Man this video delivered! I've been working on figuring out where my leak is at and this seriously helped. Hurricane Harvey destroyed a lot here in Houston. Luckily my family and I stayed up all night and bailed, mopped, sopped up, water that was trying to flood our house. We used ever single bit of towels, clothing, bed sheets, comforters...ANYTHING that could pick up water. We had water flooding in but also leaking in from the now damaged sun room. Needless to say, it was a bad night for Houston. For us, in the end, our biggest damage was our back yard and pool (which no one covers and isn't qualified for aid). The water level was above our pool which meant our backyard was now our pool and eventually the weight of the water cracked and broke the concrete. Right below this broken slab of concrete is a return line and the water settles at that level any time after we have rain. Next time it rains I am going to plug that one line and see if it drains. Anyways, all that to say, thank you for the information. It's something I haven't been able to tackle but now I am pretty confident in being able to find the problem area. Here's hoping I can get it fixed without spending too much and that my family will be able to enjoy the pool again this summer.
Who could possible give this video a thumbs down?!? It was perfectly done!!! Bravo to an amazing job! Going to start utilizing what you taught me right away to isolate my leak.
A great video to explain to the lay person what they need to look for in determining where a leak may be. Very clear, simple explanation and a great help, thanks.
This tutorial is unfortunately, exactly what I need. Just bought a pool home in Florida, two weeks after taking possession I found the pool leaked. I'm heart broken but trying to stay positive and this video helped just a bit with that.
I live in Florida too, and have had a pool for over 23 years. I thought it would be great to own a house with a pool, but have come to realize the novelty quickly wears off, and soon it is just something to throw money 💰 into. I would never buy another house with a pool.
@@Dave-co1cv OH No. I would never own a home in Florida without a pool! We do everything in our Lanai. It's our #1 living area. We cool off, eat, sleep, cook, play games, relax, party...everything in our pool/Lanai. Our pool wasn't leaking by the way. It was evaporation. I wasn't use to the massive evaporation in FL.
I have an above ground pool and find myself adding water every 4-5 days. Thanks for this info! Will start testing to see if i can find out which type of leak I have
This is helping me immensely understand how to tackle and be informed about my pool leak and proceed by myself or at what point I need a pool professional. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and may God give you abundantly a whole lot more!
I have been watching all Mark's movies and I am really impressed with the details and with his level of knowledge . I am working to find leaks on my pool ..., not easy but I hope with his help I will find out soon where the leak is. Thank you very much Mark !
Wow. Simply the best explanation/directions on how to systematically and quickly find a leak. Even with the low tech drawings (which are awesome), this is by far the best!
Wow. Now that is how to explain in detail a complex troubleshooting technic. Good job! I suspect a leak in my inground pool as I have to fill a 20x40 pool each day as it loses an inch of water that I refill with the hose. It even happens overnight. I am however going to do the bucket test properly by leaving it in the steps with water at the same level in the bucket as in the pool just to eliminate evaporation. Although i seems excessive. I will lose my chemicals quick and my salt if it is a leak. There are patches on the steps where return lines must of been. Especially since the pool shed wall says "steps". A color dye should find tnat one easy.
Best video I've seen in regards to determing where I might have my pool leak. Now I just have to go out and check each possibility so I can call my pool repairman and give some good history
This is a great find. Though we're at the end of the season, I am still trying to figure out why my above ground pool continues to lose water. I will try this approach over the next few days and report back. Thanks.
Excellent info, trying to determine my pool leak now, no drain after plugging the skimmer holes, now checking return lines, also heard of a natural dye test to check holes. Cheers
Thanks Mark! I appreciate the information. Our local pool maintenance company (PAP) are crooks and total idiots. I plan to follow your recommendations and will keep you posted.
My man out here saving lots of money and headaches!!! We just bought a new house and there's an inground pool, previous owner has never had a leak or other issues. I just started it and it's losing about 2 inches a day. We found cracks in the stairs, so hopefully the putty will be the solution to my sleepless nights lol.
Amazing! Well done Mark. You answered my questions without any blather. Some of those guys just have too much to say without saying much. Thank you for information that is actually beneficial and practical. Keep up the good work. I hope they pay you well.
Definitely a thumbs up video because it was very informative and well done. My only critique and perhaps this will be addressed in the other videos is where is this magical place in the world where all pools have threaded wall returns and drain pipes? In nearly 2 decades of pool work in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area I’ve yet to see a single threaded drain. I’ve lost count of how many drain covers I’ve replaced and not once has a drain pipe been threaded. As far as returns I don’t know if it’s 50/50 or something similar but some returns are threaded and some are pressed. This video has me wishing everything was threaded.
Thanks for your input, l have noticed this as well. There are 4 parts to this video series where l have mentioned this. Some drains have deeper wells that still have enough thread to screw into. Drains or returns that are not threaded or do not have enough thread left, you can use an expandable rubber plug to seal it off. Thanks for watching.
