Damp Soil Near Pool Equipment
- Thread starter lasvegas1976
- Start date
Hopefully that fizzing noise is not the gas line, although my gas bill is usually 13 bucks a month (only pool heater and dryer use gas on the whole property).
- May 23, 2015
- 25,707
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You would hopefully smell a gas leak. The odorants added to the gas are very strong.
I don't smell anything, other than that odor of muddy soil - I can't get that smell out of my nose for some reason.
The fizzing might be air getting sucked in while the pump is off.
Listen closely while someone turns the pump on and then off.
Listen closely while someone turns the pump on and then off.
It's still a leak.
Turning the pump on and off while someone listens closely should help pinpoint the problem.
The sound is usually loudest when the pump is turned on or off.
If you have a stethoscope, you can listen to the pipes better.
You can get a stethoscope at many places for about $10.00.
If you can pressure test the lines with water or air, then the leak can be confirmed and more easily found.
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The black spot (Lower arrow) looks suspicious.
I would dig at the top arrow as the leak is likely at the 90 on the pipe with the black spot.
I would dig at the top arrow as the leak is likely at the 90 on the pipe with the black spot.
The good news from today. The company redoing the whole pool at the end of January said they would fix that leak (for an extra fee of course). Since they are installing a new skimmer as part of the job their plumbing team is already involved with the project, so they can fix whatever line is the problem. I didn't know they even did this type of work since it's not listed on their site, but apparently they only do it for customers during an actual project (mine is nearly 20K). In a few weeks they will send their team (project begins week of January 23), dig it further out and then fix the issue during the skimmer install.
I would dig it out a little bit more to see if the leak is obvious.
You are probably pretty close.
You are probably pretty close.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,707
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
That ground is really saturated and there are roots everywhere. Are there plants nearby? It must have been leaking for a long time. I know when we dug up our main line we had roots wrapped around the faulty patch (the sewer line runs close to it too). There are two mulberry trees about 30ft away from the area and their roots went straight for the moisture.
I t
There is a pine tree (not from my property) about 20 feet away, but those are not pine tree roots. Pine tree roots are the size of baseball bats. Outside of that, there is nothing around, but I assume there used to be something planted long ago near the heater, which is that area, because we found those sleeves nearby.
I'm actually wrong. There is a tree on the other side of the wall, about 5 feet away.
Not sure what kind of tree this is, Ive seen them often, but I believe this is as big as it gets.
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- May 23, 2015
- 25,707
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I use this App all the time on my iPhone -
www.picturethisai.com
It has been super accurate at detecting all types of plants. And I believe they've expanded it to bugs, pests, plant damage, etc., (in the paid version of course). It helps with making good plant choices too as it gives you plenty of details on water and sun needs as well as temperature zones and pet toxicity.
PictureThis App - Online plant encyclopedia and plant identifier
PictureThis App: Online plant encyclopedia and plant identifier. Identify plants with a snap, Auto problem diagnosis, Detailed plant care guides.
It has been super accurate at detecting all types of plants. And I believe they've expanded it to bugs, pests, plant damage, etc., (in the paid version of course). It helps with making good plant choices too as it gives you plenty of details on water and sun needs as well as temperature zones and pet toxicity.
That's a pretty useful tip.
To find a leak, someone could plant mulberry trees near the suspected leak location and watch which direction the roots go.
Project out the lines in the direction of the roots and use the intersection to find the leak.
Maybe I will patent the idea.
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- May 23, 2015
- 25,707
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
The leak detection should only take 4 or 5 years to complete ...
- May 23, 2015
- 25,707
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I will say this - roots do not cause leaks, they FIND leaks. When people find roots wrapped around a leaky pipe, they incorrectly blame the roots for the leaks. Roots do not have the power to burrow into pipes. But, if a pipe has an existing leak, the roots will grow towards that and may infiltrate a pipe through a leaking joint. Its a common misconception about planting trees close to sewers and pipes - everyone believes that roots will go after them. They won't ... unless there is a leak.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,074
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I think you are 100% correct.Likely:
Vitex agnus-castus - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
I can't seem to find anything on Google related to their roots creating plumbing issues, so likely just a lot grew in that area due to the leak going on for a very long time.
JWeiss
Well-known member
- Jun 14, 2022
- 46
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Autopilot Digital PPC3 (RC-42)
Ah, so the idea is to find the leak by treeangulation.