Leak in Pool

[Deltadog]

So I have a leak in my pool, Potentially.. Background: Pool was complete July 2022, within a month I noticed a damp Wet Spot on Beam/back wall (pic #4). builder dismissed for moisture from stone…. Fast forward to April 2023, I keep a significant mud hole in my yard directly down hill 15 feet. Dug up area and check all sprinkler lines, no leaks. Has City come test water in hole 4 times over last several months, always test out as city water not ground water. So then I took sample of water from hole To pool supply and had water tested, water comes back 1000ppm salt, with trace CYA. Notice oily reside in water. So now I am concluding it has to be coming from pool. But the question I have is how? I have performed the bucket test, and could not tell much. Seems like an extremely slow leak? Builder says it could be coming thought the tile line, is that possible, to come through crack in tile grout and swept through wall, enough to keep a 4’x10’ area muddy directly down hill? The last photo is a pic in yard where the wet/muddy area has been all year. See other attached photos. Any insight would be great!!

 

[Texas Splash]

Regardless of whether it's a plumbing leak or efflorescence seeping out, your builder should inspect their work. If there is a plumbing line in that area they should do some leak detections such as a pressure test combined with listening devices. A pool that new, they need to verify.

 

[Deltadog]

Kinda of my thought too. I have been in touch with them, they plan to come look, but I’m concerned they will just say it is the crack in the tile grout and Repair that part. Would this be more in line with what is referred to as a “weeper”?

 

[Bperry]

Kinda of my thought too. I have been in touch with them, they plan to come look, but I’m concerned they will just say it is the crack in the tile grout and Repair that part. Would this be more in line with what is referred to as a “weeper”?

Seems highly likely coming from something pool related. Wet ground like that is a risk for structural damage and soil settling. Water is not supposed to be coming through the tile.

Do you have an auto-fill and was it off during the bucket test?

 

[Deltadog]

I didn’t think it should be coming through tile, just curious is it possible to come thought the crack in grout and cause this type of wet ground? I do not have an auto fill. seems to me pool related as well. Just trying to gain as much knowledge as possible when the PB does show back up.

 

[Deltadog]

Also thought I would post few more pics. The water that is seeping out in the hole in yard is rusty in color and smell, could this be coming from under pool shell ?

 

[Bperry]

Also thought I would post few more pics. The water that is seeping out in the hole in yard is rusty in color and smell, could this be coming from under pool shell ?

Would be curious to have a sample of that water coming so close to your patio tested again for CYA to see if it’s closer to your pool water CYA. Maybe take two samples. The trouble with pool store CYA tests is that they can be unreliable.

It’s definitely possible for a leak through the tile to cause that.

 

[Deltadog]

I can test with my kit. iCloud . Can you copy the link and see video? Any explanation for the rust color and smell?

 

[Bperry]

I can test with my kit. iCloud . Can you copy the link and see video? Any explanation for the rust color and smell?

No idea on the smell, but could be iron in the soil?

 

[Deltadog]

Regardless of whether it's a plumbing leak or efflorescence seeping out, your builder should inspect their work. If there is a plumbing line in that area they should do some leak detections such as a pressure test combined with listening devices. A pool that new, they need to verify.

Update on bucket test

Results from bucket are in:

24 hour period bucket lost .375 or 3/8”
pool lost .5625 or 9/16”

.1875 or 3/16” difference.

 

[Texas Splash]

.1875 or 3/16” difference.

Not bad at all. Summer temps and wind could account for that.

 

[Deltadog]

Not bad if you don’t have water with salt making a mud pit in your yard, at that rate the loss is approx 70 gals a day in this size pool. Also a recent dye test showed a return line opening sucking in dye fairly steady. See if link works to video Return leak

 

[Texas Splash]

Also a recent dye test showed a return line opening sucking in dye fairly steady.

No visit yet from the builder? Sounds like a pressure test and listening devices to pinpoint a suspected leak is in order. Hopefully they get to you before the cold drops in. Then they'll have all kinds of excuses.

 

[Bperry]

Not bad if you don’t have water with salt making a mud pit in your yard, at that rate the loss is approx 70 gals a day in this size pool. Also a recent dye test showed a return line opening sucking in dye fairly steady. See if link works to video Return leak

I’ve found that if you get the bucket down in the water so the rim is level with the water level, wind and such is a little easier to rule out, and it’s also easier to see the difference vs marking with tape or a sharpie.

 

[Deltadog]

I would think that since the pool is losing more than the bucket, the pool has to have a leak. Especially coupled with all the other variables pointing to pool water salt contained

 

[Deltadog]

I determined the problem is in the shell. You can see a slight tint of the green dye in the napkin. My question is what is the best course of repair. This started occurring with in 1 month of completion and now is a year later. Total replaster of interior?

 

[Bperry]

Aw

I determined the problem is in the shell. You can see a slight tint of the green dye in the napkin. My question is what is the best course of repair. This started occurring with in 1 month of completion and now is a year later. Total replaster of interior?

Nice job! That should be iron clad proof to your builder that there’s a structural defect in workmanship. Whatever caused that crack is a problem that needs fixing.

 

[Deltadog]

The PB has been over to see the problem. His first thought was to repair the problem from the outside of pool by water proofing or patching the exterior wall they have access to? as the pool has a raised wall. Would this be advisable or just a way to prevent from total replaster interior of pool? This is only a year old pool and want to ensure it’s done correctly and not just patch or repaired most economical.

 

[Bperry]

The PB has been over to see the problem. His first thought was to repair the problem from the outside of pool by water proofing or patching the exterior wall they have access to? as the pool has a raised wall. Would this be advisable or just a way to prevent from total replaster interior of pool? This is only a year old pool and want to ensure it’s done correctly and not just patch or repaired most economical.

Patching the outside won’t help. They need to figure out how the water is getting there and stop it from doing so.

 

[Deltadog]

Didn’t figure that would be best solution. Also see attached, after removing the veneer stone I uncovered a vertical crack from top to bottom of pool where water is seeping