Type of Pool:
Vinyl Liner
Equipment Used:
Leakalyzer, LeakTrac 2400, Pressure Testing Equipment, Dye, Leakmaster Pool Glue
Situation:
We were at least the second company to take on this job, so the homeowner was concerned about how we could be sure that all the leaks were found. She was also convinced that the leak was in the return side plumbing.
Solution:
We started pump on/ pump off test with the Leakalyzer and found that the pool was losing more water with the pump running. This usually tells us to suspect pressure side plumbing.
We had two techs on this job, so one tech began running a pressure test while the other ran a vinyl scan with the LeakTrac 2400. The pressure test on the pressure side plumbing held, but the LeakTrac was getting a stronger than normal signal coming from the skimmer. We did a quick dye check of the skimmer and sure enough the bottom of the skimmer bowl was cracked. The movement of water in the skimmer, or possibly even a slight shift in the suction pipe when the pump was running caused more water loss. This was a rare situation where higher water loss with the pump running wasn’t an indication of a pressure side leak.
We repaired the skimmer bowl with Leakmaster Pool Glue and fiberglass mesh, which provides a permanent repair that will be able to handle the movement of the pool as time goes on. We charged the homeowner an additional fee for this repair. Once the repair was done, a final Leakalyzer test confirmed the now repaired skimmer leak was the only leak.
Highlights:
- Remember that pump on/pump off tests only provide suspicions of where the problem is. Further tests are needed for confirmation.
- LeakTrac can indicate a leak in the skimmer with higher than normal intensity.
- Count on your own observations, diligence and reason more than what other people tell you.
