Water Loss?

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I'm sorry for the confusion. We didn't run the pump over night. It turned off at its normal time...early evening.

Update: we called a very good pool repair/construction guy. He came out and said that the leak was around the skimmer. Not that there couldn't be anything else, but since we lost no water (with pump off) after the water went below the skimmer line it was most definitely a skimmer leak.

The pump room water, he stated, was due to the pump sucking air. He said when this happens the water gets very hot and the mpi/msi??? shrinks and water starts flowing out right above the pump.

So, he fixed the skimmer leak and in 15 hours we've lost less than 1/4" of water. He is coming to replace the mpi/msi??? tomorrow. In the meantime, im supposed to watch the water level.
 
Updating this thread as things have taken a bad turn.

So, we seem still have a small leak around the skimmer. However, before we didn't seem to have any leaking once the water fell below the skimmer and now we do. It seems that the leak below the skimmer line only occurswhenthepump is running. There is no water loss in the pump room. So, it seems, more than likely, we have a pipe leak somewhere. I'm lost for understanding this problem.

Now, we are at a stand still because I'm afraid of the costs to fix a pipe leak. I'm sure this will be very expensive and money is tight.

Any thoughts or advice? If I have to shut down my pool for lack of money, what is the best process?

Thanks in advance :(
 
When you say it's only losing water when the pump is running and the water is below the skimmer line, how is the pump running properly if the water is below the skimmer? Isn't your pump losing prime without water to draw in from the skimmer?
 
Then your leak could be in the hot tub area. Have you done the dye test in the hot tub nooks, crannys and drains with the pump off? I'd get the suit and snorkel on and investigate some more. You could call the repair guy again and say the leak was never fully resolved. He may (will) want to charge you again so I can understand the hesitation but it seems the leak was never fully resolved.
 
Well, we shut the hot tub off completely when we were trying to figure out the leak, at first, and the water level in the hot tub didn't move a centimeter.

Any thoughts?

But I will try to run the pump with the hot tub off and see if we still lose water.

Anything specific I can look for?
 
Like was suggested earlier, all you can do is isolate different areas of your pool and plumbing with and without the pump running. Get some food coloring and a small syringe (w/o a needle) and use that to find leaks in problem spots when the pump is off.

Here is an example video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlQME1qCWjk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dhKEWxjX6I

I don't love the yellow dye (prefer red or blue) but you can see how the dye/food coloring is sucked into the leak.
 

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Okay, here's what we're doing...

Since we've had the pool pump off for a couple of days now we have lost no water...none out of the hot tub or the pool. The pool water is below the skimmer line. We know we have a leak in the skimmer area.

But, we are isolating the hot tub by closing valves and letting the water sit. At the same time, we are running the pool with the jets and drain open (skimmer closed).

If we don't lose water from the pool with the pump running than we will shut down the pool and run the hot tub and see if we lose water in the hot tub from the pump running.

We hope this helps us see where the leaking pipe is located...in the pool piping or in the hot tub piping.

Sound like a good plan?
 
The pool doesn't leak when the pump is off so it is likely the leak is in a pipe that is above the water line. When the pump is running the suction line going to the pump would be under negative pressure so the leak can't be in that pipe. IMHO the leak must be somehere in the return line(s) and at a height above the water line.

It's a pretty big leak if you are losing 1 1/2" per hour so begin at the pump oulet and start checking for wet ground. Follow the direction of the pipes as they go to each return jet and hopefully you'll find the leak.
 
I appreciate the response. Here's a response with my scenario. You're correct. The pool does not leak when the pump is not running unless the water is above the skimmer line. However, the skimmer holds water up to the top of the basket. So, it would seem the leak in the skimmer area is the plastic casing or where the plastic casing connects to the pool.

Also, the jets and drains are the only things below the current water line. So, I'm not sure where else the leak could be if im understanding what you said.

The only spot I've ever seen moist ground was above the skimmer. Keep in mind, though, that this is an indoor pool with lounging area, etc. (approx. 1800 sq. ft.) part of it being carpeted (indoor/outdoor). I'be not seen any wet spots or any water in the pump room.
 
jwp, is your pump house above the level of the pool?

Do you have a line going to drain connected to the piping in the pump house, most likely at the filter? If so have you checked it isn't leaking water to drain when the pump is running?

What exactly is the mpi/msi device the pool guy replaced? and why again did he think this was the cause of the flood in your pool house?
 
Yes, the pump house is above the level of the pool.

Yes, the pool drain is connected in the pump room near the pump and filter.

Msi/mpi, I'm not sure if that is the correct initials (if you were quoting me), but it is the pvc fitting immediately above our pump. He told us that when the water level got below the skimmer and the skimmer was still running the water gets heated at the pump and causes this fitting to flex. While its flexing water escapes at the point where this fitting meets the pump. Once this fitting flexes it needs to be replaced.
 
jwp said:
Yes, the pool drain is connected in the pump room near the pump and filter.
Click to expand...

I can't tell if you are describing the line from the pool main drain that goes to the suction side of the pump, or a drain line that goes from the pump/filter to an outside drain and allows you to pump pool water to waste.

If it's the latter, when the pump is running have you checked to see if you are losing water to this ouside drain?
 
As I understand it when the pump is running you are pulling water from the pool main drain, and returning the water to the pool via the retun jets. So the leak could only be in these two lines.

The line from the main drain to the pump is under negative suction pressure when the pump is running so any leak would result in air being sucked into the line, not water leaking out.

Thus the leak must be some place in your return line running from the pump to the pool return jets. We also know the leak must be above the water level in your pool because it doesn't leak with the pump off. If you are lucky the return line from your pump goes into the ground down to the level of the returns and then runs out to the pool and branches out to each return. In this case the leak is in the vertical section of pipe as it leaves the pump and goes into the ground.

However if you are unlucky and the return line runs just below the concrete floor around the pool and and then dips down at each return, the leak could be anywhere in the line as it runs around the pool.
 

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