Pool leak fix producr Fix-a-leak

[bpham]

I'm pretty sure now that my pool has a leak. Could not see where the leak is, tried everything from red dye droppings to eyeballing everything around the pool, skimmer, ground, but nothing is obvious. I'm suspecting that the leak might be down in the pipes underground somewhere....

However, i found something on Amazon, called Fix-a-Leak,

http://www.amazon.com/Marlig-Fix-A-Leak ... 508&sr=8-1

and most reviewers said it worked pretty good....anyone who has any experiences with this and your recommendation?

Thanks.

 

[JasonLion]

I only recommend using Fix-a-leak as a last resort. It is very aggressive and can seal up things that aren't leaks, like your pool filter, if you are not careful. It also can't work if the leak is on the suction side of the plumbing.

A good place to start with leaks is the Leak Detection article in Pool School.

 

[bpham]

read the article, good one... how do I plug up the skimmer, in ground, which is about 1 foot wide? I think I can plug other intake with some thing like a corks...

Any suggestion for these things? The water inlets, outlets is about 1 inch diameter...

Thanks.

 

[JasonLion]

Down in the bottom of the skimmer, under the skimmer basket, there will be a pipe opening which can be plugged with a winterizing plug.

 

[pooly1]

I just bought some for my spa because I developed a leak over winter and I was worried about draining it when it was 20 degrees out and freezing some of the smaller pipes. I'm not one for so called snake oil fixes. The leak was quite bad about 6 inches lost in 4 days on a 500 gallon spa. I added a 1/3 of a 32 ounce bottle and circulated it for a week on 80 degrees. I haven't lost a noticeable bit for over a month now. Check amazon for some reviews. One thing I have heard for pools is that portion that doesn't stop the leak will tend to settle in the lowest point in your pool. It sort looks like small white strands.

 

[bpham]

Pooly1,

They say in the instruction, that we need to stir it up every once in a while because the material is heavier than water so it would settle on the bottom of the pool...unless the leak is under the drainage on the deepest part of the bottom of the pool...i think if I can find the leak or if the leak is somewhere in the hidden pipes, then I think I have no choice but to buy this snake oil....

Also, the instruction says to take out the DE filter elements before using it...which makes sense.

Any other people who have used this fix-a-leak with/without issues?

 

[bpham]

Will also take a look at the winterized plug...and other plug sizes for other inlet/outlet holes.

 

[bpham]

OK, with the bucket test, it lost about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in 2 days. is that a leak?

 

[Bama Rambler]

It's not how much it lost but it's did the bucket and pool lose the same amount? It's any difference that matters.

 

[teapot]

I only recommend using Fix-a-leak as a last resort. It is very aggressive and can seal up things that aren't leaks, like your pool filter, if you are not careful.

Never run your system on filter! Always run on circulate or you could end up with a solid mass where there used to be media.

 

[bpham]

JasonLion,

I'm not sure I followed what you said. I posted previoulsy that the instructions from the fix-a-leak which says that remove the DE filter and then run the pump for 24-48 hours after putting that stuff in the pool.
Just want to make sure that I don't miss anything here. What you meant by circulate means that just run the pump with the filter removed, right?

On the water loss, there seems to be some loss of water from the pool as compared to the bucket, maybe 1/8 of an inch a day ? Is that a leak?

 

[bpham]

another question, just to clarify. If the pump is running and circulate water, would there be a little more loss of water as compared to the water in the bucket since the water is circulate and might lose just a little more from evaporation?

 

[JasonLion]

Unless there is a waterfall or some other kind of turbulence breaking the surface, the bucket and pool should have close enough to the same amount of evaporation that the test is valid.

 

[tridoc927]

I've used Fix-A-Leak two years in a row and it's worked great. First time the leak was on the suctions side and one in the pool wall (Intex). It worked for over a year. We have a new leak somewhere now end of next season and put it in again. I think it's working again and I just can't find how soon it is ok to return to swimming in the pool. I thought i remembered it saying somewhere that swimming right away was good for keeping it mixed up but since I couldn't find that again we've stayed out 24 hours. But it's prime swimming time middle August so we'd like to get in again. So if anyone knows please post ASAP!

 

[otter86753]