Can't find my autofill valve ...

[LeighAnn]

We recently bought a house and the pool is in good shape.

We made sure the pool was topped off before we went on vacation and came back to what was certainly the same amount of water, perhaps more (this is impossible after a week in direct Texas sunlight in August ....)

We noticed the water level was way too high though and staying very steady. We siphoned some water out so the skimmers would once again be able to work, but the next day it was filled again.

It's become obvious we have an autofill valve (....or something) somewhere that's maintaining our water level. It desperately needs to be adjusted before we end up with foundation problems, but we can't find it. There is nothing along the edges of the pool, in the skimmer, or on the skimmer flaps that keep debris from floating back into the pool.

Could it be somewhere in the pool equipment? I'm not sure where to look or what I'm looking for ....

Thanks so much for your help in advance!!

 

[OldPoolMan]

Look all around the perimeter of the pool for a deck lid, which would cover a float style autofill. Also find your fill line valve, which should be connected to a water line around the house, it probably will be a brass valve. Finally, look around the tile lime of the pool for a 3/4" or 1" pipe that is where the fill water comes into the pool. Its possible that the fill valve is broken and water is slowly trickling into the pool

 

[Corleone]

Look all around the perimeter of the pool for a deck lid, which would cover a float style autofill. Also find your fill line valve, which should be connected to a water line around the house, it probably will be a brass valve. Finally, look around the tile lime of the pool for a 3/4" or 1" pipe that is where the fill water comes into the pool. Its possible that the fill valve is broken and water is slowly trickling into the pool

As usual great advice.

If you're unsure of which pipe it is, turn on your pump and look for the return which isn't pumping water like the others, that's most likely your autofill.

For the brass valve, check around your sprinkler valves, many auto-fills are connected through irrigation. The actual float is pretty easy to adjust, mine has a screw that raises and lowers the float.

 

[gtemkin]

Your system may be completely different that mine, but my Auto-fill presents itself on the wall of the pool as a return jet. Looks just like all the other return jets. If you turn you're pump on and feel return flow from 4 out of 5 returns, it's likely the one without any flow is the autofill port. From that point on the wall you should look on the deck or nearby for any valves or "manhole" covers that may contain the autofill mechanism.