URGENT Mystery Pool Leak - Level of Pool drops just above the Bottom of Pool Tiles

[tobias9009]

We have had our pool water level drop to just above the bottom of our pool tile for months. We had to turn off our autofill because the water department said we had a leak, and we discovered that our autofill was filling the pool because the water kept dropping. We called in a water leak expert, and they have done the following and still have NOT fixed the leak:

• checked the skimmer (no cracks) and put new epoxy where the tile meets the pool
• checked our autofill (plugged the outlet leading from the pool to the autofill) - still lost water
• turned off all equipment - still lost water
• checked the spa (with all equipment off, the level was normal), when equipment was turned on, the level in the spa was lowered to the same level as the pool (just above the bottom of the tile)
• put epoxy on a small crack on one tile - still lost water

Question: can water be lost through a backwash valve even if the equipment is turned off?

The water level never gets lower than the lowest level of our tile. It's consistent. It's like a low water level has been set for our pool.
Please help !!! Running out of ideas.

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP

the leak is at the level of the water where it stops. somewhere somehow that is where the leak is, no other way around it.. if the backwash valve is at the level of the pool water then yes, it could be that but I suspect all your equipment is above the water level..

look anywhere just above the waterline, that is where your leak is at.

I hope this helps..

 

[tobias9009]

the leak person found a small crack in a tile and put epoxy on it to seal it, but we are still losing water at the water line.
We'll continue to look ... thank you for your input.

 

[gwegan]

Did you see the pool being built?

It sounds like you have a leak at the bottom of the tile line. Now for a gunite pool that's an unusual place.

I'd do the whole tile line looking for loose or hollow tiles. Is there a part where the actual gunite structure is at the bottom of the tile line?

Can we get some pictures?

Have they done any dye testing?

 

[tstex]

"Have they done any dye testing?" I'm w gwegan on this one.

First, wait until the waterline is at its stable/lowest level,

Two, fill it to 1/2" higher than alleged leak-line

Three, make sure when you do this, there is no wind and water is perfectly motionless

Four, apply some dye that is not either the color of your tile or whatever your pool light is that best shows the bottom of your pool in the evening night

Five, start at any point in the pool you suspect is the culprit, and go all the way around...even if you find a place, keep going. Take some chalk and mark the top...then document everything, and making notes [if more than one leak] where in the tile it's leaking...

Then post back