water loss confusion

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bioteacher

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May 29, 2014
28
Midstate, Illinois
This is only our second spring with a new AG 24' vinyl lined pool. Winter of 2013-14, had a ton of snow here in Illinois and our pool was practically overflowing in the spring. We are using a cover that allows water to slowly seep through. Used the same cover this past winter where we had quite a bit of snow, and I recently noticed that the water level seems WAY lower than I remember it being when we closed it. I know we went below the return by a few inches, but now it is probably a foot below (at least) the return and I am wondering - is there leak somewhere?

We have a floor drain. We closed the pool ourselves - blew out the lines, added antifreeze - tried to follow the instructions thoroughly. Now I am wondering if something under the pool burst and is leaking, do we have a liner leak, or what? The ground around the low side of the pool is damp, but it isn't a swamp and that area is often shaded so I don't know if it is from the pool or not.

What should we do? The water is getting so low, I am concerned about it going any lower and the walls collapsing. Should we remove cover and look for liner leaks? Add more water? We are supposed to get a bunch of rain over the next week...

Thanks,
kelly
 
If you are worried about it you are fine adding a little water under the cover.

If you do have a leak, it is extremely slow. A serious leak would leave the pool dry by now.

I would leave it for investigation when you are opening, give or take some water addition while leaving the pool otherwise closed.
 
Hello,

We marked the water level at that time and we are down about 6 inches from then (two weeks ago). The water in the pool is only about a foot deep. Should I add some water so that the walls don't collapse? I was planning on trying to open this wknd as the water temp is about 50. Obviously, we have a leak. What do we do next to figure out where the leak is? How do we know if it is a problem under the pool with the floor drain pipes? Is this something we can figure out ourselves, or should I call the pool company and prepare for a massive bill?

Thanks,
Kelly
 
I would definitely pull the cover off as soon as you can. This way you can see what may be going on. Could be a hole in the liner or it could be the bottom drain. Where does the plumbing from the bottom drain go? Is it leaking out of that end? Are there any wet spots around the oitside of the pool?
 
The plumbing from the bottom drain goes to the pump/filter. No, I do not see any leaks around this area. From closing in Oct until now, the water level has dropped approximately 24 inches. We really started noticing it once the ice melted. There are no obvious wet spots around the pool. One side (the uphill side) of the pool is buried about a foot deep to make it level with the downhill side of the pool. The pump/filter are on the downhill side. This side is mostly under a deck and looks a little moist, but it usually is because it is always shaded. Considering how many gallons of water have leaked, I would expect a swamp. Considering the pool is somewhat buried, is it possible there is a leak at the drain and the water is just permeating down through the soil under the pool?

I am so frustrated I could just torch it!!

We will take the cover off and see what we can find. I don't want to add too much water, as I am guessing it will just make the leak harder to find and will leak out anyway. I really don't want to call the pool company. That never ends well...

Thanks,
Kelly
 
The easiest way to see if it is leaking from the drain is to remove the drain cover and plug the pipe. While you are plugging off the drain inspect all the seams in the liner for openings or tears. If you find any take pictures of them to document it and then patch the holes. If your 1 year old liner has seam failure you may be able to get a replacement liner under warranty.
 
Take the cover off now. It's not doing you any good on the pool at this point.

Look for any depressions on the floor. I'd also look for dirty spots if there are any as holes tend to leave sand in the pool. Checking the seams it a great place to start other than the obvious floor drain.
 
I finally was able to venture into the 50 degree water this past wknd (not fun) and found TWO gashes in the liner. One was where a patch had come off from last year, and the other one was new. The new 1cm gash was right at the water line, so i am crossing my fingers that there are not any other issues. I patched them both. One other thing I found was something very sharp and very hard poking up from under the pool in one spot. It was a little less than a pencil in diameter, and when I pushed on it, it had very little give. It feels like it might end up breaking through the bottom of the liner. Should I try to place a patch over this small spot as added protection? Could it be something like a tree root (large maple tree thirty feet away)?

The other thing that still concerns me is that there is a depressed area on one side of one of the two bottom drains. I pointed this out to the pool guy who was here last year helping me find a leak, and he didn't think it was anything to worry about. It is about the size of one's foot, and is probably 1-2inches deep right along one side of the drain... I am hoping my current patching will stop the leaks.

I am starting to add water and plan on adding chemicals this weekend.

Thanks!
kelly
 
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