Hi all, We had to replace our vinyl liner last year. The installer did pressure testing on all the inlets, skimmers, and the main drain. The only one that showed a leak is the main drain line. I knew there had to be a leak somewhere since we were losing water. I had hoped it would be one of the other lines, but alas, it isn't. I need to find where the leak is. I'm hoping it'll be in an area I can get to for repair. I could call a leak detection service, but as there is only one in our area, he's rather expensive. Does anyone know of a DIY option?
Main drain leak detection
- Thread starter beaverplt
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,890
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I don't have to tell you that main drain lines are no joke. Much more difficult. In the grand scheme of things I have to ask .... are you really firm on having it operational versus plugging it? Pools do quite well with skimmer only, so I figured I'd put that question out there now.
cfherrman
TFP Guide
Plug them and patch the liner, if you want to drain your pool like a main drain but or rent a sump pump.
I'm pretty firm on keeping the main drain. It's at the 8' depth end of the pool and, from what I've observed over the years, has been very useful in pulling dirt, dead algae, etc. out of the pool toward the filter. I know it could become necessary if the leak is close to the drain. I'm hoping it's nearer to the surface where I can get to it and repair it. I've seen some leak detection devices online. I'm just not sure how well they work. If anyone has tried one, I'd love your review.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,890
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I used one in my local area a while back. Standard stuff really (deck plates, scopes, dye, pressure testing, etc). There are also national affiliated companies that back their work as well. You can expect to pay anywhere from $500 - $1,000 just for the leak detection. The repair is a separate fee.
I've been able to narrow down the approximate area where my main drain line is leaking. The good news is that it's not under the pool, but under the pavers between the pool and the pool shed. The bad news is that is a 12-foot stretch. I want to narrow that down in order to avoid digging up the whole area. I'd also like to avoid paying hundreds of dollars for a professional. Amazon has a few different leak detectors that they claim will find underground leaks. Has anyone used one?