Help! Pool Cover Issues and Leak Issues

[Jimmy C]

Hi,

I live 200 miles south near Austin. My IG 16K Gallon Gunite pool is also near several trees, and I too use a cover. My cover is a safety cover with straps anchored to the concrete walkway. I use a 2 speed pump on low speed and run it 4 hours a day over the winter. I also keep the TC up with bleach. I seem to lose about 1ppm / week with cold water and little UV exposure.

Your above ground pool may be overdue for a new liner unless the leak(s) are small and easily fixable.

My water stays clear. I'd hate to think what would happen if I made a Frog Pond every winter. I'm not too familiar with AG pools, but it seems to me that being in Dallas you don't need to put the pool to bed over the winter. It's just too warm to do that IMHO.

Finding leaks with filthy water will be a challenge. I suggest you re-connect your pump and shock your pool with bleach as described elsewhere on this forum. Maybe running the pump will provide clues as to where your leak is.

BTW, the Live Oak trees here are most destructive from early April to mid May. My cover comes off mid May. If I take it off too soon, I plug my whole filtration system up with junk from these trees, and this happens daily.

Good Luck,
Jimmy C.

[b2001]

Thanks for the response, Jimmy ...

Your above ground pool may be overdue for a new liner unless the leak(s) are small and easily fixable.

I'm prepared to replace it if that's what it comes to, but I'd like to put at least some effort in tyring to locate the leaks prior to spending that kind of money.

My water stays clear. I'd hate to think what would happen if I made a Frog Pond every winter.

My water has been pretty good except for the last couple of years - the cover just appears to be worn enough that the crud on top seeps through.

I'm not too familiar with AG pools, but it seems to me that being in Dallas you don't need to put the pool to bed over the winter. It's just too warm to do that IMHO.

Finding leaks with filthy water will be a challenge. I suggest you re-connect your pump and shock your pool with bleach as described elsewhere on this forum. Maybe running the pump will provide clues as to where your leak is.

My wife and I are in disagreement over that. I'm tired of going through the hassle of dealing with the cover, expecially the "back breaking" effort invovled with getting all of the crud off for cover removal. She's more concerned with the energy usage over the winter - which is definitely a point to consider.

The water is down to a foot from the bottom. I'm not sure filling it up without having some idea of where the leak is, only to have it go down again is the best of situations. There have been water rationing rules - especially related to refilling pools - in effect around here.

For all I know, this was an issue during the summer, and what I assumed was loss due to evaporation, was really a leak problem - I'm just not sure.

Anyway thanks again for the reply - I'm just trying to solicit enough advise to take the best course of action. I suspect I'm going to at least see if it reaches a low point and see if I can discover any type of holes - and give up at the beginning of the summer.

[CarlD]

I use a mesh safety cover--I check once in a while that the pool isn[t too full.

[b2001]

What brand do you use? Do you not have a problem with it sitting on the water and the water sppeing back through to the top of the cover?

[CarlD]

What brand do you use? Do you not have a problem with it sitting on the water and the water sppeing back through to the top of the cover?

I'm not sure of the brand--leisureliving.com has the brand--it's called a "safety cover". I do not know if they work on standard AGs, but it works on mine. It's under tension and rarely touches the water--but it's not a problem. I stopped bothering with pillows--doesn't need them.

[Jimmy C]

This was said:
My wife and I are in disagreement over that. I'm tired of going through the hassle of dealing with the cover, expecially the "back breaking" effort invovled with getting all of the crud off for cover removal. She's more concerned with the energy usage over the winter - which is definitely a point to consider.

My Reply:
We all have to pick our arguments. Think about the costs associated with transitioning a frog pond to a pool every spring versus the cost of maintaining a pool over the winter. You could run your pump only and hour or two a day, or if a 2 speed pump a bit more on low speed. Without the UV load, and the cold water temperature, I bet one large jug of wall mart bleach per month will keep the chlorination need satisfied.

Your leak situation is the kicker here. Maybe there is some visible healthy growth of weeds around the pool suggesting wet soil at one side of the pool? I bought one of those soil moisture meters where you stab the ground looking for moisture. These can be useful when looking for leaks so long as it hasn't rained in a while.

Jim