Pool leaking after closing

[jgjh151]

Hello, I've noticed our pool is leaking after it has been closed by our local pool company. This is the second time they closed it, last time was fine.

After they were done closing it this year, I noticed they tool out like 4 feet of water, not the usual few inches below the jets. So with less water in the pool, my cover was sitting very low int he pool and I was worried it was going to fall off the edges once the snow came and pushed it in further around the edges....so I started filling it back up with the hose, well now water level is back down so that the shallow end is almost empty, only has about an inch of water.

I called them about this a few weeks ago, they said fill it up and see if it goes back down. They said they would have to get someone back out and go check the main drain in deep end. They said I would be paying for all of this fiasco since we don't know why it's leaking.

It wasn't leaking the last 2 years and started when they left from closing the pool

What do you think my course of action should be?

 

[jgjh151]

Some more info, the pump and filter are above the water level, no idea where this water could be going. If it was the main drain, the water would be coming up and out the filter, it's not though. The filter has the bottom plug off and theres no water around it. Other than going out the main drain, would it have to be a hole in the liner in the deep end?

 

[X-PertPool]

It could possibly be a hole in the liner, do they vacuum on the closing?

 

[Qwaxalot]

If the main drain pot has a hydrostatic relief valve, it could easily be that.
You really should get it fixed now, instead of waiting.

 

[jgjh151]

It could possibly be a hole in the liner, do they vacuum on the closing?

They don't vacuum when they close it. If there was a hole, it didn't leak all summer. If the hole was made at closing, I really have no way of know if they did it though.

If the main drain pot has a hydrostatic relief valve, it could easily be that.

Where would the water be going from the main drain? To the filter right, there is no water coming out of filter.

 

[jgjh151]

You really should get it fixed now, instead of waiting.

Curious how they would fix this if it's not really known. They would look for hole in liner, then check main drain. To check main drain they'll need to get in the freezing water and check it out? What do you think it's going to cost me just to have them try to find the issue? If it's the main drain, will they eat the cost of all this since they closed it?

 

[X-PertPool]

If you were my customer.

First I'd make sure it was leaking by marking the water level and checking on it the next day.
After seeing how much it loses in a day I'd have an idea of what kind leak we are looking for (for the most part)
If the main drain can't hold it's air lock then it could be a leak in the main drain line (when the pool is running it wouldn't lose water but it could make it hard for the motor to run)
After the plumbing is excluded I would do an electronic leak detection on the liner
If I can't find anything there then I would dive with my dry suit dye test the light, steps, and main drain.
Then hopefully by the time that is over with you no longer have a leak.

I charge $189/hr for leak detection. Most of the time it's found in the first hour.

I don't know if they will eat the cost of the closing if the main drain line is busted since we haven't experienced a hard freeze yet. If they have been the only ones closing the pool for years then they might.

If it's the hydrostatic relief valve then it's no ones fault really, just bad luck. The dye test might be the only way to figure that out.

 

[jgjh151]

Pool company came a said it was leaking from a liner patch in shallow end coming loose. They replaced the patch for little over $100. I'm pretty sure this isn't the issue because water level is now 2-3 inches below where the slope starts. I also noticed they closed the main drain plumbing knob right before where it comes up to join the skimmer plumbing into the filter valve switch. So if the water level continues down, we know it's not going out the main drain and must be a liner leak? In the bill they recommenced we replace the liner in the spring of course. The liner is around 6 years old, there are a few small patches (few feet above the water level as of now) but it seems to be OK. Should we continue looking for the leak or let it drain itself and replace the liner in spring?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Closing the main drain valve won't stop a main drain leak. It can still leak anywhere below the water line.
You can let it drain down till it stops and look for the leak there.

 

[Qwaxalot]

Pool company came a said it was leaking from a liner patch in shallow end coming loose. They replaced the patch for little over $100. I'm pretty sure this isn't the issue because water level is now 2-3 inches below where the slope starts. I also noticed they closed the main drain plumbing knob right before where it comes up to join the skimmer plumbing into the filter valve switch. So if the water level continues down, we know it's not going out the main drain and must be a liner leak? In the bill they recommenced we replace the liner in the spring of course. The liner is around 6 years old, there are a few small patches (few feet above the water level as of now) but it seems to be OK. Should we continue looking for the leak or let it drain itself and replace the liner in spring?

Did they check the main drain, specifically the hydrostat for a leak?
FYI: The Hydrostatic relief valve is NOT connected to the pool plumbing.
Everything you have reported points to a hydrostat leak!

 

[jgjh151]

Did they check the main drain, specifically the hydrostat for a leak?
FYI: The Hydrostatic relief valve is NOT connected to the pool plumbing.
Everything you have reported points to a hydrostat leak!

They didn't, just did the patch in the shallow end where an old patch was loose. Water went further down than that. Next step was for me to call a diver to go into deep end to inspect main drain. FML

 

[jgjh151]

Can you tell me a bit more how this issue could have occurred or what would have caused it from closing the pool if it was OK all summer? (hydrostatic relief valve)

 

[jgjh151]

Red up on it a bit, your right though, sounds like it is open allowing water to seep out into ground. Could this have happened when they were blowing out the pipes?

 

[Qwaxalot]

Red up on it a bit, your right though, sounds like it is open allowing water to seep out into ground. Could this have happened when they were blowing out the pipes?

No, the hydrostat is not connected to the pool plumbing at all.
They generally fail when, either the o'ring fails, or a pebble or some such gets caught in it, keeping it from closing.

 

[X-PertPool]

If you let the water level drain past the shallow end you'll probably end up losing the liner as it will shrink and move.

 

[jgjh151]

If we replace the liner, can we do it now or wait until spring? Current temps in NY are around 28-36 night and 40-60 in day.

 

[X-PertPool]

You can replace the liner now, but you will get a better fit with warmer temperatures. The problem is the night time temps will make the vinyl harden up and shrink which will make it harder for the vacuum to keep everything in place and you might end up with the shallow end slipping into the deep from the weight of the rising water.