Check the waste or backwash line for water consistently running. One inch of your pool water can equal 500 gallons. Check downhill from a pool, looking for weepers where underground leakage is surfacing. Check for soft or wet spots in the yard, on the side of the pool where the plumbing returns water to the pool.
Typically, pools lose water for one of two reasons: Evaporation or a leak. Evaporation naturally occurs in any body of water, but it may increase under certain conditions, such as hot, humid weather. Leaks, however, indicate a bigger problem that a professional may need to address.
With proper maintenance and installation, a vinyl pool liner can last 10 or more years. But they are prone to separation and rips, and that can spell trouble for water bills. A small tear in your pool's vinyl lining can result in an inch or more of water loss in 24 hours.
If your pool lost water overnight and it is more than the quarter-inch due to evaporation, you probably have a leak. Evaporation accounts for a minor amount of water lost each day. Losing a half-inch or more overnight indicates a problem.
The differential that occurs between the pool water temperature and the air temperature on late summer nights causes water to evaporate at an accelerated rate. In some cases you might see a water level difference of 1-3 inches overnight. Depending on the size of your pool, that can be over 500 gallons of water loss!
Using a standard foam shaving cream, lather your pipe joints with a healthy cost of foam, then turn on your pump. If the foam begins to bubble or have this concaved shape, then you have found an air leak. The easiest to prep is the soapy water method; all you need is a cup of water and dish soap.
Another reason for a pool to lose water over the winter is due to the harsh elements. Ice, snow, and water can accumulate on top of the pool cover. When too much weight forces the pool cover into the surface of the pool, water may rise up and over the pool sides. This is called displacement.
If the water went down a similar amount in the pool as well as the bucket, then you lost water due to evaporation. If it went down more in the skimmer and not much at all in the bucket then you have a pool leaking.
On average, swimming pools lose about a quarter of an inch of water each day, yet variations in wind intensity, humidity and sunlight can drastically change water loss rates. Some of the strongest and most intense wind in the country can be found in mountainous regions.
This will vary depending upon several factors including: weather, if the pool is covered or not, bather load, and if it is heated or not. With pools that are covered, a good rule of thumb is that they should not have to be refilled more often than once every 2 weeks.
An uncovered pool will lose water in the winter to evaporation in the same way it does during the summer. But the water loss is only about a quarter-inch on average during a 24-hour period when the pool is not in use.
A suction side air leak shows itself most commonly by bubbles and splashing and frothing in the pump basket This indicates your pump is not getting the water it needs to function smoothly but, instead, air is getting into the system and starving or semi-starving the pump.
Look for moist or soft patches in the area of your yard above the pipes that return water to the pool. If you suspect you have a pressure-side leak, you may need to call in a professional to find the exact location of the leak. If it is underground, it may take some serious work to reach and repair the leak.
The most common causes of pool pump priming issues are sucking air leaks in your pump housing or plumbing, and debris clogs. We'll be focusing mainly on the suction-side of your pool equipment for this guide. The suction-side s all equipment and plumbing from your skimmers and main drains to your pool pump's impeller.
If air is getting in your pool through the skimmer housing, then the pool filters will be starved of water. This will result in poor water filtration and cleaning.
Mild climate pools often freeze across the surface overnight. However, if the ice sheet becomes thicker than ¼” to ½”, it will put pressure on your pool tile and skimmers as the ice expands. Most pool tile is frost-free, but you should keep the water under the perimeter pool tile band to be safe.
Pool industry experts recommend you drain your pool and refill it every five to seven years. No two pools are alike, so there is no set number at which you must drain your pool.
Generally, pool water needs to be replaced once every five to seven years. This should be done during mild weather so that your pool surface is not at risk from strong sunlight and heat. Your pool maintenance company can recommend when it is time to drain your pool.
Lower Your Water Temperature
As we know, warmer water evaporates at a faster rate than cooler water because the molecules are moving faster. As the temperatures drop, the warm water evaporates even faster.
Most pools experience between 3mm - 7mm of water loss each day, depending on where you live.
Standing outside of the pool, inspect the pool's bottom all the way around. Most above ground pools are set on top of the earth, and when there is a leak in the vinyl, the leaked water travels through the earth and leaves noticeable valleys or divots where it was once flat.
Use swimming pool covers to reduce evaporation!
They can dramatically slow down evaporation, particularly on hot days and cold nights. Studies confirm that covering a pool can reduce evaporation by up to 95%! That's big water savings! A swimming pool cover traps the vapors and the heat from escaping.
Evaporation occurs whenever you expose wind or air to the surface of your pool. So in short, this applies to every pool, all the time. Water molecules rise to the surface, form into a vapor and eventually get released into the air.