Evaporation

[hayfarmer]

I have new/last year 18x36 vinyl pool. Its seems like i am loosing allot of water.. Was just wondering what a normal evaporation rate would be.. with no one in the pool about how much would a person loose.. I am thinking that i have a leak somewhere. I cant see where it is leaking and no bubbles in the liner...i have not done the bucket test. but was just wondering what a normal evaporation rate would be... i live in eastern wash temp is around 90 and very dry..
thanks
Jim

 

[mas985]

Average loss over a year is in the range of 50-60" for your area but summer time is usually twice the average rate so it could be as high 2" per week and maybe even 3". If in doubt, do a bucket test to see if the pool loses water faster than a bucket on the first step at the same starting level.

 

[stev32k]

I believe I would call your local county extension agent. He can probably give you the local evaporation rates off the top of his head. Those guys keep up with that sort of thing. He will give you a number in inches per year or maybe inches per month. You can then measure the water drop in your pool to see if it is in that range.

Eastern Washington is pretty dry and about like western Oklahoma where I grew up. Out there the annual evaporation rate was 66 inches, the annual rain fall was 9 inches so one could expect .15 inches per day water drop on average.

A mas985 says the easiest way is just put some water in a bucket - measure the loss every day and compare it to your pool loss.

P.S. Make sure the bucket sides don't get direct sunlight. You could put it in the pool so the water temperatures would be the same.

 

[HunterDT]

Not to hijack, but i was worried too, about a leak. Its my second summer owning this pool and I didn't know that you could have "inches per week" of evaporation. Its been a couple of months now and I am filling my pool a bit for the first time. I thought the rain would help keep it filled, but I guess not. lol :lol: