Hi all,
New to the forum, really love the expert answers I see here. We bought a house in north Texas with an inground gunite pool two years ago. We calculate it is about 20,000 gallons. What a learning curve! We've managed to learn to keep water crystal clear and healthy, have replaced both pumps, freeze switch, etc. Now have a leak we are trying hard to isolate. The pool is about 20+ years old, as near as we can tell. No idea who installed it, or how it was plumbed. There have always been broken tiles and a large crack at the top of the stairs, just under the coping - nowhere else in the pool. We haven't been able to afford the $8000-$10000 to re-plaster and repair a few more items. So, since the water level has always been below the crack, we've lived with it. We've always thought there might be a leak due to excessive water evaporation, although till I found the forum I didn't know how to measure and judge the water loss. The water is now starting to puddle up next to our patio, about 6'-8' from the edge of the stairs. In the morning, after the pump has been off all night, no water. Within 1-2 hours of the pump coming on, we see the water. So, pretty sure it is a pressure leak. I have no clue how a pool is built, so a couple of questions. 1. How close to the edge of the pool do the lines run? 2. Since there is only one discharge pipe from the pump, would it run in a continuous circuit, or be teed off somewhere? 3. Any fairly good methods of pinpointing the leak, if it is in the pressure pipe, within just a couple of feet, without ripping up the deck?
I've attached several pictures (I hope) to show the layout of the pool, and the results of the leak(s). Again, I really appreciate this site, and all I've learned from it so far.
[attachment=0:2tb9yih7]P9030002.JPG[/attachment:2tb9yih7]
[attachment=1:2tb9yih7]P9030003.JPG[/attachment:2tb9yih7]
Sorry to be so long on my first post. I welcome any feedback, suggestions, ideas, etc.
Garry
New to the forum, really love the expert answers I see here. We bought a house in north Texas with an inground gunite pool two years ago. We calculate it is about 20,000 gallons. What a learning curve! We've managed to learn to keep water crystal clear and healthy, have replaced both pumps, freeze switch, etc. Now have a leak we are trying hard to isolate. The pool is about 20+ years old, as near as we can tell. No idea who installed it, or how it was plumbed. There have always been broken tiles and a large crack at the top of the stairs, just under the coping - nowhere else in the pool. We haven't been able to afford the $8000-$10000 to re-plaster and repair a few more items. So, since the water level has always been below the crack, we've lived with it. We've always thought there might be a leak due to excessive water evaporation, although till I found the forum I didn't know how to measure and judge the water loss. The water is now starting to puddle up next to our patio, about 6'-8' from the edge of the stairs. In the morning, after the pump has been off all night, no water. Within 1-2 hours of the pump coming on, we see the water. So, pretty sure it is a pressure leak. I have no clue how a pool is built, so a couple of questions. 1. How close to the edge of the pool do the lines run? 2. Since there is only one discharge pipe from the pump, would it run in a continuous circuit, or be teed off somewhere? 3. Any fairly good methods of pinpointing the leak, if it is in the pressure pipe, within just a couple of feet, without ripping up the deck?
I've attached several pictures (I hope) to show the layout of the pool, and the results of the leak(s). Again, I really appreciate this site, and all I've learned from it so far.
[attachment=0:2tb9yih7]P9030002.JPG[/attachment:2tb9yih7]
[attachment=1:2tb9yih7]P9030003.JPG[/attachment:2tb9yih7]
Sorry to be so long on my first post. I welcome any feedback, suggestions, ideas, etc.
Garry