Pool Leak

[Rubygrrl]

Hello everyone!

We did a bucket test last night and we have a pool leak. Our liner is really old and wrinkled, so I’m hoping that’s what the issue is. However, I know the next step is to plug all of the inlets and returns. We have two return lines, one cleaner line, one skimmer, and two main drains.

We have never had to plug any lines before, so can you all provide guidance on what plugs we need to buy? Also, to plug the main drains do we need to swim down there and unscrew the covers?

I can send pictures if needed, but I am currently at work and not at home.

Thank you all for any help you can provide.

Emily

 

[Texas Splash]

If you Google winterizing plugs, you'll see a wide variety. Most common like the image below. For the drains, yes, you'll need to remove the covers (3-4 screws) to access the actual drain port.

 

[Rubygrrl]

Hello again everyone!

I wanted to update you all. We bought plugs and plugged everything last night (finished about 9:00pm). When we woke up this morning and checked the pool (about 10 hours later) we had lost 3/4 of an inch overnight. As of 1:00 pm, we have lost 1 inch.

I think the next step is to do a dye test around the returns, light, main drains, skimmer, and pool cleaner line (we have a Polaris cleaning line with a dedicated pump).

However, our pool liner is in really rough shape. I posted here a few months ago about all of the wrinkles in it and was concerned we may have a groundwater issue, but we haven't seen any water under the liner at all.

I think whoever installed the liner did a terrible job, because the cuts are awful around the skimmer, steps, and main drains.

Questions:

1. Is it worth still doing the dye test or do you all think it is likely the liner? How do we know for sure it is the liner?

2. Also, any idea where all of this water is going? Are we damaging our pool? There is no signs of water in our yard, so we are baffled.

I just want to make sure that whatever the source of the leak is, is fixed, before we get a new liner.

Thanks for any suggestions/help you can provide.

Emily

 

[Texas Splash]

Really hard for us to know where the leak is. Take your time and be vigilant. Besides all the standard locations (lights, returns, steps, etc) an old liner presents challenges with creases that might hide a leak. Do your best. If you don't see anything at ground level, the leak may be quite low slowly settling under the pool.

 

[Rubygrrl]

Really hard for us to know where the leak is. Take your time and be vigilant. Besides all the standard locations (lights, returns, steps, etc) an old liner presents challenges with creases that might hide a leak. Do your best. If you don't see anything at ground level, the leak may be quite low slowly settling under the pool.

Thank you so much for your reply.

If we don't find any leaks around the lights, returns, steps etc....is it safe to assume that replacing the liner will take care of whatever the issue may be? I guess my concern is I don't want to replace this liner and then find out there is something wrong underneath the pool (if that is even a thing?) that would warrant the new liner having to be removed.

I would hope the people installing the liner would take note of any issues in the shell of the pool, but unfortunately, I don't trust a whole lot of pool people here locally

 

[Texas Splash]

Also be sure to check your main drains. You may have one or two hydrostatic valves. Sometimes they get something wedged in the gasket preventing a good seal, or they simply go bad.

 

[Rubygrrl]

Hello again everyone!

We lost another 3/4 of an inch overnight. Yesterday we did a dye test around our 2 returns, clean line, skimmer, 2 main drains, around the steps in the pool and on some of the wrinkles in the pool liner and we can’t find anything. We do not have any hydrostatic valves down by the main drains (we did check for those).

The pump basket still has prime (with all lines plugged).

Any other suggestions? We are at a loss of what to do next.

I don’t want to just assume it’s the liner, have it replaced, and still have this leak, even though it’s highly likely it’s the liner, but with this amount of water loss, I’m surprised we aren’t finding the issue

I can send pics or anything else you all may need to help us out.

Edit to add that water is now right at the bottom of the skimmer plate. We are not opposed waiting a few more days to see if the water drops further (use the water level to try to see where the leak is).

Thank you all so much!

Emily

 

[Rubygrrl]

Update:
I called a local pool company a couple of days ago and they said we have 2 options:

1. Call American Leak Detection which is a company based out of Dallas/Fort Worth (we have no leak detection companies here in town) and they will come out and find the leak (guaranteed) and fix it.

2. Call another company (based out of Dallas) to come and install a new liner and see if they think they can find what the issue is (where the leak is) in our pool.

I called the Dallas pool company 2 days ago but they haven’t called me back yet.

The pool level continues to fall. Currently, the level is below the skimmer right above the returns. Is there any harm letting it continue to fall? I’m worried about mosquitos, should we remove main drain plugs and at least let the pool circulate with the skimmer off?

Any other advice? Suggestions? I don’t know what else we can do at this point

Would you all recommend calling the leak detection company over the pool company? I feel like since we are losing so much water with all of the lines plugged, then that rules out a pipe that’s leaking, correct?

Thanks again!

 

[Texas Splash]

Is there any harm letting it continue to fall?

No problem letting the water fall to the return jets to see if those could be a problem. If you end up contacting someone, American Leak Detection has received some favorable comments from other members this season.

