Cheapest way to fix a leak?

[Wes45]

Happy to report the PB came through for me and fixed the break at no charge. The plumber and his helper showed up and finished digging it out and had it repaired in a similar manner to the other repair in a little under an hour. I figured it was going to take me another 8 hrs or so. The best part was I never received a bill so I think it was a freebee. Thanks to the help I received here, I saved at least $400 and probably more.

Just don't raise my dues!

 

[waste]

Wes, thanks for the update

I'm happy to hear the repair was made to your satisfaction and that you were able to save both time and $$

I hope that you never again have troubles with the pool (but we'll be here if you do) and that you'll post a few pics of you and yours enjoying the pool this summer

 

[bk406]

Wow, thats a lot of joints under the ground! Glad they fixed it for you.
Only place i have joints underground is at the return/suction/skimmer fittings a few feet below the pool deck. Old school black poly.

I know, I know. All you PVC guys will say no no. But, that black poly has been in some pools for 40 years with no issues. Same technology as that new fangled PEX water pipe. What goes around comes around :lol:

 

[waste]

I know, I know. All you PVC guys will say no no. But, that black poly has been in some pools for 40 years with no issues. Same technology as that new fangled PEX water pipe. What goes around comes around :lol:

I have no problem with the pipe itself! It's the clamps and 'neoprene' fittings that cause problems - I've seen very few (~3) instances where the pipe itself failed (sharp rock shifted up or fence builder decided to install a post in the pipe), however, I've seen underground clamps rust out or the fittings used fail dozens of times. (I know! the neoprene fittings have been used in the past and there are much better ones 'normally' used - it's like the plumbers who install drain fittings on pressurized PVC )

The black poly is good strong stuff, but it relies on a purely mechanical bond, whereas the PVC has a chemical/ mechanical bond that ~only fails when improperly connected in the first place or not properly supported

 

[bk406]

it relies on a purely mechanical bond, whereas the PVC has a chemical/ mechanical bond that ~only fails when improperly connected in the first place or not properly supported

Yea, i know. I've held a plumbing license for 30 years (When i started plumbing 30+ years ago, soil pipe with mechanical fittings had been in the ground for a 50 years). The new PEX water pipe uses purely mechanical fittings. Not a glue joint anywhere. Like anything, if installed correctly, it will last. Have to use that black pipe dope on the fittings with a bit of heat. I'd rather have no joints under the ground. Like i said, only joints i have are at the wall fittings. Nothings perfect, as evidenced by the OP's issue I guess my preference is to have as few joints as possible under a deck.
When we used to run copper under a slab house, we used the rolled out soft copper from supply to supply, and made all the connections in a wall. Never put a single soldered joint under a slab.

I still prefer lead, oakam, cast iron, and rubber gaskets, instead of PVC, but thats just me

 

[X-PertPool]

Why are the cracks forming? If it's possibly from ground movement I would have used a flex pvc instead of all those elbows etc.