here is a leak video that the home inspector reported. what do you think?

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lordmundi

lordmundi

Well-known member
Apr 25, 2021
48
Texas
Pool Size
21000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
I haven't taken possession of this home yet, so I haven't seen it for myself, but the home inspector noted this air leak and provided in this video (has sound, you may have to click the icon to enable the sound):

https://imgur.com/nzCLFH9

What do you think? Can I just replace this with any standard hose bib and some teflon tape? What is this valve for anyways? (The pump it is on is apparently for the waterfall feature alone).

Thanks for any suggestions! I don't have a signature yet because I still don't know the details of the pool I just bought!
 
I can't get any sounds and don't know what problem the inspector is showing you.

If the pump was running and he opened the hose bib then water should shoot out.

You will never use that hose connection. It is used during construction to pressure test the pipes.

Whatever the possible problem is it is minor and you can sort it out once you move in.
 
ajw22 said:
I can't get any sounds and don't know what problem the inspector is showing you.
Click to expand...
Hmm... if you are on a desktop you can mouse over the video and the sound should be in the lower right. Anyhow, in the video you can hear air going through and he tries closing the valve more and the air sound continues.
ajw22 said:
You will never use that hose connection. It is used during construction to pressure test the pipes.
Click to expand...
that's good to know. So theoretically if the leak is coming from that hose bib I can just remove the bib and plug it with a corresponding sized plug? That would be pretty easy.
 
I don’t see any signs in the clear pump lid that the pump is running. That valve is on the output side of the pump. The valve would not be sucking in air with the pump running. Water would flow out of the valve.

There is a lot we don‘t know here. I say don’t let it worry you. When you get in we can help you sort it out.
 
ajw22 said:
I don’t see any signs in the clear pump lid that the pump is running. That valve is on the output side of the pump. The valve would not be sucking in air with the pump running. Water would flow out of the valve.

There is a lot we don‘t know here. I say don’t let it worry you. When you get in we can help you sort it out.
Click to expand...
ok great info... thanks! There is some sort of air sucking noise coming from somewhere, but like you said, i can get more info once I'm there.
 
When you have an opportunity look at each pump while it is running and see if there are large air bubbles in the pump strainer pot (the thing with the clear lid). Most of the time you won't hear an air leak with the pump running. They would be much easier to find if you could, and an air leak that big would likely cause pump cavitation. You would see the pump pushing out water faster than it can bring it in and the pump strainer pot will be half full.
So good news is the gate valve doesn't appear to be leaking air or water. I don't hear any rattling or clunking and it doesn't sound very loud on video. You may just be hearing normal operating noise from an older pump. Does your home inspector have experience with pools? Most don't unless they have their own.
 
zea3 said:
When you have an opportunity look at each pump while it is running and see if there are large air bubbles in the pump strainer pot (the thing with the clear lid). Most of the time you won't hear an air leak with the pump running. They would be much easier to find if you could, and an air leak that big would likely cause pump cavitation. You would see the pump pushing out water faster than it can bring it in and the pump strainer pot will be half full.
So good news is the gate valve doesn't appear to be leaking air or water. I don't hear any rattling or clunking and it doesn't sound very loud on video. You may just be hearing normal operating noise from an older pump. Does your home inspector have experience with pools? Most don't unless they have their own.
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well, they would certainly say they have experience. he did a pretty thorough checkout (as far as I can tell). He also posted a video of the jets and some bubbles in them suggesting air is coming in somewhere (and he listed a few candidates). But this pump he is looking at in the video is for the waterfall and I don't think it has anything to do with the pool pump.
 
Good question what is this video trying to show? It looks like he closes the valve all the way, and no water is coming out, so not sure where he is indicating a leak.
 
lordmundi said:
well, they would certainly say they have experience. he did a pretty thorough checkout (as far as I can tell). He also posted a video of the jets and some bubbles in them suggesting air is coming in somewhere (and he listed a few candidates). But this pump he is looking at in the video is for the waterfall and I don't think it has anything to do with the pool pump.
Click to expand...

Is this a salt water pool? If so then bubbles coming out of the returns in the pool is completly normal while the SWG (salt water generator) is running. The SWG produces Hydrogen gas and there will be bubbles while it's doing it's job.
 
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I would ask the inspector for clarity, since it is not obvious from the video even with the sound on. I hear the pump running, and I see the ground is wet, but I cant tell if that is from a leak, him opening the hose bib, etc.

That pipe is on the pressure side (after the pump, water being pushed back to the pool) so I would expect any issues to have water leaking. Sucking in air generally happens on the suction side from the drains/skimmers on the way to the pump.
 

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I don't think the pump is running...it's WAY too quiet, there's no action in the basket, and no water leaking out of the valve even though the ground is wet. I think the pump was shutoff after running and the air is being sucked in through the valve as water is draining back to the pool. If you fix the valve (easy fix), the pump should hold pressure. As JJ mentioned, the inspector can provide the missing pieces to the puzzle.
 
You might have a seal leak.

The pumps are older and the water feature pump is a poor choice for a water feature pump.

Probably safe to assume that all equipment will need to be replaced soon until proven otherwise.
 
PoolGate said:
Good question what is this video trying to show? It looks like he closes the valve all the way, and no water is coming out, so not sure where he is indicating a leak.
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the leak is indicated in the sound of the video. you can hear air moving somewhere and presumably, he heard it at this valve.
 
duckcmmndr said:
Is this a salt water pool? If so then bubbles coming out of the returns in the pool is completly normal while the SWG (salt water generator) is running. The SWG produces chlorine gas and there will be bubbles while it's doing it's job.
Click to expand...
no, this is not a salt water pool. but that's great to know!
JJ_Tex said:
I would ask the inspector for clarity, since it is not obvious from the video even with the sound on. I hear the pump running, and I see the ground is wet, but I cant tell if that is from a leak, him opening the hose bib, etc.

That pipe is on the pressure side (after the pump, water being pushed back to the pool) so I would expect any issues to have water leaking. Sucking in air generally happens on the suction side from the drains/skimmers on the way to the pump.
Click to expand...
ok thanks for that info. Yeah, he may have been hearing the sound from somewhere else but just incorrectly thought it was coming from this valve. Once I move in and find out more info I will report back!
 
lordmundi said:
no, this is not a salt water pool. but that's great to know!

ok thanks for that info. Yeah, he may have been hearing the sound from somewhere else but just incorrectly thought it was coming from this valve. Once I move in and find out more info I will report back!
Click to expand...

To clarify, the bubbles seen coming out of returns in a pool with a saltwater chlorine generator are hydrogen bubbles. Hydrogen is a byproduct when chlorine is created. All of the chlorine that is generated is dissolved in your pool water.
 
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