Leak where skimmer meets concrete

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D

dradam

LifeTime Supporter
Mar 10, 2013
242
Maryland
Pool Size
19000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Every couple of years I notice the level in my pool going down quickly and trace it to where the skimmer meets the concrete. I repair the area with a two part pool epoxy putty... until it happens again. I know it is a common problem associted with movement and temperature variations. I believe the brittle hardened epoxy looses its seal do to subtle ground shifting over time. Can anyone comment about a better agent than epoxy putty? I would think that somthing more flexible might hold up better.

Thanks in advance.
 
Can you show us pics of the problem area?

Look at

www.deckoseal.com

DECK-O-SEAL - Polysulfide-Based Joint Sealant

Seal all cracks and joints with DECK-O-SEAL two-part, elastomeric, polysulfide-based joint sealant. DECK-O-SEAL is used for caulking and sealing joints subject to concrete movement to provide a firm, flexible, weather-tight seal. It is ideal for sealing joints around swimming pools, and for...
www.deckoseal.com www.deckoseal.com

Seal all cracks and joints with DECK-O-SEAL two-part, elastomeric, polysulfide-based joint sealant. DECK-O-SEAL is used for caulking and sealing joints subject to concrete movement to provide a firm, flexible, weather-tight seal.
 
Thanks for the idea and the follow up. It would be hard to send a picture as the area of concern is under the stone pool deck where the plastic skimmer sits next to the concrete. I just resealed the area with 2 part epoxy putty and my leak seems to have stopped. It is remarkable how mutch water can leak from this area-- even though my dye testing was negative. The Deck O seal you recommend is what I think is used for example where coping meets stone to allow expansion-- over a foam backer? Have you used this (or has anyone) where the plastic skimmer basket meets the cement pool wall?

Thanks.
 
I came across this flexible sealer...

www.leaktools.com

Flexible Sealer 4 oz. Tube - White

Check out the deal on Flexible Sealer 4 oz. Tube - White at Anderson Manufacturing Company, Inc.
www.leaktools.com www.leaktools.com

Nitrile rubber-based sealant provides a strong adhesive bond to most any material found around the swimming pool, even vinyl. Squeeze from the tube directly onto the material to be sealed. Flexible Sealer will skin over in seconds allowing it to be flattened with a wet finger. Cures flexible in minutes to hours depending on application thickness.
  • Seal vinyl leaks with or without a patch.
  • Seal between liner and face plates or fittings.
  • Use as a thread sealant or on small suction side plumbing leaks.
  • Seal small cracks in gunite or plaster.
  • Can be applied underwater.
 
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despite dye testing I decided to reseal around my skimmers with 2 part pool epoxy. It solved my problem. What amazes me is how much water could be lost daily when dye testing was negative.
 
Any further feedback here? I have the same issue. I have tried to seal myself with two part epoxy and my pool finished "sealed" with concrete when pool was resurfaced this year. I still lose 2 inches overnight every night, down to the skimmer line and then leak stops (maybe a very slight leak after, probably from light conduit, but minor issue compared to the water loss from skimmer).

I have had the issue off and on for the life of my pool (20 years). Has been partially fixed a few times, but never lasts over multiple seasons.
 
With no perfect solution I reseal around the skimmers every year or so with 2 part ab epoxy putty. I have not tried the other adhesives in this thread. I find it works best if I dig out the old before I put in the new. I repacked around the pool light cord with butyl tape well packed into the conduit entry. I hired a company a few years ago and they found a leak around one of the PVC inlet pipes, so I always check there as well. I was disappointed in an attempt to seal around the skimmers with an expanding foam I saw on the web for this purpose. Either the ground temp was too cool for it to expand properly or the void around my skimmers was too great to be filled by it. Was too expensive to try again. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks. I will let you know how I make out. I have been failing with pool putty and tried once with 2-part epoxy this year (unsuccessful so far). I cant tell if the damage is on the skimmer side facing the pool (a prior company patched it after removing the weir door) or in the joint between pool and skimmer (that was just resealed professionally 6 weeks ago, FWIW). It's all under a big coping stone so impossible to tell. Could also be the tiles on the sides leading to skimmer. One or two of the four tiles sound potentially hollow. But I have turned off the autofill and washed the drainage pattern so many times I know problem is in that one area. And I see no evidence of water leaks on the sides of the pool anywhere, except hyperactive ants. But I lose 200 ppm of salt per day even with so use (no not from spillage). I I have inspected the equipment pad and zero leaking there. New pump - outside of cartridge filter bone dry - and leaking occurs with everything off and slows or stops at bottom of skimmer entry to pool. Zero leakage whatsoever in plastic part of skimmer. Could be the sides or bottom of the "tunnel" going to skimmer, the joint itself, or a crack just inside of skimmer. And I just cannot isolate enough to get epoxy coverage on right spot. I tried to build up a barrier just outside of skimmer to see where leak was coming from but its been non-diagnostic so far. I am afraid I have small gaps in the epoxy too.
 

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Thats a lot of putty ! If this fails might dig it all out of the joints ( between skimer plastic and wall) and repack. I often skim the grout around the tiles with epoxy too. If your tile is hollow removing it may shed some light. You might pressure test the skimmer return line but if the water the does not drop in the skimmer below pool level it is not likely that. The leak tools expanding foam might be and option for you even though I did not have success with it-- will depend on how much of a void is around the skimmer to fill and the ground must be warm and wet. You have to drill a hole in the throat of the skimmer but that is easily patched. Common Skimmer Repair Solutions | Leak Tools – Blog They have instructional videos on the site. Please keep us posted.
If all else fails I can refer you to a clergyman for a blessing.
 
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I am actually using the epoxy to try to determine whether the leak is on the spa side or the skimmer side, at the mouth. I actually have a feeling that the answer may be both. I know there is crack within the skimmer at the mouth - I dont know if it is sealed or leaking again. I also know that the water lever drops and continues to drop on the spa side outside the skimmer, but at a slower rate (1 inch/day vs 4 inches a day), here I suspect due to leakage from light conduit (and also partially evaporation as salt concentration increases as I let it drift). I am trying to build up the putty just outside the skimmer and see which side drops more and faster. I think the skimmer side drops faster at first, and then it crosses over once the leaky part of skimmer is eclipsed. Hopefully that makes sense.
 
I had a professional in to help me look for the leak. Sealed some areas around the main drain, even though we saw no dye leaking. It helped as rate of drop has decline to near zero once level drops below skimmer (was 1 inch a day below skimmer, 3 inches a day at skimmer level). Now 1 inch a day stopping at mouth of skimmer. I also think I may have found a crack on the side of the skimmer near the mouth. Attaching picture. Does this seem like a crack?

(used camera to photograph all the areas inside the mouth to basket that are very hard if not impossible to visualize directly)
 

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Leak solved finally - used fix-a-leak:

Featured - Leak at skimmer / tile line of spa - been at this for over a year now

I have been trying to correct a leak from my spa that was losing 2 inches of water every 12 hours - but stopping at tile line. Over the last year plus, I have takes the following steps (leak masked by autofill, but obvious because of declining chemical levels): 1) Let water drop with pump off...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
Last edited:
I had posted a day by day account. The web people moved it around and my link is now bad. I’ll look around for it. The stuff did wonders for the leak
 
See this thread for details...

Featured - Leak at skimmer / tile line of spa - been at this for over a year now

I have been trying to correct a leak from my spa that was losing 2 inches of water every 12 hours - but stopping at tile line. Over the last year plus, I have takes the following steps (leak masked by autofill, but obvious because of declining chemical levels): 1) Let water drop with pump off...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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