZB8zVI/AAAAAAAAC_A/7obKHlVt1Cc/s400/web%2520vacuum%2520inlet%2520detail.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us.KILLED/img338/670/20120519190932.jpg
Picture 5 - Jet Eyeball
Can water leak out of the jet eyeball when the pump is off?
http://img821.imageshack.us.KILLED/img821/9016/20120519191333.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eH52EVxQnUA/T7vBennfNzI/AAAAAAAAC-w/Ljz4_1xtzUY/s400/web%2520eyeball%2520detail.jpg
Other causes:
- About 5 fine, paper thin continuous crack that run down the wall to the bottom of the pool. Difficult to spot with pebble tech finish unless you scan your eyes a foot away from the surface.
- Leak from Skimmers/Pipes connected to skimmer.
I am thinking about filling the pool this week after closing the main drain seal and possibly fixing the vacuum port cover. Is there are thing else I should do before I put back 30K gallons?