What's the report this morning?
Did it leak any during the night with the skimmer plugged off?

Did not leak at all last night -



I don't understand your comment Scott - you're talking about plugging the main drain? It's appears the leak is from the skimmer line.

Well now I'm puzzled. Is the top step, where the water level got down to, below the skimmer?

If it's not or it's at the same level as the skimmer then I think we've found the problem. If it's lower than the skimmer i don't know that we've learned anything. Hopefully it's at the same level as the bottom of the skimmer.

Just unplugged the skimmer hole - I'm going to let the water drop again so i can say for sure where it stops - will post a picture in a few day hopefully.

From the initial post:

"After a successful 1st season using the TFP advice and system, we noticed we were filling the pool a bit more than we were at the beginning of the season. I closed the pool and after turning the pump off for the season (we ran the pump 24/7 during the summer), I found the pool level dropped very quickly - lost 3-5 inches within days, and dropped down to below the bottom step by the end of winter."

Note the bottom step, not the top step. Did I miss something along the line?

Scott

No - you didn't miss anything - but I am starting to understand how methodical one must be in combating a pool leak. After my first post, and we regrouted the steps, I never let the water fall much below the skimmer. I now know it leaks when the pump is off and the skimmer hole is not blocked but I don't know exactly to what level it will drop - so I'm testing that now. I hated the thought of having to fill it back up that much - but I see now that knowing just how far the level drops is very pertinent after all the other tests. I'll report back - of course mother nature is not cooperating at the moment and we are having a torrential downpour!

My methodical field test is finished! See photo! I marked the first line Sunday evening. I would guess this means the leak is in the skimmer line? Now what??? There are no visible damp spots anywhere - nothing wet around the pump area. We dug down close to the pump to see how far the lines were - no excessive water showed up.

Take a very close look at the seal around the skimmer where it joins up with the liner. Also examine everywhere you can see on the inside of the skimmer to see if there are any cracks or holes. If that doesn't turn up anything the next step is to dig up the pipe.

Jason's advice is good, but since you had the pipe plugged and it didn't leak, I suspect the plumbing is leaking. After checking everything above ground again, I'd start digging at the pump toward the pool.

Another option would be to get a leak detection company to pinpoint it for you now that you have it narrowed down.

I sealed all around the skimmer really well and am filling the pool back up so I can check.
I also suspect the plumbing - but it runs right under our new (last year) vegetable garden beds and I hate to dig them up if I don't have to.
Has anyone tried the fix-a-leak product?
Thanks for walking me through this guys!

I don't recommend Fix a leak. Fix a leak is very aggressive and will seal "leaks" that you really don't want sealed, like the inside of the filter, if you are not careful. For a suction side leak it also requires running water backwards, which is quite a challenge to setup on most pools.

The skimmer plate is now sealed pretty - however the leak is still there as suspected. Leak detection services want $395.00 to pinpoint leak!
So another question - after sealing the skimmer plate yesterday I turned off the pump around 6PM and by the next morning the water had dropped 2-3 inches. This is a fast leak! But WHERE is all that water going??? Shouldn't I be able to see a damp or wet area in the lawn along the skimmer line somewhere? I've let the pool fall down 2-5 inches and then refilled it at least 5 times over the last 4 weeks. I'm worried to let this go much longer.

Did you refill after sealing the skimmer? You are positive the backwash line is not leaking? If the answer to both is "yes" then it is time to dig up and check the glue joints on the pipes from the skimmer to the pump.

Water sometimes goes down further underground and you never see a wet spot above ground.

Found the leak! Finally paid a leak detection company to come out and pinpoint the leak. Hubby spent today digging, and, success! Now he has to fix it!

Bummer Hubby had to do all that digging but glad you found it and can now fix it.

Where is the broken fitting??

That looks like an elbow below a skimmer? Wow, just like you, I would have thought there would be signs at the surface from something like that!