 

[Kaylee34]

If it was me, I’d toss in a cheap sump pump to circulate the water and keep my chlorine up while letting the water level fall. Keep the FC up, the leaves and stuff out and you’ll be ok with mosquitoes. Stir up any water in the skimmer every day. Hopefully it stops soon and you’ll have an idea where to look for your leak. Don’t let it drain too far!

I’d also be on the phone as much as possible with pool companies about a new liner. You already know it needs one but it may take awhile to get and schedule anyone to install it.

 

[Lanzz]

I was in a similar situation last fall - leak detection company told me that one of my returns was leaking and they needed to break up the concrete to fix. So, I approved them fixing it. Guy that came to fix it re-did the pressure test just to be sure and he said all plumbing was good - and that I would be wasting money and making a mess fixing the "leaking" return. Guy used a listening device and said he heard very faint gurgles around the steps (even though dye test around steps didn't show anything.) His advice - address the leak around the stairs before doing anything else. We did not see any evidence in the yard of a leak - had to be a few hundreds gallons a day - which quietly went into the ground. In the end - I replaced the liner (which I planned to do anyway) and I do not have a leak anymore. I only bring this up because even leak detection isn't foolproof and I am fortunate the repair tech was an honest guy. I would let it go below skimmer and returns which rules those out and see what the leak detection people tell you. (Keep in mind, pool needs to be back full when they come to test for leaks.) I used liquid chlorine and my Dolphin robot to keep pool and water clean the entire time - even when pool only had a few feet of water.

 

[Rubygrrl]

Thank you all so much for your replies.

We were planning on calling the liner company first (this company apparently tests all lines for leaks as part of installing the liner) and THEN we had planned to call the leak detection company only if necessary I guess. I called the liner company two days ago and I am waiting on a call back.

Do you all think I should call the leak detection company first (now) and then worry about the liner? Im afraid of having a new liner installed and still having a leak (I don’t want them having to rip out a brand new liner to fix any issues I guess is my concern, I know we need a new liner regardless).

 

[Rubygrrl]

One other thing, every line is still plugged in our pool and we are still losing water…doesn’t this in itself rule out a plumbing/pipe issue/leak

Oh, and our pump basket is still primed full of water! Not sure if that matters or not.

Thanks

 

[Lake Placid]

I’ve used American Leak Detection in the past with good results. I was at work when the tech did his thing, but in my case he found a some pinholes in the concrete floor and sealed them with epoxy. Cost was around $300 repaired. Well worth it IMO.

If I was in your shoes, I’d spend a few hundred bucks on leak detection first to definitively know what I’m dealing with, vs tossing a liner in and hoping it fixes your leak.

Not to be funny, but re-lining your pool hoping it repairs the unknown source of your leak is similar to walking in to the pool store and stocking up on every magic potion to fix cloudy water without truly knowing why its cloudy in the first place. Get definitive data, make decisions accordingly.

 

[Rubygrrl]

I’ve used American Leak Detection in the past with good results. I was at work when the tech did his thing, but in my case he found a some pinholes in the concrete floor and sealed them with epoxy. Cost was around $300 repaired. Well worth it IMO.

If I was in your shoes, I’d spend a few hundred bucks on leak detection first to definitively know what I’m dealing with, vs tossing a liner in and hoping it fixes your leak.

Not to be funny, but re-lining your pool hoping it repairs the unknown source of your leak is similar to walking in to the pool store and stocking up on every magic potion to fix cloudy water without truly knowing why its cloudy in the first place. Get definitive data, make decisions accordingly.

Thank you so much!! I appreciate it so much!

 

[Rubygrrl]

Quick update! I called the American Leak Detection company and they are sending someone out tomorrow. I will let you all know what they find. Thank you again everyone for all of your replies/help! Have a great day!

 

[Rubygrrl]

Another update! They found the leak! It’s our pool light (the bottom of it). I’ll do some searches on the forum, but any tips on how to fix a leak on the pool light? We plan to still get a new liner soon, but if we can repair the leak to get us through the busy season that would be awesome. (The liner company hasn’t called back, I’m sure they are busy/swamped). Thanks everyone!

 

[Texas Splash]

but any tips on how to fix a leak on the pool light?

Depends on exactly where in the niche the leak is. It probably occurred from ground settling which pulls on the conduit pigtail and snaps. But the crack can be on the niche shell itself which can be epoxied. If the leak is in the conduit tail itself, you'll want to plug the conduit hole, but not with anything that will be impossible to remove later if you need to pull wires. Do some quick YouTube searches and you'[l see what I mean.

 

[Texas Splash]

 

[Rubygrrl]

Hello everyone!

Sorry to bump this thread back to the top but we need your help.

We finally had time to examine the pool light a bit closer today. We think it might be the gasket/o-ring around the pool light itself as it looks worn and has dirt around it.

It’s hard to tell if there is anything wrong inside but I have attached a few pics.

What do you all think? Anything else we need to do to figure out exactly what the problem is?

Oh, the liner guy called back and said if it’s a leak in the (I can’t remember which one he said conduit or gasket) then it’s not worth repairing because the problem will likely keep happening and he recommended vinyling over the pool light. I really don’t want to get rid of our pool light

Any trusted pool liner companies you all recommend in the DFW area that may travel a few hours north?

Thanks for any help you can give!

Emily