Water Leaking From Pool?

[aGrandma]

My inground gunite pool seems to have a leak somewhere but we have no idea where (no signs of wet ground anywhere). The water level goes down for no apparent reason. Even if it's not hot outside (no evaporation) and no one has been in the pool to splash water out. The pool is 7 years old and we started noticing this about 2 years ago. Also, a section of deck cracked at the joint and has lifted/settled a fraction of an inch. Because of the deck crack, now two small tiles have come off the inside of the pool wall. I wonder if something is going on with the plumbing UNDER that section of deck. We just keep refilling the pool every few days. The problem is, we don't have a CLUE who to call to give us estimates. Can anyone tell me who to call? We contacted our pool builder twice and they never called us back. Do we call a concrete person, a plumber, a pool builder or who? Or is this something we can investigate ourselves? What kinds of things can we do to find out what is causing our water to go down?

[dalehileman]

How far does the level recede every day

Reason I ask, some say even in the wintertime it can recede by evaporation 1/4 in./day

[waterbear]

My inground gunite pool seems to have a leak somewhere but we have no idea where (no signs of wet ground anywhere). The water level goes down for no apparent reason. Even if it's not hot outside (no evaporation) and no one has been in the pool to splash water out. The pool is 7 years old and we started noticing this about 2 years ago. Also, a section of deck cracked at the joint and has lifted/settled a fraction of an inch. Because of the deck crack, now two small tiles have come off the inside of the pool wall. I wonder if something is going on with the plumbing UNDER that section of deck. We just keep refilling the pool every few days. The problem is, we don't have a CLUE who to call to give us estimates. Can anyone tell me who to call? We contacted our pool builder twice and they never called us back. Do we call a concrete person, a plumber, a pool builder or who? Or is this something we can investigate ourselves? What kinds of things can we do to find out what is causing our water to go down?

You want to call a leak detection company such as American Leak Detection. If you enter the term 'leak detection pool' in Google you should be able to find a company that services your area. Pool builders don't necessarily have the proper equipment for finding leaks.

[waterbear]

How far does the level recede every day

Aug 11, 2010 THIS is why I quote him. He has a habit of coming back to his posts and re editing them after doing some research (probably by asking a question on a different board) so he doesn't seem like such a complete loser but he still doesn't know what he's talking about and just tyring to start another internet argument. Too bad the timestamp in this forum does not change when the post is edited. You can try it yourself and see.

How far does the level recede every day

Reason I ask, some say even in the wintertime it can recede by evaporation 1/4 in./day

Do not pay any attention to this poster, He is an internet troll that has no usable advice for you and actually knows nothing about pools!

Here is proof: Read this. (If you wonder why keep checking out the links)

and this (thread was locked)

and this

and this

and this (This one is a must read!)

and this (This also, he got banned on this board for three days in this thread)

and this

and this

and this (thread was locked)

and this (swimming pool forum)

and this

and this (this is a good example, the thread got locked. Be sure to read the second page also!! This is a swimming pool forum)

and this

and this (be sure to read down to the last three posts on page one and the posts at the top of page two, they say a LOT. This thread was locked also!))

There are many more examples, such as his posts in this forum!

[aGrandma]

Thanks so much - I had never heard of American Leak Detection before! I've contacted them - left a message. Wonder how much it costs to get an estimate?

Now I wonder if it is possible that roots from a tree in my neighbors back yard could have damaged my pool plumbing. The tree is near my pool and it has grown to be a very large tree! It is on the side of my pool where the deck has cracked.

wish me luck and thanks again!

[aGrandma]

American Leak Detection told me it's a flat fee of $300 to TEST my pool for a leak. Once they find where the leak is, they can give me an estimate for repairing the leak.

[waterbear]

American Leak Detection told me it's a flat fee of $300 to TEST my pool for a leak. Once they find where the leak is, they can give me an estimate for repairing the leak.

Yes, that's pretty much what it is. There are other leak detection companiies if you want to try other ones but they are all going to charge to find the leak since THAT is usually the hard part.

Realize that some leaks could actually cost in the thousands to fix.

Don't they guarantee that they find it for that price?

[Pool Clown]

dalehileman

dalehileman...

I wondered where do i know that name? Then i remembered. I got pulled into his vortex a while back.

[aGrandma]

The first thing I have to do is test the pool to see how far the water goes down per day. They have instructions on their web site (American Leak Detection) on how to do that using a 5-gallon bucket immersed at least 5" into the pool. You mark the water level inside the bucket and mark the water level on the side of the pool. After a day you check how far the water level goes down inside and outside the bucket and see if there is a difference. They also explain how to find out where the leak is by performing this test with the pump running and with it off. After I perform all the tests I will probably call them to come find the leak.

[waterbear]

The first thing I have to do is test the pool to see how far the water goes down per day. They have instructions on their web site (American Leak Detection) on how to do that using a 5-gallon bucket immersed at least 5" into the pool. You mark the water level inside the bucket and mark the water level on the side of the pool. After a day you check how far the water level goes down inside and outside the bucket and see if there is a difference. They also explain how to find out where the leak is by performing this test with the pump running and with it off. After I perform all the tests I will probably call them to come find the leak.

Yes, this is the 'bucket test" and is the first step in determining if a leak exists. The reasson to do it with the pump on and then off is to help determine if the leak is in the pressure side of the plumbing or elsewhere, such as a light niche or the pool shell, Good luck to you. Leaks are not fun. I hope yours is a minor one and an easy fix.

[aGrandma]

I first did the test with no filter running for 24 hours. The difference in water level between the bucket was about 1/2 inch (the pool water level lost 1/2 inch more than the water level inside the bucket.)

Now do I perform the SAME test with the filter running the whole 24 hours?

[waterbear]

I first did the test with no filter running for 24 hours. The difference in water level between the bucket was about 1/2 inch (the pool water level lost 1/2 inch more than the water level inside the bucket.)

Now do I perform the SAME test with the filter running the whole 24 hours?

yes, unless the water in the pool drops so low that the pump loses prime! (it can happen with a bad leak).

[aGrandma]

Wondering now how these leak detection companies work - can anyone tell me? They charge $250-$300 or more just to come to the house and detect the leak. Do they assume you are going to hire them to perform the repairs (which could be thousands of $) or do they give you a report or a map or a diagram of some sort that you can use to get bids on for the repair work? If the leak is "minor", will they fix it right there when they detect it - for no cost or nominal fee?

[Pool Clown]

Can't speak for all leak detectors, but the ones we hire will locate, mark, and give an estimate for the repairs. At that point, they are done, unless of course you want them to repair the leak.

They seem to charge more for a repair than we do. IMO, they overprice the repair (maybe they would rather just find leaks, the profit margin is better).

[aGrandma]

How do they "mark" a leak if it's underground in a plumbing pipe somewhere? I'm thinking that's where mine might be since the deck cracked and is settling in a section where there is plumbing, not near the pool equipment. None of the equipment above ground is leaking. How do they fix a pinhole leak in a plumbing pipe? Do they have to dig through the soil and replace pipe or do they shoot some kind of sealant into the pipe from inside the pool? or ??

[Pool Clown]

They would tie a ribbon on the pipe above ground, or they might put a small dot of paint (rattle can) on the deck right above the leak. Hopefully, its on a pipe by itself in the trench, and not on a pipe in the main plumbing trench, which will have several pipes in it.