I have closed my pool, which is an above ground pool that has a deep end underground with both main drain and skimmer lines, my question is after i closed the pool this year, i went and looked into skimmer bucket and checked the pipe that runs from the skimmer into the pump. Last year when i did this, about a month after i closed the pool, there was water in line (not in skimmer but i could i see down at bottom of the pipe) and went ahead and sucked it out with a dyson. this year i did the same thing, friday i checked, there was water in the line so i sucked it out, 5 days later there was more water in the line. my question is where is the water coming from? the skimmer has a plastic cover, but i doubt if not water is seeping around edges of the cover and getting into skimmer basket and down into the pipe that way. the other way water could be getting into skimmer line is by leaking from main valve which is shut off to form the air lock. however, when i sucked the water out i didn't hear any bubbles or issues from the pool. any suggestions out there.. thanks for any help.
water in skimmer line after pool closing
- Thread starter ssteven125
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,722
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Hello and welcome to TFP! 
In an effort to account for the mystery water in the skimmer pipe, sometimes a pic is best. If you don't already have a pic or two of your equipment pad and pool, can you post those tomorrow? It sounds as though you have seperate skimmer and drain lines back to the pad, but a pic may still help. Also, please update your signature with all of your pool and equipment info. Who knows, maybe there's just some residual water equalizing its way around and settling in that skimmer pipe, but we'll do our best to confirm for you. Thanks for posting.
In an effort to account for the mystery water in the skimmer pipe, sometimes a pic is best. If you don't already have a pic or two of your equipment pad and pool, can you post those tomorrow? It sounds as though you have seperate skimmer and drain lines back to the pad, but a pic may still help. Also, please update your signature with all of your pool and equipment info. Who knows, maybe there's just some residual water equalizing its way around and settling in that skimmer pipe, but we'll do our best to confirm for you. Thanks for posting.Thanks, i updated my signature. You are correct i have separate skimmer and main drain lines back to pump which is shown below before heading to pump. the converging pipe to pump (which is not shown) is how i suck/vacuum skimmer water out. the pics below are sort of rough pics that i have stored and will take better ones tomorrow. the pic of pool (its after i opened this spring, it was slightly green prior to Clorox bleach treatment) is below and the upper left has the skimmer door opening (which i snugly place plastic cover over for closing). i do not lower pool level so water level is half way up skimmer opening plastic cover. Main drain is to the right and middle of pic. hopefully this description helps a little. thanks
Attachments
the other thing i forget to mention is the skimmer itself is under the deck with very small opening on the top. when blowing out the lines it is difficult to get water out as it does not go through the opening readily since i have skimmer opening cover with the plastic lid. thanks
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,722
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Just to confirm, is this plastic cover on the top skimmer? Not one of those wall-side skimmer faceplates at the flap opening right? Is the water level below the skimmer opening right now?
no not on top, its a wall-side skimmer faceplate. i did not lower that water below skimmer opening during closing. i use the small opening at the top to look in basically, and when i did, i didnt see any major leaks, maybe a droplet here and there. there is moisture inside the skimmer.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,722
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I see. So even though you didn't see any water seeping from the skimmer winterizing faceplate on the side, I can't help but wonder if during day/night temp changes that's where it's coming from. I also wondered if you had the conventional skimmer cover on top (with the two holes)? It's under your decking I believe right? Any chance water could enter from above?
Yep the skimmer is under the decking, its a single small hole at the top (maybe 2 inches in diameter) with a lid that locks when turned. It was dry, however, we received a good bit rain today so it will be good time to check. Because of the small hole at the top of the skimmer, i sort of think i didnt blow a lot of water out the skimmer line when closing. So i might not have sucked all the water out initially or even friday. i hoping i did last night, because when i sucking the water out, very little came out compared to friday night. I did add a small amount of pool antifreeze to the skimmer which went into the line. That antifreeze did get sucked out, so there should be no water in the line. i guess i will keep checking to see how it holds up. thanks
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,722
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Sure. 
We'll standby for now. Let us know if more water seems to show-up that doesn't make sense. If so, we'll get some more eyes on your thread just to make sure we haven't overlooked something.
We'll standby for now. Let us know if more water seems to show-up that doesn't make sense. If so, we'll get some more eyes on your thread just to make sure we haven't overlooked something.update- its looks like it is leaking from skimmer winterizing faceplate. do you think i should just buy a new faceplate, which means letting water in and sucking it out? or should i cover edges of faceplate with gorilla tape?
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,722
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Good catch Steven. Honestly, I'm not sure if one is really more better than the other. Maybe try the tape first. If it works, you save a few steps of blowing out the suction line again. If not, well, then a new faceplate may be your next option.
Honestly, I'm not sure if one is really more better than the other. Maybe try the tape first. If it works, you save a few steps of blowing out the suction line again. If not, well, then a new faceplate may be your next option.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,722
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I might be more concerned with a pool leak at that point (soil or behind liner). I suppose with your pool partially buried, the skimmer end is underground? Is there any reason to suspect unusual water level drops?
No i didnt see any major water drops this summer, just normal evaporation from lack of rain and wind. skimmer itself is above ground with maybe 3 ft of pipe before it heads down in ground in route to pump. the tape idea didnt work. I'm not sure whether to get a new faceplate cover or drain the pool some. i definitely will get the water off the pool winter cover as that extra weight has caused pool water to press on skimmer faceplate cover.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,722
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Yeah, I've heard mixed reviews on those faceplate covers and whether they're worth the effort. Many will just take the water down a bit and be done with it.