Wow! Finally understand how to find where the leak is. I explained the exact symptoms to repair pros and got different answers. One actually came out and told me to drain the pool and install a new master drain unit. The minute I took the old one out I knew that wasn't the problem. It was nice and tight with no sign of a leak. Filled up the pool and still detected a leak of about an 1 1/2 inch a day. I'm betting it's a pressure return line since it only seems to leak when the pump is off. So where is the water going? I don't see anything in the backwash line or any sign of water anywhere around the pool.
Great explanation of how to actually diagnose the leak. I flew airplanes for a living. What is wrong, how to you fix it, and how do you know? Great questions. Too many "professionals" jump to well this is the usual solution to the common problem. Could be, but show me why. I seem to have an intermittent leak. Goes down below the light, returns, skimmer intake when we close in the Fall.. Filled up last spring. After initial fill it stayed pretty level, added water like once a week, and added a bag of salt like once a month. Figured I had a manageable leak. Left for CO in Sept for a week. Came back. Pool was down 6 inches. Got my attention. Closed it after a few weeks of filling and adding salt. Pool went down to below light, skimmer Inlet, returns, and pool sweep fitting. I have a salt chlorine generator, but given the leak, I am using chlorine shock/tabs. Had a pool leak service come out.. Stated all return lines were good. The pool sweep line was good six inches in.. Line from skimmer to pump was good. When I vacuum with the skimmer cover in place, I get lots of air. Started vacuuming with hose direct to the intake. No air, so tells me the hose is intact. After reviewing video, I will start process again. Though I believe plugging the drain line and the lower skimmer input line will stop the leak. Great video. This is one you can follow the logic. I like that.
Wow! Very well presented. Thank you for sharing your knowledge as I think I discovered where the leak is now because I though that if the water is above the light, it can't be the light! Thanks again!
@@KayaK0791 A structural leak is not related to plumbing (suction or pressure). A structural leak can be a crack or hole in the surface of the pool, using a mask underwater will magnify and makes it easier to see. If you find a spot that is questionable you can use dye, however the water has to be still and you have to be right on the spot in question to see if the dye disappears. Structural leaks can also be a cracked skimmer, light, or steps just to name a few. It will be a process of elimination. Thanks for watching.
real professional. wish you guys were in my town. very helpful video. If you guys do orders I would be willing to buy supplies from you if you can ship in order to sponsor a real professional
❤❤Your AWSOME! I just paid a pool place and they can't find the leak so thank you . They didn't do anything you did .they just squrited dye . So I am hoping I can do some of this , per your Excellent Instructions. QUESTION... I'm ordering the 1022 from Amazon. But someone from leslies pool supply told me , if I had an inground pool 30k gallons that i needed a 2inch for my skimmer baskets , so im a little confused. could you please address this . And if I do need a 2 inch what would I get ? I didnt see a 2 inch 1022 ... Also is there any reason to turn the skimmer basket valves off when plugged ,because of pressure on the motor? Thank you in advanced , im gonna follow you i hope you share more info on pools , and anything else . I lost my husband and im trying to learn to care for the home ....and pool ❤❤❤❤❤❤🙏🏼
There are a lot of questions that l have. (Size of pump, filter, number of skimmers and the type of pool and the equipment that you have etc.) In order to help you better, check out my patreon page where l can work with you one on one. I not only do phone sessions but l also do virtual service calls and l can even help with the leak that you have. If you need this l will be glad to help. Thanks for watching.
The only comment I have is to include (maybe first thing)--to check pool liner to see if any patches of holes or thin tear lines--let alone sun damages areas.
Thank you for the very well detailed video. I just paid someone to "fix" a leak in our pool that cost me thousands 😢 I can't afford to pay anymore for more "fixing." Two days later my pool is still leaking almost an inch in 24 hours. Im going to attempt and figure this out myself. My pool returns dont have eye balls that come off, they seem to be all one piece. I'm wondering if they are old return fittings? If so is there another way?
The eye ball fittings in the returns should screw out if you are trying to plug them. If you have an older concrete pool, you may have a straight pipe for the returns. If this is the case, then you would just plug the pipe. Some older pools have return fittings that are glued in. If you email some pictures of your return jets l will be glad to take a look at it for you. Thanks for watching.
We don't lose water in the winter. But when the summer hits and it's 100+ degrees outside and the water temp is a constant 93 degrees then we lose water like crazy. I have to add to water every other day. I thought maybe we had a leak, but we only lose water during the summer.
Thank you so much! This is great! My pool was down to the return line this morning and now I have an idea what the problem could be. My return is just a flat cut pipe. I would like to see a video (if it is possible) how to convert to a fitting so I can install a return powered fountain. thanks!
Glad I could help. I will consider that for one of my upcoming videos. If you like, give me call and I could discuss a few things regarding your return fitting.
I discovered that the 2" Jandy valves on the suction line can also be an air leak source. Behind the valve cover is an o-ring seal. Both valves on my system had cracked o-rings. I replaced them and used some silicone grease around them, and no more leaks. No video even mentions this.
When doing the first few steps in measuring the difference of water loss between the filter on and off, does the water level need to be above the skimmers?
Only when running the pool 24 hrs on, when you are checking the pool 24 hrs off it does not matter. If you have any questions feel free to contact me I will be glad to help.
