Hello everyone! This is my first time posting, so I will try my best to be as thorough as possible and provide all the details needed for assistance.
I moved into my first house two weeks ago, and was excited about having a pool and learning all the ins and outs of maintaining the pool. To start off I have a pool company coming to clean and balance the chemicals in the pool until I have a full understanding of how everything works. When the pool company originally came out we noticed that the previous owner only had the return flowing through the skimmer, and the main drain in the pool was capped. They also had the return flowing only into the pool, and not the spa, so the spa was a little greener and wasn't recirculating water. The pool company cleaned and added chemicals (chlorine was at 0...) and had the spa return opened so the spa would spill over into the pool to recirculate the water (the main drain remained off at the suction side valve). The pool looked great, but then I started to notice the pool level had lowered by about 2-4 inches. I added water per direction of the pool company since pump and filter were not holding the proper pressure due to a low water level. The pool company came back to add calcium hardness, and set up the pump system how they said it should be set up to work properly. This was having the return coming through the pool and spa, and also have the skimmer and main drain open on the suction side. I did not turn on the pump as I wanted to see if any water was loss before running it again, and I closed off the spa return. In about a hour or so the spa dropped all the way below the jets. I then set the spa return open (pump still off) and water did start coming out slowly in the return and raised the level above the jets in about a hour. The level did not drop again, but today I turned the pump on, and the spa started to drop significantly, even with the return on. I could see a whirlpool in the middle, and started adding water from a hose, but it could not keep up with the water draining. I then realized it was draining faster from the main drain in the spa that the spa return pumps could add. I closed off the main drain at the pump suction side again, and the spa was able to rise again to where it would spill over in the pool.
I am pretty sure that means there is a leak in the spa, but I am not certain. For now I will keep the main drain closed at the suction side, and when I turn the pump off I will see if I notice any water loss in the spa or pool. I do not think the pool is losing water, rather it is the spa losing water and thus lowering the level in the pool as well. There is an obvious crack repair in the spa, but I do not think that is where it is leaking from since the level of the spa stops at the jets, and does not get any lower (with the main drain closed).
I hope I can get this identified before I pay the money to have a leak detection comapny come out. This has been pretty stressful as a new homeowner, but I am trying to stay positive that I still have a nice pool I get to use. I am hoping that as long as the main drain stays closed that the water levels can remain normal. Worst case scenario, if the leak is only in the spa I may drain the spa until I can save up to fix any leaks.
Thanks in advance for any help! and I look forward to being a part of this community!
I moved into my first house two weeks ago, and was excited about having a pool and learning all the ins and outs of maintaining the pool. To start off I have a pool company coming to clean and balance the chemicals in the pool until I have a full understanding of how everything works. When the pool company originally came out we noticed that the previous owner only had the return flowing through the skimmer, and the main drain in the pool was capped. They also had the return flowing only into the pool, and not the spa, so the spa was a little greener and wasn't recirculating water. The pool company cleaned and added chemicals (chlorine was at 0...) and had the spa return opened so the spa would spill over into the pool to recirculate the water (the main drain remained off at the suction side valve). The pool looked great, but then I started to notice the pool level had lowered by about 2-4 inches. I added water per direction of the pool company since pump and filter were not holding the proper pressure due to a low water level. The pool company came back to add calcium hardness, and set up the pump system how they said it should be set up to work properly. This was having the return coming through the pool and spa, and also have the skimmer and main drain open on the suction side. I did not turn on the pump as I wanted to see if any water was loss before running it again, and I closed off the spa return. In about a hour or so the spa dropped all the way below the jets. I then set the spa return open (pump still off) and water did start coming out slowly in the return and raised the level above the jets in about a hour. The level did not drop again, but today I turned the pump on, and the spa started to drop significantly, even with the return on. I could see a whirlpool in the middle, and started adding water from a hose, but it could not keep up with the water draining. I then realized it was draining faster from the main drain in the spa that the spa return pumps could add. I closed off the main drain at the pump suction side again, and the spa was able to rise again to where it would spill over in the pool.
I am pretty sure that means there is a leak in the spa, but I am not certain. For now I will keep the main drain closed at the suction side, and when I turn the pump off I will see if I notice any water loss in the spa or pool. I do not think the pool is losing water, rather it is the spa losing water and thus lowering the level in the pool as well. There is an obvious crack repair in the spa, but I do not think that is where it is leaking from since the level of the spa stops at the jets, and does not get any lower (with the main drain closed).
I hope I can get this identified before I pay the money to have a leak detection comapny come out. This has been pretty stressful as a new homeowner, but I am trying to stay positive that I still have a nice pool I get to use. I am hoping that as long as the main drain stays closed that the water levels can remain normal. Worst case scenario, if the leak is only in the spa I may drain the spa until I can save up to fix any leaks.
Thanks in advance for any help! and I look forward to being a part of this community!
