Skimmer leak on newly painted pool

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M

Magus

0
May 23, 2014
45
Ann Arbor Michigan
Hello Everyone, I the new guy to the group. :)

So...after many years of patching and grinding, I finally got my pool painted. I filled it with water, started to try to get things in order chemical wise...and I noticed that I was losing two inches of water within a matter of a few hrs. So...I filled it up again to the water line and it fell again.

I plugged up the two return lines trying to isolate the skimmer. but it did not seem to work...I didnt tighten the plugs enough and the water leaked just below the return lines.

I now put more water in the pool and really tightened the plugs. Signs point to there being a leak in the skimmer line.

Looking at the position of the skimmer in relationship to the grass, do you good folks think this would be easy to get to?



Pool:
Fiberglass side
Concrete bottom
Painted with epoxy paint
Haward EC75 DE filter
Haward Super pump
25000 Gallons
 
Welcome to TFP!!!

So you have a concrete painted pool that leaks water.

Your skimmer is above your returns so if the skimmer has a leak allowing the water to leak until it stops should tell you that it is or is not the skimmer.

Most leaks are not in the pipes they are in the skimmer or or in the space between the skimmer or return lines and the concrete wall of the pool.

I would fill the pool and let it drain until it stops. if it stops just below the skimmer then your leak is around the skimmer. If it stops below the returns then it in the returns if it keeps going then its below that.

If you think its the skimmer fill the pool and turn on the pump -- if there is a leak in the plumbing from the pool to the pump then there should be some air bubbles coming into the pump basket that you can see. If no bubble then your leak is probably around the skimmer or in the skimmer itself -- probably around the skimmer.

You can also isolate the leak using food coloring -- while the pool is full and the pump is not running-- place a dropper of food coloring near the returns and the skimmer see what happens. There are several youtube videos on this.

I would not start digging up the yard until after I tried all of the above -- and maybe a leak detection service also. Most pool leaks are not plumbing leaks.
 
gwegan said:
Welcome to TFP!!!

So you have a concrete painted pool that leaks water.


I would fill the pool and let it drain until it stops. if it stops just below the skimmer then your leak is around the skimmer. If it stops below the returns then it in the returns if it keeps going then its below that.

If you think its the skimmer fill the pool and turn on the pump -- if there is a leak in the plumbing from the pool to the pump then there should be some air bubbles coming into the pump basket that you can see. If no bubble then your leak is probably around the skimmer or in the skimmer itself -- probably around the skimmer.

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Click to expand...

Did you mean that If there are no bubbles then my leak is probably around the Return?
When the pool is full, there are ZERO bubbles in the basket.

However...I did have about an `1/8 inch gap between one of the returns and the back of the fiberglass walls. I just fixed this with some atlas putty...I will see if that works. Thank you for your response
 
Zero bubble probably means there is no leak on the suction side of the plumbing. The leak could be in the skimmer or in the pool between the pool wall and the skimmer. That and return leaks you can find by either allowing a drain down or the food coloring test.
 
gwegan said:
Zero bubble probably means there is no leak on the suction side of the plumbing. The leak could be in the skimmer or in the pool between the pool wall and the skimmer. That and return leaks you can find by either allowing a drain down or the food coloring test.
Click to expand...

Well...There is not a leak in the skimmer itself. I plugged it up last night and it held water. It did fall almost below the return. One of the returns...I have noticed...feels really rough and "thin" if that makes any sense. I am filling the pool again and running it. I am having my son monitor how quickly the water drops with the pump running. Also...If it is the return that I am thinking about...it is going to be a bear to fix. Does anyone know of a "sleeve" so to speak to get me through the summer.
 
Last edited:
Well...There are some things I have eliminated from the leak equation.
1. it is not the skimmer box
2. it is not the skimmer line.
3. it is not the shell of the pool
4. it is not the light fixture

5. it is the return lines.

Now...here is the issue:
The pool pump and filter are located in the basement.
When they installed the pool, they had two returns.
I am "assuming" the order of the pipes from the back of the fiberglass wall ...wall Fitting, maybe 6 inches of straight 1 1/2 inch pvc, a 90 pointing down, Going down about 5-6 feet into the ground, then connecting with a T at some point to join them.

I think they are joined because there is one pipe going out of the basement and two return lines...and if I put my hand over one, the flow increases on the other.

I can either try to
1. Use fix a leak
2. dig an unknown depth to try and find the leak...or...the leak can be right at the fitting.

What are your thoughts?
 
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