water loss in pool

[producerman]

I hope this is the correct heading to post this into!

My pool information is in my sig and I have an issue that I am not sure how to proceed. Please see below:

Over a 12 hour period here is what happens.

with pump running - loss of about 1.5 to 2 inches of water
with pump off - no water loss

I usually run my pump 12 - 18 hours a day. It is not on a timer I just turn it off and on manually. This pool was built in 1987 and is in our house just off the living room. It is all concrete all around on the floor of course and a vinyl liner.

Losing water when the pump is on is telling me there is a leak in the return lines or what ever they are called. This is in the ground - in concrete - so how would you fix it? How on earth would you find the leak without tearing up the entire room?

There must be something can be done by a pool company. I am changing the liner very soon also as it is faded and stained.

Thanks

Producerman

 

[polyvue]

Those 2 inches of water had to go somewhere and if there's no evidence of any around the pad, near the pool, etc., then you may have an underground PVC pipe connection that is broken or otherwise faulty. There are a number of members who can help you more precisely diagnose this problem; until they post, read these articles:

pool-school/leak_detection

losing-water-when-pump-is-on-filter-t12569.html

 

[257WbyMag]

Sometimes you can get a good idea where a return leak is by isolating or shutting off certain return lines one at a time. Although this can help you figure out which line it is, it generally tells you nothing about where in that particular line, the problem is.

Now, depending on how rainy it has been in your particular locale, you can sometimes tell the general area of the leak by whether or not the ground is saturated in that area. If you truly do have everything buried under concrete, then this probably won't help much. This would then be a situation where you would consider calling a leak detection service. They have special devices that can allow them to pinpoint a leak within an inch or two.

I'm guessing that you have tried the "bucket test" to confirm that you do have a leak?

 

[bk406]

Now, depending on how rainy it has been in your particular locale, you can sometimes tell the general area of the leak by whether or not the ground is saturated in that area.

Its an indoor pool

 

[257WbyMag]

Its an indoor pool

So you haven't noticed any moisture around the perimeter of the concrete, inside or outside, that is suspect?

Your best bet is probably to go with a leak detection service, especially since this is inside. That way, you will know without a doubt, where the leak is. The repair may not be as big a deal as you think. With the technology available today, is can be as simple as finding the leak, cutting a 6 inch hole in the concrete, making the repair, and filling the hole up again.

A friend of mine just had a leak repaired to a cold water supply line under his slab in his master bedroom. They found the leak, pulled the carpet back, bored down through the slab (8" hole), fixed it, poured new concrete in the hole and smoothed it off, and put the carpet back down. Done, all for about $700. Simple Simon!

 

[spishex]

Have you checked to make sure you're not losing it out your waste line?

 

[lborne]

A friend of mine just had a leak repaired to a cold water supply line under his slab in his master bedroom. They found the leak, pulled the carpet back, bored down through the slab (8" hole), fixed it, poured new concrete in the hole and smoothed it off, and put the carpet back down. Done, all for about $700. Simple Simon!

I know - OT, but usually an entire replumb of the house through the attic with PEX is recommended - at least for older homes. Many times the copper is just old and the hard water takes its toll on the microscopic sections where impurities in the copper exist. Its likely to happen again somewhere else. And just the repair can cause breaks elsewhere.

As for the OP - I don't think you should waste anytime trying to solve this yourself. A leak under your house slab can cause serious damage.

 

[producerman]

Thanks for the posts.......I live in Central Canada and I am on an acreage outside the city. The house has a full basement and the pool room is attached to the house but not sure how the pool has been built into the building. My septic tank (concrete - 30 years old) is under my deck (outside) which is about 6ft away from the pool (inside). How my sewage system works is sewage from the house goes into tank and when tank gets a certain amount full a pump in the house starts and sucks into the pump in the house and then out to a gravity field.

OP was asking if I have noticed anything unusual and I have noticed that in the middle of the night with all asleep and no water being used - my pump starts about every 15 minutes ( runs about 25 seconds). There must be seepage from the pool leak into the tank somehow! That is the only thing I can think of.

Also the concrete did heave just slightly by the base of one of the pool ladders!

I do not know if this helps or not but I think I will call in some people who specialize in finding leaks.

Thanks

 

[257WbyMag]

I do not know if this helps or not but I think I will call in some people who specialize in finding leaks.

Thanks

I think that this is the best thing that you can probably do for the situation right now.

 

[lborne]

... I have noticed that in the middle of the night with all asleep and no water being used - my pump starts about every 15 minutes ( runs about 25 seconds). There must be seepage from the pool leak into the tank somehow! That is the only thing I can think of.

Also the concrete did heave just slightly by the base of one of the pool ladders!

I do not know if this helps or not but I think I will call in some people who specialize in finding leaks.

Thanks

I agree with the PP - call and soon. This does not sound good and you can't wait for suggestions from us.

 

[geekgranny]

About 15 or so years ago I had a leak under my concrete decking and couldn't find any unusually damp areas to help indicate where it was. I had a leak detection guy out. Luckily his bid was for finding the leak and fixing it not based on time. It took him a good part of the day to find the leak and then he had to return a second day to break out the concrete, repair the PVC elbow, and patch the decking. I'm so glad the bid did not include a time element or it would have cost me many hundreds of $$$$ instead of a few.

I'm hoping that leak detection equipment has improved in 15 years. He was getting pretty frustrated (I'm guessing a large part because time=money) and I think it affected the appearance of his patch in Kool Decking. Patch quality is good but the Kool Decking simulation he did doesn't match a well as I think it should.

BTW... It was a main feed to return lines to the pool from the pump. And was on the side of the pool where the soil/decking had shifted somewhat, over the years, from being on the side of hill with 12 ft drop off from end of deck, pier and beam reinforcement covered with soil. (After that I put in a railroad tie retaining wall for reinforcement which has shifted some over time. Getting ready to do a concrete bag retaining wall to fix it for good.) If it happens again I think we'll start looking on that side first.

gg=alice

gg=alice

 

[geekgranny]

Thanks for the posts.......I live in Central Canada and I am on an acreage outside the city.

OP was asking if I have noticed anything unusual and I have noticed that in the middle of the night with all asleep and no water being used - my pump starts about every 15 minutes ( runs about 25 seconds). There must be seepage from the pool leak into the tank somehow! That is the only thing I can think of.

Also the concrete did heave just slightly by the base of one of the pool ladders!

I do not know if this helps or not but I think I will call in some people who specialize in finding leaks.

Thanks

I'm wondering why your septic tank is filling up??? I only know my septic tanks....... They are 36 years old and consist of three large round concrete cylinders, spaced a foot or so apart, with closed bottoms and concrete tops, probably 4-5 ft depth and about 6 ft in diameter. The tops are about 18"-24" below grade. Waste enters the first, then overflows to second, then to third and then from third to drain field. Each one is virtually impervious to water entering except through the pipes. Perhaps yours is a totally different system. If mine had water other than house waste entering there would be a major problem with the "holding" tanks.

BTW..... A couple of companies came out to locate the tanks for me. They couldn't find them. I went to rental place and rented a metal detector and found them in less than 30 minutes (rebar in the concrete). When the guy came out to clean them out we discovered that there were no access holes/doors, etc., after back hoeing up much of the area searching for a some entry. He had to break out holes in each concrete top. We improvised and put 5 gallon buckets with bottoms cut out, tops on, over the holes and then covered with dirt. Codes are pretty loose out here in the woods.

gg=alice