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Pool Leak Detection

  • Thread starter Thread starter bluejr77
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bluejr77

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Hi everyone, apologies - I may have posted this twice. Currently in the square in Pollensa and the free wi-fi keeps kicking me off!

Has anyone used a Pool Maintenance company that can detect pool leaks? We rang a company advertising in the Daily Bulletin, but they are too busy to come to this side of the island. Also had a look on PP.com.

Any suggestions gratefully received. We have a very slow leak that we cannot detect and its so frustrating!! Novelty of filling the pool up constantly now wearing off and need professionals in!

Thanks. Janice
 
Have you tried Sovereign pools just down from the aeroplane roundabout beyond Eroski ,Richard may be able to help. Our complex uses Alba pools, could get contact details if needed.
 
Hi Lollipop, I thought that Sovereign may have been more for "spa's", but will now pop in and have a word. I'll check online to see if I can find the contact details of the pool company your complex uses. Its great to have just a couple of names to start us off. Thanks very much indeed. Janice
 
Just one thought: it is definitely a leak and not just evaporation? In hot weather we have found we have to top up the pool sometimes a couple of times a week - it's amazing how the level can go down from one day to the next. (Or maybe we have a slow leak too...)
 
To check if it's evaporation, fill a bucket with water put it next to the pool and the cms the bucket loses due to evaporation should be the same as the pool.
Most pools leak through the perforations in the shell, I.e pipes and light fixtures. Various methods are also employed to see if it is pre or post pump pipework.
 
Janice,
I would love to know how you get on, as we have very slight leak too. Ours is not evaporation as makes an adjoining wall wet. Good point Acidburn about leaking penetraions, but the wet wall is a long way from any.
 
Hi everyone, sorry for the delay in responding. Just arrived back in the UK this afternoon. My slight leak turned a major one on Friday evening! The level dropped approximately 6" overnight and has done so consistently since. I have no idea what it is as there isnt a visible hole/crack or anything and have consquently spent the entire weekend imagining the worst scenarios/cost. It had been a very slow leak, but something has finally given up the ghost. Just wish I had got someone in sooner now (hindsight!!). We looked around the garden and have absolutely no idea where the water has gone to. As it was the weekend we couldnt get hold of anyone so have asked the company that do the general maintenance to get someone out for us. I will post an update once I find out what on earth happened. I'm so hoping it is a light fitting and nothing that would require major work. Bye for now. Janice.
 
If you have any anti return valves in your pool installation, these could be to blame as they sometimes stick open allowing water to drain away to waste. It all depends on your plumbing set up.
Also, to rule out a cracked main waste from the drain at the bottom of the pool, I'd plug this first, loads of pools leak from here.
Alcanada kid, do you think you have any piperuns along that side? may be a cracked pipe that only leaks when under positive pressure from the pump........
 
Acidburn said:
If you have any anti return valves in your pool installation, these could be to blame as they sometimes stick open allowing water to drain away to waste. It all depends on your plumbing set up.
Also, to rule out a cracked main waste from the drain at the bottom of the pool, I'd plug this first, loads of pools leak from here.
Alcanada kid, do you think you have any piperuns along that side? may be a cracked pipe that only leaks when under positive pressure from the pump........
Click to expand...

We also had a problem with a non return valve jamming open with leaves which dropped the water level. That is a simple solution to fix, I hope that is your problem. Otherwise it sounds like a pipe or waste problem

Acidburn thanks for your help, but we don't have any penetrations or pipe runs on that side of the pool where we have a damp wall. We have just dropped the level and are repairing some suspect grouting to see if that is the problem although we doubt it, unless it is acting as a capillary to lift the water out of the pool.
 
Hi Alcanadakid. What brilliant news regarding the leak - I so wish that ours was only a grout problem - I'm so envious! I believe our pool is now empty albeit for a few flies now firmly stuck to the bottom and a few feral cats treating it as a playpen. Hubby informed me that finally someone was going to the house yesterday to do pressure tests as the general consensus is that as it has completely drained its looking like a main pipe that may be the problem. Hubby is drip feeding (no pun intended) me the details bit by bit - without any technical info - so it doesnt tip me over the edge, but my hair stood on end when I heard the words "part of the pool may have to be dug up". :eek: As opposed to the entire pool, this doesnt make me feel any better!! We are still waiting to hear, as I believe these tests take a couple of days . This is one of those instances where I really dont want to know and I break out in a cold sweat thinking about it. Oh happy days!! Janice
 
Did you get the problem fixed in the end?
 
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Hi Danielo.

Well after 9 months I can honestly say - No, the pool isnt yet fixed! Seriously consdering a paddling pool on the patio instead! We have had so many tests done on the pool by various companies from different parts of the island. The general consesus is that because the pool is over 20 years old, some water may have leaked through the grouting and the concrete has become absorbent - I believe chorline also affects the grout/concrete and makes it porous (over a very long period). We have been told that the only solution is a re-build or a pool built inside the existing one. Several construction companies have quoted us for this and I am shocked by the quotations. We are looking at £20,000 plus and its only a small pool - I'm not hosting the swimming event at the Olympics! Although I may be tempted to do so to cover the costs.

As my hubby said, we may finish up with the biggest sandpit in Pollensa at this rate! The plus side is that our electricity bill has been pretty reasonable since the pool has been empty..... Just got to get saving or win the lottery now!

Bye for now.

Bluejr77
 
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Blue, our friends in CSV had a new 12m x 4m new pool built in Oct cost 10.5 k ,they are in USA , so hopefully speak to them in 2 weeks will post name of builder from Palma I think.
 
Hi Cumberland, thanks for your post, much appreciated and I have sent you a PM.
Bluejr77
 
bluejr77 said:
Hi Danielo.

Well after 9 months I can honestly say - No, the pool isnt yet fixed! Seriously consdering a paddling pool on the patio instead! We have had so many tests done on the pool by various companies from different parts of the island. The general consesus is that because the pool is over 20 years old, some water may have leaked through the grouting and the concrete has become absorbent - I believe chorline also affects the grout/concrete and makes it porous (over a very long period). We have been told that the only solution is a re-build or a pool built inside the existing one. Several construction companies have quoted us for this and I am shocked by the quotations. We are looking at £20,000 plus and its only a small pool - I'm not hosting the swimming event at the Olympics! Although I may be tempted to do so to cover the costs.

As my hubby said, we may finish up with the biggest sandpit in Pollensa at this rate! The plus side is that our electricity bill has been pretty reasonable since the pool has been empty..... Just got to get saving or win the lottery now!

Bye for now.

Bluejr77
Click to expand...

Some positives I guess! Hopefully you are able to get it fixed or rebuild for a reasonable price...best of luck!
 
Hmm
Unless you've got a structural crack in the concrete, or the pool is losing through the bottom drain, or outlet/inlets of the pool are compromised, then to be honest you could refurb the pool by stripping off the old tiling, treating with a flexible rubber waterproofer and retiling. Done it on quite a few and using the right products in the right way it will do the job!
 
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