How often do you top off your pool?

[Nursenini]

Our pool was filled 7/22. Since then I have put 2-3 inches of water in every week. We are in full sun but have not swum much, so not a lot of splash out. The weather has been fairly mild (mid-low 80's daytime, 60's night time) which is unusual for August.
I'm afraid I have a slow leak somewhere...

 

[YippeeSkippy]

The best way to determine is to do a bucket test. Pool School - Leak Detection

 

[PAGirl]

Is there a lot of wind? During the hottest part of the summer I left the solar cover off for a few day and it was pretty windy. I lost about an inch and a half in less than a week, having not lost that much in a month, prior. I've been keeping the cover on most of the time, we are on low level water restrictions due to drought conditions.

 

[Nursenini]

The best way to determine is to do a bucket test. Pool School - Leak Detection

How do you plug the inlets and outlets? I'm clueless...

Is there a lot of wind? During the hottest part of the summer I left the solar cover off for a few day and it was pretty windy. I lost about an inch and a half in less than a week, having not lost that much in a month, prior. I've been keeping the cover on most of the time, we are on low level water restrictions due to drought conditions.

A little...I wouldn't say a lot. But the filter runs 7a-7p and keeps the water moving fairly quickly.

I mentioned the weekly filling to my PB a couple weeks ago and he blew it off as evaporation.

 

[pooldv]

1/8"-1/4" per day is typical for evaporation. Maybe a little more on very windy or hot, sunny days. Put a rock in a bucket and put it on a step in the pool. Fill it to the same level as the water in the pool. If they go down the same amount it is evaporation. If the pool goes down more than the bucket it is a leak. If your bucket goes down more than the pool then

Oh, I haven't ever topped off my pool. Autofill is your friend!

 

[isriam]

you'll lose a lot more than you expect to evap. i was probably losing 1-2" a week in dallas.

 

[OHcabanaboy]

During the last hot spell here in OH I was losing about 1 inch in 10 days but my pool is not in full sun.

 

[Nursenini]

1/8"-1/4" per day is typical for evaporation. Maybe a little more on very windy or hot, sunny days. Put a rock in a bucket and put it on a step in the pool. Fill it to the same level as the water in the pool. If they go down the same amount it is evaporation. If the pool goes down more than the bucket it is a leak. If your bucket goes down more than the pool then

Oh, I haven't ever topped off my pool. Autofill is your friend!

That makes me feel better! Your suggestion of the bucket sounds a lot less involved than trying to figure out how to plug all the inlets and outlets.

We don't have an autofill because we don't have an irrigation system. PB put some sort of piping in that is sticking out of the ground behind the pool but I don't really know what he's doing with it...

you'll lose a lot more than you expect to evap. i was probably losing 1-2" a week in dallas.

During the last hot spell here in OH I was losing about 1 inch in 10 days but my pool is not in full sun.

Thank you both! This eases my mind somewhat.

 

[isriam]

you should ask him if he plans to do an auto fill, or run a fill line to your outside faucet. in az my pools all had auto fill, but in tx my pool had a pipe by the faucet and I put a Y on my faucet and filled that way with a 3 foot leader hose. it stayed connected year round, i just turned on the Y when i needed water in the pool. it feeds into the pool skimmer with a 1/2" pvc pipe just below the lid.

 

[bmoreswim]

I have an auto overflow. I turn on the hose and it automatically overflows unless I remember to turn it off.

I know I could get a simple mechanical hose timer to eliminate the issue - but where's the fun/excitement in that.

 

[Johnny LaRue]

Ive been having the same issue. Losing a lot of water. I lose about an inch every 2 days. Maybe more. I'm full sun and it gets really windy here. I'm thinking I have a leak.

 

[bmoreswim]

NN - You deserve some stress free time with your pool. Hopefully the bucket test confirms its just evaporation.

 

[Nursenini]

Thank you all

I haven't done the bucket test yet. Working a ton and now I'm sick. I'll do it this week.

I need to update my build thread with the latest developments. As soon as I feel better...

- - - Updated - - -

you should ask him if he plans to do an auto fill, or run a fill line to your outside faucet. in az my pools all had auto fill, but in tx my pool had a pipe by the faucet and I put a Y on my faucet and filled that way with a 3 foot leader hose. it stayed connected year round, i just turned on the Y when i needed water in the pool. it feeds into the pool skimmer with a 1/2" pvc pipe just below the lid.

No way to do that now that the deck is poured. Maybe that is what he originally was going to do but who knows...

I have an auto overflow. I turn on the hose and it automatically overflows unless I remember to turn it off.

I know I could get a simple mechanical hose timer to eliminate the issue - but where's the fun/excitement in that.

I have that same one!

 

[pooldv]

LOL!! Hose timers from Lowes are your friend! :-D