Finding a Liner Leak

[Rob]

Any tips for finding a vinyl liner leak? Our pool is dropping about 3-4 inches a day, which is much faster then usual.

At the moment, our plan is to let it keep dropping until it stops, and look around that level, since we'd have to drop the level to there to fix it anyways

We're also considering replacing the liner, so now might be a good opportunity.

 

[Poseidon]

Any tips for finding a vinyl liner leak? Our pool is dropping about 3-4 inches a day, which is much faster then usual.

At the moment, our plan is to let it keep dropping until it stops, and look around that level, since we'd have to drop the level to there to fix it anyways

We're also considering replacing the liner, so now might be a good opportunity.

If your leak is in the bottom, it will drain all the way down. You don't have to drop the level to repair it. It can be repaired underwater. The only tip I might have is to get in with goggles on and a bottle of food coloring, and look around. If you see something suspicious, squeeze out a drop of food coloring right on it. If it sucks the dye out, there's your leak. Also do this with the pump off and let the water settle first before venturing in to search.

 

[JasonLion]

You can track how far the water level goes down each day. The rate of water loss will slow as you are approaching the leak. If it stays nearly the same two days in a row the leak is fairly deep, if the rate slows down noticably it is not so deep. That will give you hints about where to look.

Goggles and food dye with the pump off are really the only good approach. Look at everything carefully, especially seams and wrinkles. The dye will only work when you are quite close and the water is calm (unless it is a major leak). Watch for depressions in the liner, the leak will sometimes wash out the fill on the other side of the liner.

 

[pooladdict]

Firstly, you do not need to drain to fix, secondly find out if anyone in your area has Leak Trac 2100. . Without getting too deep into the science of the unit, it emits a small electric charge into the water. Because a vinyl liner is not conductive, the charge seeks to exit the pool to ground through any hole it can find. The unit is equipped to "listen" to where the charge escapes, leading our serviceman to the exact spot of the leak. In one case a serviceman found 24 pin hole leaks in one liner that had been inspected a number of times by a certified diver. Quite simply, if you fear your pool is leaking, we are the best equipped to find the leak and stop it.

There must be someone near you that has this.

Rik

 

[Rob]

Well, the liner is in absolutely horrible shape. The entire deep end is basically a large "patch" done by the previous owners, since the liner tore away. The liner itself is almost white from sunlight/chlorine, and has about 2 dozen patches in it already. It is pulling away from the coping in about 6 different spots as well. If it was up near the waterline, and a simple patch, then I might have tried to get it to "hold" if you will for the rest of the summer.

Based on the fact that its dropped below the mess in the deep end (so thats not the cause), and a majority of the existing patches, it's either in the plumbing (not likely, since the rate didn't change when I stopped the pump), or a new hole.

At this stage, I'm going to let it keep dropping, and order a new liner to put in, since we were planning on replacing it in the spring anyways, but from what I've read, its easier to replace it when its hot outside to help the vinyl stretch.

Thanks for the excellent advice as always though!

 

[Ohm_Boy]

You can use feeze plugs to eliminate the pipes altogether.
I found this link - I'm sure there are others...
http://www.poolcenter.com/winter_expansion_plugs.htm