This is my first season with a pool. It's a 12' x 24', around 9650 gallons (36500 liters). We had a leak early in the year and they came to find it, there were a few screws missing on the stairs and that was supposedly it. I watched for a few days after and seemed the water level did not go down. But now I'm starting to wonder. My water level is definitely dropping, and I'm trying to figure out if it could just be from the splashing when we use it since it's a small-ish pool, or would it just take an incredible amount of splashing to produce a noticeable decrease in water level. So, for people with a pool that size, do you usually have to refill a bit every few weeks? Or do I have a problem?
How often do you have to add water to pool?
- Thread starter tm8747a
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 59,314
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Evaporation? What has your weather been? Warm and dry with wind or cold and cloudy with rain?
Is the pool water temperature above your daily low temperatures? Warm water with cool air enhances evaporation.
Is the pool water temperature above your daily low temperatures? Warm water with cool air enhances evaporation.
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,298
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
Good to meet you via TFP 
Try the "bucket test"... fill a bucket of water and see if it goes down the same amount as the pool. (comparing evaporation, has to be done when the pool is not in use)
In the hottest, windiest summer days, we lose nearly 1/4" per day, not including splashout. During cool still days, it's very little, maybe 1/32"
Try the "bucket test"... fill a bucket of water and see if it goes down the same amount as the pool. (comparing evaporation, has to be done when the pool is not in use)
In the hottest, windiest summer days, we lose nearly 1/4" per day, not including splashout. During cool still days, it's very little, maybe 1/32"
It was very hot the last 4 days (90+), but now it would already be the second time I'd be topping it off. It was not quite that hot before and I had to refill within 2 weeks of using it.
The "has to be done when the pool is not in use" will be the challenging part! We're using it almost every single day these days, which has definitely made it hard for me confirm if it's going down no matter what. I'm sure I'll find a window though. I want to figure this out ASAP because I don't want them telling me if I confirm it late in the season that I may have made a hole in the liner and it's my fault.Good to meet you via TFP
Try the "bucket test"... fill a bucket of water and see if it goes down the same amount as the pool. (comparing evaporation, has to be done when the pool is not in use)
In the hottest, windiest summer days, we lose nearly 1/4" per day, not including splashout. During cool still days, it's very little, maybe 1/32"
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,298
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
Hopefully you get a chance. I have a clear bucket for this purpose, I set it on the top step with brick in it to hold it in place, then fill it to the same level as the pool water. A normal bucket is fine, some people put a piece of tape at the water line in the bucket and same in the pool. You do want similar wind and sun effect on the water in both. Overnight might work to detect a leak.
Seriously? So in your case, it's evaporation? Or is it just from splashing? Or both? And how big is your pool? I do see San Diego in your profile and I assume it's consistently hotter than here, though we do get some very warm days in the summer, but that's probably a total of a month or so.
clambert1273
Gold Supporter
- Jun 13, 2013
- 1,493
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
Right now not much but starting in next couple of weeks I will turn my auto fill on & leave it on until octoberish
I just keep discovering new things... Auto fill? You just have something that injects a certain amount of water a day or something?
clambert1273
Gold Supporter
- Jun 13, 2013
- 1,493
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
Yeah its like one of those toilet things and set it to level I want then if water lowers it starts to add water for me until back to level
How often do you have to add water to pool?
Every time we have a Golden Retriever pool party with up to 6 Goldens - 3 of ours and 3 friends'. They're like sponges and get out quite often. Generally about 1 - 2 inches if there had been no heavy rain recently.
- May 3, 2014
- 59,314
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Mine runs all year long. We do not get what you all call rain in the north. Evaporation, to some extent, essentially happens all the time in our climate.
clambert1273
Gold Supporter
- Jun 13, 2013
- 1,493
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
I don't usually have a problem until it really gets the full blown weather
- May 3, 2014
- 59,314
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Mine at least drips all the time. It might only be a few gallons a day during the winter and when I use the solar cover in the spring and fall.
I've now learned a new term: "Automtic Pool Water Leveler". My family had a pool when I was young and I've had friends and relatives with pools, how did I go so long without ever hearing of this?
Our pool is full sun and high use most every day. Peak season is now, we are filling for about an hour every 2nd or 3rd day due to evap and splash out.
I measure the water level on the 2nd step against the handrail 2x a day if I think I have a leak. 8 am to 8 pm always shows a larger loss (even unused) than 8 pm to 8 am. If/when the loss is significant enough to worry about, I use the bucket method to double-check the loss. Georgia weather can make erratic variations in evaporation.
I installed a flow totalizer when I piped in a manual water softener to try and keep CH down. This model is battery powered and is the most sensitive to low flowrates I could find. My records show I use about 850 gallons per week in these hotter drier months in AZ. This of course includes the splash out from the grandkids as well as evaporation. We keep the pool at 87F which isn't helping.
Thanks everyone for the answers. I'm going to do my best to keep monitoring, but at least it's looking like a real possibility that I'm losing water in a completely natural way. I just have to keep an eye on it.