I strongly believe that the leak is in your return line(s). I would have the returns pressure tested, if you know how to do it and can, you'll save quite a few bucks. If not, get a reliable company to do the test, and make the repair/ replacement. You did not specify what kind of pool you have, nor it's age.
In the future please include as much info on the pool as you can to get more and BETTER responses to your questions.
Leak
Yes the age of the pool as well as is the deck new/old? may have alot to do with it. Possibly the deck may have moved or while the masons where setting there forms around the perimeter for the deck may have hammered a stake into one of your pipes.
the pool is 30years old, diamondbrite was last done 4years ago, and the deck is the same age, concrete deck with a pebble top finish which has not been messed with other than pressure cleaning in years. I will do some research on pressure testing the return lines i believe i would be able to do it with the right tools and knowledge. any advice or information on this test would be very helpful, thanks for both of your help.
there have been no leaks or problems with the pool other than a new pump installation in the last 4years, since i have owned the house/pool, any other info needed please ask.
Last edited by xoroniox; 04-01-2006 at 11:10 PM.
Not too uncommon to find a suction side leak in the skimmers. The decking shifts and cracks them. Careful visual inspection will frequently find them. If so, they're fairly easy to fix....hope it's that simple.
Dave s.
Originally Posted by duraleigh
Not too uncommon to find a suction side leak in the skimmers. The decking shifts and cracks them. Careful visual inspection will frequently find them. If so, they're fairly easy to fix....hope it's that simple.
right i agree the most probable cause is the suction side skimmer plumbing however i am unsure how to find the location of the leak, i have checked carefully all exposed plumbing and its sealed tight, but it must be leaking because i lost 2" over night while the skimmer was on and when it was off i lost 1/3" maybe and it was a 90degree day here in south florida. thanks for your help
This is exactly where my leak was, in the skimmer throat. I was loosing about 1" a day. I hired a leak test company (@ $400) to find it. They found it by squirting phenol red through a long, thin tube. Wherever the leak is, it sucks the red dye right in.Not too uncommon to find a suction side leak in the skimmers. The decking shifts and cracks them. Careful visual inspection will frequently find them. If so, they're fairly easy to fix....hope it's that simple.
Dave s.
Michael
hey thanks for your reply i got plenty of phenol red on hand and thin clear plastic tubing which i use for my fish tanks that will work perfect for this application. however once they found the leak on your skimmer troat piece how did they or you go about fixing this problem? the more help the better because this sounds really close to being my problem that or the plumbing coming from the skimmer which i am going to dig up tomorrow and see if any of that leaks. i will update and thanks for your help
leak is not suction side
As I tried to point out in my original post, it sounds like a broken return line - that's where I'd look first.
The pool looses a heckuvalot more water while the pump is running, therefore water is being FORCED through the leak.
If the filter system is below water level, it could be backwash blow-by - I don't think so though (but I can't put my finger on why not) Also a pump problem would have been noticed.
A suction side leak would draw air into the pump, causing priming problems and bubbles, certainly not exacerbating the leak.
A stuck hydrostat valve or a cracked skimmer housing would cause water loss but, the amount of water lost daily would remain the same, whether or not the system was running.
It's always possible that you have multiple leaks in the pool, but given the discrepency between the water loss with the pump running vs. without, I'll lay odds on finding the main leak on the back (effluent) side of the pump
Luv & Luk, Ted
Having done construction and service for 4 pool companies in 4 states starting in 1988, what I know about pools could fill a couple of books - what I don't know could fill libraries
Yup I agree, if it leaks down faster when the pump is running, it is definitely on the effluent side of the pump.
As for how they fixed the leak in the skimmer throat, they used waterproof epoxy that the kneaded together and stuffed in the crack. They said it wouldn't be a permanent fix, but 1.5 years later, it's still holding fine. If it gives up, I'll go buy some more and stuff it in there!
Michael
Hey, I'm not gettin' hung out here by myself...I think it's pressure side, too!!
The increase with the pump on slipped by me and I probably should've never brought up suction side as a first culprit.
After all that, I can see a remote scenario where it could be a cracked skimmer and I'd check it just cause it's easy to get to with the phenol red.
I agree that pressure check will find your issue...almost assuredly.
Dave S.
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