Water Leak Specialist

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horseradish1

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Oct 27, 2011
124
Dallas, texas
So here we go again, I feared that my pool was leaking water right after an new liner was installed in my pool in May. It appeared to be leaking water when the pool equipment was turned off. I thought it might be the main drain and asked him if he had checked it. The pool guy indicated that it would be impossible for the problem to be the main drain because the pump wouldnt run prime and the leaking was probably in my head. Now my pool was closed in early Oct and Im losing water. 3-4'' in one week. I have no idea what to do now.

I called a leak specialist company and they are asking for $350-$400 to assess the problem. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
Ok thanks for the input on this. Should I be asking the guy who installed the liner to be doing this? When I talked to him he didn't seem like he was willing to come out. He said he would order a rubber plug for the light niche and have it mailed to my house and to try that. When I mentioned the main drain he didn't say anything to help and really didn't sound too knowledgeable on it. I'm thinking I should just get a third party but wanted to get other owners opinions.what concerns me is that I now have had bad experience with 3 out of 3 pool people that I've hired, so I get concerned giving someone else more of my money.
 
Being a pool company owner. I would want to be the one to find the leak. Depending where you live, may be hard to find someone to get in the pool cause of the water temp. What my leak detecting people have done is a sound test, or a electricity test if it's to cold to dive. The company should be held responsible if it's in the liner or around the fittings inside the pool. May ask them if the leak people determine it's the liner or fittings, if they would refund the leak test. But if it were me i would get this in writing, especially when they are not wanting to come out and look for it. I'm assuming that all the lines are plugged already, so not a hole lot of other places it could leak other then liner or fittings, and main drain.
 
Not an expert, by any means, but I had a new plaster job - then the same thing 3-4 a week in the summer. Plaster company thought all in my head, until I was calling them every week and month with the stats and my water bill. Was the main drain in the skimmer - it had been loosen with all the work they did around and in the pool. Killed the line, so no longer have a main drain, purchased a $40 pump and still in business. All at the cost of the contractor/plasterers.

Your guy stating the pump would not prime? My main drain was in the skimmer along with the intact to pump - was not a full blown disconnect - so I was always primed.
 
UNCFAN - appreciate your input. The only fitting it could be is the main drain or the light niche, everything else is above water. when he replaced my liner i specifically asked him to test my main drain to ensure there were no issues there because i wasnt sure if I had a liner problem to begin with. What if there was an issue with the main drain all this time? Who pays for the leak test then? Who pays for the rework?

He's been dancing around every issue i brought up to him, I just wish I could meet one honest pool company in the area, these guys are all crooks.
 
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Thinking as a business owner. I first ask was the liner replaced cause you thought that it was leaking? Or did you know this for sure? The thing about pressure testing the main drains. They will have to be able to plug it from inside the pool. Soooo being in Chicago, maybe hard to find someone to get in and plug it unless you know someone with some diving suits. I would start with the light niche though. That is one of the most common places for a leak. What I do to fix my customers. I don't like the rubber plugs. I feel I can never get them in good enough. So if the water drops below. I get the spay foam insulation you get from lowes or Home Depot. Spray that in the niche, then get the 2 part epoxy putty and put that over an make sure it covers good. Make sure you let the foam dry before you do the putty. And I wouldn't move the light to make sure of a good seal.

But 1st thing would start with the light.
If this didn't stop it then move to the main drain. If the drain is cracked, it's hard to say who is liable. I would first determine what caused this. If it's freeze damage then look to who closed the pool. But typically nothing should freeze 24" underground.

In defense of the pool guy. The drain is the last place I ever look for a leak.
 
Uncfan: Thanks again for the response. When I asked him out to check it out, I told him specifically that I did not know what caused the leak. I also multiple times before and during the replacement I told him to make sure that he would be checking the main drain, because I didnt want to install a liner if that wasnt the root of the problem. Anyway, how will we know if freeze damage caused the main drain break?

Now the problem is im running out of time due to the cold weather coming in. The water leak guy said it might not be possible to do the longer we wait. So I dont know what to do at this point... hold out for him to send me this rubber plug with the hope that i can install myself or just pay the leak speacialist.
 
Yea they should have pressure tested it when it was drained, especially when you asked multiple times. Did you try running the pool only with the drain? I ask this cause usually when there is a break in a line. You won't be able to keep the pump primed, or see a lot of air bubbles in the pump basket
 

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I did not, i did not know this was possible. I had the guy who installed the pool liner at my house late spring after he installed the liner, and never mentioned this as a possible test. He says he tested it, but I wasnt here when he did it so I have no idea if he actually did.

The only time I ever saw "bubbles" is when i hooked up my vacuum to the skimmer and it was only until all the air was sucked out of the vaccum hose.
 
Unfortenitly it is getting late to troubleshoot this issue. I believe it is the niche. I would have started there if you could afford troubleshooting this. If you can get Someone to get in there and just plug it for now before it does get way to cold that's what I would do 1st. I would also plug up the niche. Either with the plug he sending you, or with the foam and putty. Just to cove both until spring. You don't want the water level to get to low especially with the cold weather you will have in Chicago area. But from my experience, I will say 95% of the time it would be the niche, 5% main drains.

Has the water stopped dropping yet?
Depending on what type of light. The water will stop about half way on the light if it's the niche that's leaking.
 
Thanks for the information man, really appreciate it. I actually filled the pool back up because i was afraid of the liner shrinking, I havent checked to see if the water level dropped, something I will do over next few days. Is plugging something I can do on my own? He made it seem like its easy to do and wouldnt need to get in the water?
 
So I had the water leak specialist come over and he couldnt find the leak. He asked me to watch the water level over next few days. He said it seem to be related to the main drain, so thats great. However, its not possible to plug the niche because of how deep the light is. Very frustrating.

He also asked me to cut off the pipe from the valve because it may be broken (the pipe tied into the main drain) and fill with anti-freeze. Then worry about installing new valve/fixture in spring. Thoughts on this? Does this make sense, since it really wont be airlocked but plugged with some sort of fitting?
 
I would try air locking the main drain. Wait couple days and take the pump lid off and open the main drain valve. You will be able to tell if it's holding pressure, cause you will be able to hear the air come out. Just a thought.
Was he able to test the niche?
How did he look for the leak?
 
I wasn't there when they were performing the tests. I know they were here for several hours. Unfortunately the light niche is pretty deep and can't be reached from the deck. He said he got in pool but I think it was to inspect main drain he said if was too cold and could not stay in very long. They said they tested main drain and it appeared fine.

The main drain valve may be broken (the lever on the PVC pipe just above the ground that you twist?), in addition I don't have a plug for the pipe connected to pump so I'm not sure how I would air lock it. Can I airlock it without a property working valave? This is why he recommended me just cutting off and using antifreeZe, thoughts?
 

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