Spa popped out of the ground

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smooth2222

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Oct 25, 2010
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michigan
We had 3 inches of rain and the patio flooded water couldnt drain fast enough and popped the spa out of the ground, spa was at a 45 degree angle in the air, as all the supply lines held the otherside in, thankfully nothing cracked, picture posted now is me releveling it.

My spa has always drained level to the pool water when the filter is off, now i realize the pool builder should have installed a check valve so the spa always stays full? Correct?


2nd picture,

Left valve is the return to the pool/spa, Right valve is spa return to. Jets/spa circulation.


Where on earth could i put a check valve, Left me no room.


In-between the 2 valves, why did they bury the spa coming out of the left valve to the jets/ spa circulation valve? They could have just went straight across.


Well hope someone understands this, a bit confusing.
 

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I run into this kind of silly plumbing all the time. Yes the spa should stay full when the pump is off. If it isn't then its either leaking into the ground or draining back into the pool. The most common cause of draining is from from check valve failure (or no check valve at all). Other times the the 3 way valve diverter can fail and allow water to back drain, this can actually happen on the suction side too.

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Dig up the ground and install the check valve under ground or just raise the whole return manifold up and install the check valve in the newly exposed pipe.
 
Can i install the check valve vertical? What about just connecting the 2 pipes togethor in the picture? No idea why they go into the ground, could just have connected them straight across

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Suction side i always suck from the pool, and only use spa suction when heating the spa, when i,m done always switch it back to pool.

So technically both sides should have a check valve so the water cant siphon back into the pool?
 
Yeah it can be vertical and yes you can connect those two pipes together just plop a check valve in there. I suggest using the union type check valves so that you can easily replace it in the future when it fails.
 
No we typically rely on the 3 way valve diverter to prevent any back draining on the suction side. If you put a check valve in the spa main drain line it would have to be backwards therefore you'd have to install check valves on the pool skimmer and maindrain lines. You could but I wouldn't advise it.
 
It looks like those valves are 1.5'' x 2''. Meaning 2'' pipe fittings will fit on the outside and 1.5'' on the inside. As you notice the left side of your picture shows a smaller pvc fitting than the right side. So, you have a couple options, let me try to make a little drawing to help.

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Cut the pipes there, that should expose the inside port. If the inside port is clean just glue pipe (1.5'') in there and install the check valve. If theres existing pipe inside there you can use pipe extenders. Its hard to gauge how much space is really there but it may be too tight to fit a check valve in there.

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I would get the check valve first and hold it in place to see if it looks like it'll fit before you cut anything. You may just have to raise one of the manifolds up.
 
You are correct, 1.5 and 2 inch, Thanks for your help, much appreciated, owe you a steak dinner

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Or dig out the left side and put verticle check valve? Which would you do?

Do i need a non corrosive check valve after the chlorinator?

What check valve would you buy?
 

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I would dig up the one that is on your right in the first picture. The one you listed as being for spa jets/circulation. Doing so will only require couplings and the check valve as oppose to having to 90 up the return line on the other manifold.

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If that spa level is still above the plumbing, it'll flood you out once you cut the line, may want to drain it all out first.

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I like spring type union check valves, easier to replace the guts when they fail. No you don't need a non corrosive after the chlorinator, only use those between the heater and the chlorinator.
 
No you wont cut there anymore.

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Dig around the right one, exposing the 3 vertical pipes coming up out of the ground you know what I mean?

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You only need to expose about 6'' of pipe, cut about 3'' down from the pipe coming out of the 90 degree fitting.

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Its hard to explain clearly what I'm trying to say :D

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YOu're correct that either side will be fine, just my opinion that the right side would be my choice.
 
Hmm, i only need to expose 1 pipe though? Left side seems easier? I must be missing something

I mean do exactly what you said but on the left side? Dig 6 inches down on the left pipe and put check valve in.

Should i put one with unions? 6 inches enough?
 
Oh you are talking about doing the check valve underground? In that case yes you only cut one pipe. In that case you definitely need union type because those other 2 pipes will keep it from separating enough to glue a normal check valve in place.

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I personally wouldn't bury the check valve, not that it will hurt it but if it fails, youll have to dig it back up again. My thought was to raise the whole valve up by extending the 3 vertical pipes going into the ground .

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To hopefully help you envision what I mean just forget about check valves for a minute. Think about what would need to be done to raise that 3 way valve up 2' above the ground. It would require 6 couplings and a little bit of pipe.
 
How often do check valves go bad?, i see what your saying, raising the whole thing.

I dont mind digging as you seen what i had to do to the spa already, 2 days of digging to get it to sit back down level

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Can i bury a union check valve?

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Now thinking your idea is better and easier, just some extra pipe, probably lift left side though, only 2 pipes vs 3? Lol
 
Generally speaking they don't fail often. Sometimes debris will get stuck in them, preventing them from sealing. You can absolutely bury it.

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That pipe after the chlorinator will have to shoot upwards too so either way you're raising 3 pipes.

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Just don't cut the pipe right at the 90 degree fittings, you want to leave some pipe sticking out of them so that you can glue couplings on them.
 

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