Hi. We recently opened our pool and noticed a problem. We have two sheer decent waterfalls in a rock wall. We ran the waterfalls for several hours one day and noticed that a pocket of water had accumulated behind the liner beneath the fountain. I turned the waterfalls off and the water pocket went away after an hour or two. We waited a couple of weeks and turned them on again. All was well for 3-4 hours, then we noticed the liner bulging again under the fountain. Again, after an hour or two the water was gone from under the liner. The local pool shop that winterized our pool said the ground may have shifted due to the extreme cold this winter and caused the pipes to separate, causing it to leak behind the liner? My husband doesn’t think that is possible because he glued all the pipes together before they were covered up with concrete. Curious on what the TFP community thinks my issue may be and how to address it. I have included a photo of the liner with water behind it and a photo of the rock wall with the fountains. The under construction photo is where the waterfall plumbing is located, under the gravel and now concrete. There is not any kind of access to the waterfalls now. We are not sure what to do, where to start, or how to fix it. My solution thus far has been to leave the waterfalls off, but I don’t want to do that forever. Any advice appreciated.
Water behind liner under fountain
- Thread starter thaston
- Start date
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,767
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
The best way to figure out if you have a leak in the plumbing is to pressure test. I'm not sure how the waterfalls were constructed, or if you have access to the ends of the pipes feeding the waterfalls. Basically, you plug one end of the feed and pressurize the other. How you do that is entirely dependent on your specific plumbing.
If you have access to the feed pipe to the waterfall, and you have an MPV, then you could shut off the MPV and pressurize the waterfall. Again really dependent on your configuration.
Here is a kit on Amazon. THIS IS TO SHOW YOU THE PRICIPLES OF A PRESSURE KIT. I'm not saying this will work in your situation. I built this from parts for less that $60...using his kit layout.
It is most likely that it is in fact a leak in the pipes. MY OPINION.
If you have access to the feed pipe to the waterfall, and you have an MPV, then you could shut off the MPV and pressurize the waterfall. Again really dependent on your configuration.
Here is a kit on Amazon. THIS IS TO SHOW YOU THE PRICIPLES OF A PRESSURE KIT. I'm not saying this will work in your situation. I built this from parts for less that $60...using his kit layout.
It is most likely that it is in fact a leak in the pipes. MY OPINION.
Thank you for the information. I’d say it is a leak in the pipes. Very disappointed because the pool company told me they winterized everything, waterfalls included, so I wasn’t expecting this. If we wait a little while to fix it and we run the waterfalls from time to time, will it hurt the liner to get water behind it occasionally? Will it cause it to stretch out? We just finished the pool around this time last year. I really hate to already have to cut in to nearly new concrete. If it needs to be fixed sooner than later we will, just want to know my options.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,767
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I would not run them any more. You risk dislodging the liner or damaging it. More importantly, as you run more, you will start to undermine/degrade the soil, making it less stable in supporting whatever is on top of it. I'd get it fixed and over with before summer.
That’s what I needed to know. So as long as we aren’t running them, it should not be leaking anywhere behind or below it, correct? We have a shut off valve, which is how we control them. Asking because my husband says for now, we won’t run them and will check into taking them out completely. We don’t want want this problem again. It will be a huge mess when we do it and we just got the pool ready for summer. Not using them is the best option for us right now, as long as there is no way they are leaking if shut off at the valve. It’s a valve like the one pictured below.
Attachments
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,767
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Thank you so much. You have been so helpful, far more than my local pool service. I really appreciate it!
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,767
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
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I will check it out. We plan to be pool owners for a long time. The information here is much better than any I have found.If you found value, you might consider becoming a supporter. We are all volunteers and keeping the lights on is funded by members...
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Help Support TFP Trouble Free Pool is run by a dedicated group of volunteers that … Read more…
I plan on not needing to find a new hobby. We can help each other out.
The forum is strictly volunteer, myself and the rest of the Mods / Experts / Guides / helpful members included, and is paid forward by those who appreciate it.
Just became a supporter. I appreciate you guys!I plan on not needing to find a new hobby. We can help each other out.
The forum is strictly volunteer, myself and the rest of the Mods / Experts / Guides / helpful members included, and is paid forward by those who appreciate it.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,767
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
