sneakyleaks
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![[*]](./images/corporate/default_icon.gif) posted on 13-12-08 at 03:14 PM |
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Leaks only in winter
A lady called me on Dec.12th and told me she had her pool closed on Sept 8th. From Sept 8th to Oct 8 water level was fine. From Oct 8th to Nov 8th
water level went down 4 1/2 in. From Nov. 8th to Dec 8th water went down another 4 1/2 in. This pool has no main drain,no light. There is a skimmer
and what she tells me is another suction line about 2 ft. down and about ten feet from the skimmer. There is one return she says about a foot down on
the opposite side of the pool from the skimmer and this other suction line. She says the pool has been losing water in the winter for the past three
years but dosn't lose any in the summer when it is running. My guess is a suction line leak but I can't figure out how when they are pluged. She
says it will leak down to about 3-4in from the bottom of the shallow end by spring, which is below the return and the skimmer and suction opening. The
pool also has steps in it but again it doesn't lose water when running in the summer. I can't do anything untill spring but any help on things to
look at would be a great help.Thanks.
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brrscuba
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Mood: Underwater!
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| posted on 14-12-08 at 09:42 AM |
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What is the pool surface? Vinyl liner, fiberglass, cement?
How far north are you? Here in New England I continue to inspect and repair pools until I have over 2" of ice. If it only leaks in the winter then
winter is the best time to find and fix it.
Bruce
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trackerm
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| posted on 14-12-08 at 10:53 AM |
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I agree with bruce. Despite the customer thinking the leak only occurs in the winter. I have a hard time to believe it. She is probablly adding water
and dismissing it as "evaporation" during the summer. Now this pool is covered, and evaporation should be at a minimum. Is there ice on the pool?
try a bucket test. Mark the pool, if the leak is below the ice line you will still see a decrease in pool water volume.
Are you a diver? i am surmizing you use electronics to leak detection. I just dove a pool at 33 degrees and its not fun, even in a dry suit with a
full face mask. Pools do lose water in the winter. I would suspect the possiblity of a leak. but without some testing (bucket test or the new
leakalyzer) it would be difficult to do. Ice is going to prevent you from dipping the leak trac into a pool. I have dove through ice to find leaks.
That is what you are probably going to have to do.
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sneakyleaks
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| posted on 15-12-08 at 01:34 PM |
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Thanks for your rep;ies. It is a vinyl lined pool and we are in Indiana. I agree customers aren't always right in this buisness. I do have diving
equipment but it is put up for the winter. I'll go ice skating but not ice diving. Customer is going to wait till spring. If there is a leak it will
not fix it's self over the winter and we can find it this spring. When she opened it last spring it still had water in the shallow end, although low.
It should be ok untill she opens it and she is not going to let the water get below the bottom step in the shallow end. Thanks again for your input.
Happy Holidays!
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Poolman
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| posted on 19-12-08 at 11:45 AM |
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If they are plastic steps, with clamp around to hold the liner, it may have shrunk with the cold allowing the leak. On start up the warmth expands the
clamp and gasget and the leak stops.
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4Leakman
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| posted on 20-12-08 at 09:36 PM |
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Not Frozen??
If the pool is not frozen use your leak tracker (you DO have one I am assuming) find the leak and adhere a few patches over it. There has to be an
opening and if it is a liner leak or the stair seal the machine will tell you which one it is! If it is the stair seal you ca seal it with some white
flexible sealer. I have a nice pair of insulated three foot long rubber gloves to do that type of work!
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windsorleakdetection
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| posted on 7-1-09 at 09:28 PM |
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In the summer the cover is off the pool. A leaf or some kind of debrit got sucked into the leak and stop it from leaking. The pools was probably
cleaned when closed and there is no more leaves or debret getting sucked into the leaking area. Therefore looking like it only leaks in the winter.
Anything is possible
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leakmasters
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| posted on 8-3-09 at 04:58 PM |
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naver fully go with the costomers. just how much water thay have
to put in. and if the water go's down more with the pump runing,
if they know.
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