Cant find pool leak

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milesvdustin

Well-known member
Jun 7, 2015
204
Marion, IL
Pool Size
21500
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
I have an 18x36 inground with a new liner last year. It is losing water at about 1 to 1.5 inches per day. Unknown age of the pool.

I plugged the skimmer and returns and it's still losing water.

Jumped in and dye tested the skimmer and returns as well as the main drain and stairs, no dye is being sucked in anywhere at all. I went around twice to be sure.

The ground IS wet downhill from the pool.

I made a pressure tester for the pool lines but the unions they have and the store bought ones are different so I can't test it.

I swam around and checked the liner but I do not see anything obvious.

HELP!!!!
 
milesvdustin said:
plugged the skimmer and returns and it's still losing water.
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With the equipment off and the lines plugged, you could turn the equipment and let the water drop till it stops. Somewhere at the point is the leak.

Prior to doing that I would try the bucket test.
 
1poolman1 said:
A quick Google search showed a couple in your area.
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Mind sharing your Google search link? I called 6 places today and they all said they don't mess with pools.
an1vrsy said:
With the equipment off and the lines plugged, you could turn the equipment and let the water drop till it stops. Somewhere at the point is the leak.

Prior to doing that I would try the bucket test.
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The bucket test confirms the leak. That's why I am here now.

When we opened for winter the water was down at the bottom step, but the dye is not pulling at all anywhere on the step flange.
 
milesvdustin said:
Mind sharing your Google search link? I called 6 places today and they all said they don't mess with pools.

The bucket test confirms the leak. That's why I am here now.

When we opened for winter the water was down at the bottom step, but the dye is not pulling at all anywhere on the step flange.
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Sorry, I just saw a few plumbing contractors that indicated they do leak detection..
 
Leak detection dye on all the fittings had the same result, no leakage from anywhere.

So while messing with things I found that my pool valves at the pump do not seal completely. There is a slow trickle of water with all the valves off, maybe an ounce every 20 seconds-ish. My working theory now is that when the pool was winterized, the leaky valves allowed the water back up above the freeze line on the main drain pipe and then the line froze and burst over the winter. I bet its the main drain since all the returns and skimmer were blown out then plugged inside the pool. I think the leak is either under the pool house or right in front of it as I am getting all the water downhill right behind the pool house.

I am going to cut out and replace all the valves today and then hook up my pressure tool to confirm. Will probably help locate the leak too with air pressure.

Doesn't help matters that I broke my left arm last week on a Mtn biking trip.
 

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If you've already confirmed no leak to WASTE, then I would be suspect of the following:
1 - If you allow the water to fall and it stops somewhere mid-way along the liner, the link is on that liner at the new waterline.
2 - Check your hydrostatic valve.
3 - Light niche (conduit line) already inspected with light emmoved?
4 - Any seams around stairs?
 
1: It is not leaking on any above ground plumbing. In fact I have had the pump and filter disconnected for the last two weeks.
2: Hydrostatic valve? you mean down in the main drain assembly? (that would be about 7 feet lower underground than where my water is coming out at ground level)
3: No light in the pool
4: I have checked and checked and rechecked the stair gaskets with dye, nothing pulls towards it. I even pulled the cover plates and checked every single screwhead with a drop of dye.
 
milesvdustin said:
2: Hydrostatic valve? you mean down in the main drain assembly? (that would be about 7 feet lower underground than where my water is coming out at ground level)
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For whatever it’s worth when tracking a leak, remember that water seeks its own level so no matter how deep the leak is, water can emerge as high as the pool water level. Also, where the water comes out to be visible isn’t necessarily near where the leak is. I had a leak at a skimmer basket on one side of the pool and the water emerged at the other side of the pool (and with surprising force).

If you think it’s a pipe leak, get some water in the pipe and then add compressed air. Listening very carefully or using a mechanic’s stethoscope, the water burbling out of the leak with the air should be detectable.
 
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If you suspect it is on the skimmer(s). Isolate one of the skimmers for a couple of days and monitor Use something like a watertight gizmo. If no difference isolate the other. In four days you could determine if you have a skimmer leak or not. Then you could cover you main drain like a you would in a bath tub. If no difference then you would know that you problem is on the return. At least you would know where to start, boy leaks really suck, er, ahh i mean stink.
 
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I have had the skimmer and the returns with plugs in them for two weeks about now. Only the main drain not plugged but valve shut off. Water still dropping. No sign of a leak using dye.

SoDel said:
For whatever it’s worth when tracking a leak, remember that water seeks its own level so no matter how deep the leak is, water can emerge as high as the pool water level. Also, where the water comes out to be visible isn’t necessarily near where the leak is. I had a leak at a skimmer basket on one side of the pool and the water emerged at the other side of the pool (and with surprising force).

If you think it’s a pipe leak, get some water in the pipe and then add compressed air. Listening very carefully or using a mechanic’s stethoscope, the water burbling out of the leak with the air should be detectable.
Click to expand...
I am going to replace the valves and do exactly this, pressurize the pipes and go around with my scope and listen. Just need non leaky valves so I can try and isolate it down, besides the union on there now isn't like anything at the store. Wish me luck!!!! Thanks all!
 
Good luck! If the usual suspects don’t turn out to be “it,” look anywhere and everywhere the leak could possibly be. My leak turned out to be between the skimmer basket and the concrete shell. Making it worse, it was slow enough that it didn’t do much to the dye. Took a lot of process of elimination to find.
 
Just got the whole new valve setup installed. Skimmer holds pressure great. Returns hold pressure great. Main drain makes bubbles in the pool and the pressure stays at zero.
 

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