I am a new in-ground pool owner and have a sudden problem I was hopeing TFP can help with (especially given this is a holiday weekend and I won't be getting a pro over here anytime soon!!) The pool is losing water, about 2 inches so far in 24 hours. One skimmer works well but I noticed a few days ago the other skimmer has no suction. I was going to wait for the holiday to be over before getting someone over here to see if it was just clogged. Once I noticed a drop in the level, I went out to check the skimmer. The skimmer looks like it's being flushed, i.e. all the water that comes is going down through the hole like it's being flushed away. The other skimmer works just fine. I suspect - I HOPE - the leak will stop once the water drops below the skimmer line, but now I'm just worried. When I turn the pump off, the flushing stops. Now what? What could be causing this ? A leak in that particular skimmer line? I am a novice so I'm hoping someone can help me out. I don't want to turn the pump off because I just had it drained and cleaned because the previous owners didn't clean it well before it was closed. Thank you for your help - anyone!
Oy! Flushing Skimmer, Losing water!
- Thread starter Cameronspool
- Start date
Does it do it with the pump off?
If so Take a winterizing plug (or rubber ball, etc.) and plug the skimmer if you're sure it's the problem. If you have separate valves at the equipment pad you'll need to close the one off going to that skimmer.
If so Take a winterizing plug (or rubber ball, etc.) and plug the skimmer if you're sure it's the problem. If you have separate valves at the equipment pad you'll need to close the one off going to that skimmer.
It seems to stop when the pump is off, but I am tempted to plug it anyway (believe I have a bucket of plugs that the folks who opened the pool left). What could be causing this? I have three lines at the equipment pad, one labeled skimmer, one labeled main drain and one...not labeled - As a hideously awful novice, I wondered if the one that is not labeled is that particular skimmer, but am fearful of running the pump with the the wrong valve closed and breaking something! My husband already hates that we bought a house with a pool 
Will see what the water level is tomorrow, hoping below the skimmer line makes it stop. ugh.
Will see what the water level is tomorrow, hoping below the skimmer line makes it stop. ugh.
If it stops when the pump stops I wouldn't plug it. It's most likely feeding the pump. Can you post some pics of the pool and pump/equipment?
just wanted to offer Cameronspool some support. My wife also takes complete care of our pool and I very much appreciate it. Hang in there, you will love having it! It is overwhelming but will get much easier as you grow understanding of everything. Good luck!
Oh thank you mbsmith03! I am trying to get this thing all situated so we can actually enjoy it - lots of phone calls to dad lately!
So I tested and tested and tested....I seem to have two valvues to shut the skimmers off and run the pump just off the main drain. I did that and still had a leak (esp since the water drained out of the skimmers so didn't want to suck air into the system). Then I closed all the valves, still leaked...
HOWEVER, today is the first day of all day dry weather and I think I found the leak. The pipe labeled "return" which I assume is the return to the pool is leaking! When the pump is on it's a pretty steady drip. When it's off, it drips but much less. I previously checked the levels both with the pump on overnight (about a half an inch loss) as compared to off, less than a 1/4 of an inch but still less. I am now filling the pool back up beyond the skimmer line with the pump on so we don't run the risk of getting the pool I had paid to be drained and cleaned getting junked up again by having the water low with the pump off. I am working on getting a person out to fix the valve/junction and hoping this is IT. Not to mention I just removed a ton of toad eggs...I just want to enjoy this thing!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welc ... zZy5auWbko
Hopefully I am on the right track! The only other pool owner in my life, good ol' dad, says that you wouldn't think that steady drip would add up, but it does. Thoughts?
So I tested and tested and tested....I seem to have two valvues to shut the skimmers off and run the pump just off the main drain. I did that and still had a leak (esp since the water drained out of the skimmers so didn't want to suck air into the system). Then I closed all the valves, still leaked...
HOWEVER, today is the first day of all day dry weather and I think I found the leak. The pipe labeled "return" which I assume is the return to the pool is leaking! When the pump is on it's a pretty steady drip. When it's off, it drips but much less. I previously checked the levels both with the pump on overnight (about a half an inch loss) as compared to off, less than a 1/4 of an inch but still less. I am now filling the pool back up beyond the skimmer line with the pump on so we don't run the risk of getting the pool I had paid to be drained and cleaned getting junked up again by having the water low with the pump off. I am working on getting a person out to fix the valve/junction and hoping this is IT. Not to mention I just removed a ton of toad eggs...I just want to enjoy this thing!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welc ... zZy5auWbko
Hopefully I am on the right track! The only other pool owner in my life, good ol' dad, says that you wouldn't think that steady drip would add up, but it does. Thoughts?
Good ole dad was right. A pretty good drip 24/7 adds up to a good amount of water.
The first thing I'd do is repair the leak you found and see if that's it. Hopefully it will be and you'll be good.
The first thing I'd do is repair the leak you found and see if that's it. Hopefully it will be and you'll be good.