Hi folks:
I'm a second year pool owner having bought a house with a 40 year old gunite pool (32,000 gallons). Overall the pool is in good shape. It looks like it was refinished 5-10 years ago as there are chunks of plaster in the floor drain line (which is a different story.)
Anyway, I'm concerned I have a leak. Last year, during our first season as pool owners, I was shocked to see how much water the pool lost each day. But it seemed to be due to evaporation as it was about 1/4" per day which is "typical." We don't have a pool cover.
This year it seems to be losing a lot more. It seems I'm almost always putting the hose in every 2-3 days and filling it up an inch or so. We've been using the pool a lot and there has been a ton of splash out, so that could be contributing. But 3 weeks ago it was cool and windy and the pool was losing a bunch, and now its hot and humid and its about the same. The pool pump runs from 8 am to 8 pm. And it seems to lose just as much at night as it does during the day.
I'm going to try to do a bucket test starting this evening into tomorrow. I can use any type of bucket, correct?
I'm not sure why this is popping up now. Nothing really has changed vs last year other than I got an M500 robot. Could the robot have scrubbed off an old patch in the Gunite and it's now leaking? I see no evidence of cracks or patches.
One comment...if the pump runs constantly the filter housing and all lines are fully primed. No apparent air bubbles, etc. But if the pump shuts off at night, and back on in the AM there will be some air in the filter housing that I have to bleed off. Just a bit. But to me this seems like it shouldn't be. Air shouldn't be getting in. If it is..something is leaking.
Also...I've lost a lot of salt. I started at 3600 and am now down to 2800 due to what I assume are leaks. Evaporation would keep concentration the same.
Thoughts? How much water loss due to evaporation is "normal"? Where I have a concern is my floor drain line is partially plugged and I worry about water dropping below the skimmer.
I'm a second year pool owner having bought a house with a 40 year old gunite pool (32,000 gallons). Overall the pool is in good shape. It looks like it was refinished 5-10 years ago as there are chunks of plaster in the floor drain line (which is a different story.)
Anyway, I'm concerned I have a leak. Last year, during our first season as pool owners, I was shocked to see how much water the pool lost each day. But it seemed to be due to evaporation as it was about 1/4" per day which is "typical." We don't have a pool cover.
This year it seems to be losing a lot more. It seems I'm almost always putting the hose in every 2-3 days and filling it up an inch or so. We've been using the pool a lot and there has been a ton of splash out, so that could be contributing. But 3 weeks ago it was cool and windy and the pool was losing a bunch, and now its hot and humid and its about the same. The pool pump runs from 8 am to 8 pm. And it seems to lose just as much at night as it does during the day.
I'm going to try to do a bucket test starting this evening into tomorrow. I can use any type of bucket, correct?
I'm not sure why this is popping up now. Nothing really has changed vs last year other than I got an M500 robot. Could the robot have scrubbed off an old patch in the Gunite and it's now leaking? I see no evidence of cracks or patches.
One comment...if the pump runs constantly the filter housing and all lines are fully primed. No apparent air bubbles, etc. But if the pump shuts off at night, and back on in the AM there will be some air in the filter housing that I have to bleed off. Just a bit. But to me this seems like it shouldn't be. Air shouldn't be getting in. If it is..something is leaking.
Also...I've lost a lot of salt. I started at 3600 and am now down to 2800 due to what I assume are leaks. Evaporation would keep concentration the same.
Thoughts? How much water loss due to evaporation is "normal"? Where I have a concern is my floor drain line is partially plugged and I worry about water dropping below the skimmer.