I just replaced my 14 year old liner Sunday as it was leaking. I was hoping that was the root cause but there is a leak at the spa and it might have been there a while. I typically only fill the spa for spillover every week for a few hours to replenish the chlorine and on weekends when we use it. On Monday, I turned the spa for spillover from 930 to 230pm, I had a 1/4” to 1/2” water loss after no loss the previous night. I am checking with bucket test and a bandaid on the liner. From 2:30pm Monday to 630pm Tuesday, I had very little loss. Bucket test showed no loss. I turned spa back to spillover from 6:30pm Tuesday to 1AM Wednesday (today) and I had another 1/4 to 1/2” loss. I clearly have a loss either on the run from filter to spa or the water flowing behind the rocks on the spillover. I suspect I’d see it dribble out of the rock structure. To test, I am going to put the system into spa mode so it circulates from spa to filter and back to eliminate spillover. It will be much easier to see the loss in the smaller volume of the spa. If assuming the issue is in the pipes, I would need someone to come do a pressure test but would they be able to find the leak without digging up the structure? The spa is elevated well above the pool and no clue how the piping is run. It could be along the patio and then up between the rocks (assume right side as filter is on the side of the photo) or it could run up the stairs and under grass. I am not sure how good the test devices they use for sound given the pipe routes is unknown. Any other ideas I am missing?
Leak at Spillover Spa Troubleshooting
- Thread starter sagosto
- Start date
Update. No loss in spa mode. It must be spillover. We had a hedgehog dig and bury just behind the spout so we closed up the gap with a few flat rocks. The water is falling down on the rocks and rolling back into the structure and into the ground somewhere somehow. To be honest, not sure how to fix it and ensure no water goes back other than visual.
reggiehammond
Gold Supporter
- Oct 4, 2020
- 2,221
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I'd get a stone mason to come out and remove anything loose and mortar it all back in cleanly.
Awesome user name!
I repositioned the rocks and it’s flowing much nicer down and with little loss as the water drips off to the sides. It should hit a rubber tarp to are underneath to funnel it back into the pool. But I’m still seeing a 1/2” loss. I guess it’s possible that there is low flow / volume in spa mode so I don’t see the pipe leak but after a few hours it should be obvious given the spa is much smaller volume relative to pool. I am going to use the painters plastic drop to force the water right into the pool as I am out of ideas other than a pressure check which is not available right now due to backlog
The leak is coming from the spillover probably due to the mat. The contactor told me they must remove all of the mortar around the spa (which should not have been done) and replaced with a sealant (they mix?) which will adhere to the spa and the rocks and then remove the rock structure to replace the mat with a double mat. That mat would be epoxied to the rocks and then the rocks reinstalled. I forgot how they said the rocks would be adhered to each other (landscaping cement?). Does this sound right?
I need to replace the liner under the water feature. Should I consider the newer HDRPE over EPDM? If so, what thickness? Does it make sense to fold it so I can get a double layer? Also, there area a TON of small/little rocks around the water fall rock structure. I can't tell if it's intentional or if animals caused damage to the underlying foundation. Is there a reason to have any small rocks or even round river rocks? Or for me, I should have trhe various slabs of horizontal rocks so trhe water can flow down?
The waterfall was finally rebuilt. We laid 3 layers (1 mat folded up 3X) of EPDM 40ML and rebuilt the rock structure surround the fall. I measured water loss overnight (about 10 hours) and it was nearly zero. With the filter off during the day (sunlight), I noticed maybe 1/16" in 5-6 hours. I am seeing 1/4-1/2" in 6 hours with the waterfall. At that rate, I am losing nearly 1" daily which seems crazy high. I put plastic painter's cloth over the rocks to guide the water down into the pool to rule out the waterfall / liner situation. What is acceptable loss here due to evaporation / wind / rock absorption?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 60,155
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Do you have pictures of the waterfall during the rebuilding?
Is your objective to be able to run the spillover waterfall with little water loss?
You have too many variables with weather conditions and water temperature to pin any one number for acceptable evaporation. It can vary widely day to day and week to week.
Is your objective to be able to run the spillover waterfall with little water loss?
You have too many variables with weather conditions and water temperature to pin any one number for acceptable evaporation. It can vary widely day to day and week to week.
I will ask the contractor and post them. The liner had multiple holes in it (18 years old and/or animals) so it needed to be replaced. We used a large 40ML EPDM that was folder over 3X and laid that over the old one so there should be plenty of coverage. I re-laid the plastic painters tarp to guide the water in the pool and had literally zero loss from 9AM-1:10PM (4:10 hours). This confirms there is ZERO leak from the piping. From 1:30PM-5:30PM, I will run the same test w/o the plastic painter's tarp. There isn't sun or wind today so I would expect evaporation to be the same (zero so far). Any loss of water must be 1) Rock Water Absorption (Really? That can't be that much) 2) Leaking through the rocks/liner
I can't think of anything else.
Zero loss w/ plastic tarp. 1/2" without tarp in 4 hours. Rocks absorb but there must be a leak.