Thanks for these videos. I'm hoping you're still seeing comments/questions...I'm making the assumption that whether the pool is "on" or "off" for each of these tests, the autofill must always be turned off, correct?
Hi Mark, great series of videos. I have an old gunite pool with fiberglass sides built in the 60's. It's been leaking water for the last several years but we haven't address it. We lost most of the water over the winter (live in Michigan) and before filling it I want to replace the valve but it's brass and I'm not sure the best tool to use. The water is green so I'll have to pump it all out so I can work on it but I don't want to leave it dry long. Any suggestions/tools to remove it? Should I place it with brass or a pvc fitting? If I have to torque on it too much I'll just leave it and just add water, I don't want to open a can of worms. Thanks.
You can use a pair of channel locks. Most hydrostatic valves today are PVC. I would recommend to drain and clean the pool first, then inspect the valve, then put about a foot of water over your drain and mark the water level. Come back 24 hrs and if it holds then you should be fine. If the water drops then I would replace the valve before filling the pool all the way up.
I stumbled across your videos a couple weeks ago. I have been trying to locate a leak in my fiberglass pool all summer. It loses about 1.5 inches a day when the pool is on, less when it is off 0.5-0.75 inches. I have plugged all the valves, return jets, skimmer and 2 main drains. It is still losing water. I have been working with a local pool company, he thought it was the main drain. The ground near main drain is noticeably soft from water. I went down with my snorkel mask and plugged the main drains, still leaking!!! They have pressure tested all the lines, but I’m questioning the deck jets line. Everytime we open the automatic cover. I see water in the deck jets and they are not on. Is there a way I can isolate that line? We also had a leak a few years back and they replaced the skimmer box front plate. That seemed to fix the issue then. I have used dye, no noticeable leaks. The water goes well below the skimmer, which doesn’t make sense if it’s the front plate. Could it be a light? I was maybe going to call the pool guy and have him seal everything he could😩
@@karenmason-y4q You should be able to isolate the deck jets but it depends on how they are plumed in from the system to the pool. There are 4 parts to this video series, the next video deals with structural leaks (for example the light). Here is the link to this video, hopefully this will help. Thanks for watching. th-cam.com/video/dAUxk52kBZ4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=HX2COdKit-a1MjB0
Pressure testing has been a method that has been used in the field for many years. A lot of pool professionals still pressure test plumbing today when a particular line is in question. Thanks for watching.
After I plug my return lines for 24 hrs, still loosing water,next you said to plug the skimmer. Should I leave the return plugs or remove. Hope you can help. After the skimmer and main drain tests, I have a pool light as well to check if the problem persists. So far your system is telling me I have a pressure leak.
@@BruceBlair-mq9po You can leave the returns plugged and plug the skimmer. If the pool still leaks, the only other line would be the drain, if you have one. If you plug the drain and the pool still leaks then you probably have a structural leak. I have a video on structural leaks that is part 2 of this video series which consists of 4 parts. Here is the link to this video, hopefully this will help. If you need more help check out my Patreon page, l can go into more detail on this issue and l will be glad to help. Thanks for watching.
I have not made a video on above ground pools pertaining to leaks, because everything is visually seen and easy to spot, with the exception if you have a hole or holes in the liner. Sometimes a hole can be hard to spot so you may have to go swimming to find one. If you find a hole you can simply patch. Thanks for watching.
Might be the best video on TH-cam explaining pool leaks and variety of causes. I just started to look for pool leaks in my pool.
Man this video delivered! I've been working on figuring out where my leak is at and this seriously helped. Hurricane Harvey destroyed a lot here in Houston. Luckily my family and I stayed up all night and bailed, mopped, sopped up, water that was trying to flood our house. We used ever single bit of towels, clothing, bed sheets, comforters...ANYTHING that could pick up water. We had water flooding in but also leaking in from the now damaged sun room. Needless to say, it was a bad night for Houston. For us, in the end, our biggest damage was our back yard and pool (which no one covers and isn't qualified for aid). The water level was above our pool which meant our backyard was now our pool and eventually the weight of the water cracked and broke the concrete. Right below this broken slab of concrete is a return line and the water settles at that level any time after we have rain. Next time it rains I am going to plug that one line and see if it drains.
Anyways, all that to say, thank you for the information. It's something I haven't been able to tackle but now I am pretty confident in being able to find the problem area. Here's hoping I can get it fixed without spending too much and that my family will be able to enjoy the pool again this summer.
Who could possible give this video a thumbs down?!? It was perfectly done!!! Bravo to an amazing job! Going to start utilizing what you taught me right away to isolate my leak.
I'll tell you who -- it's the pool repair guys...hahahahahahaha
The people who gave it a thumbs down clearly found a serious leak 😂
Perfect, logical, 🎉 presentation
This is for rich people pools…lol
I have a 15x30 oval above ground pool. There’s no drains and my filtering is all above ground….lol
this was the best "find the swimming pool leak" video I have found - great explanation
Agreed!!
Agree too
l
A great video to explain to the lay person what they need to look for in determining where a leak may be. Very clear, simple explanation and a great help, thanks.
Fabulous video Mark, I have been working on and building pools since 1986, and
I give your video 5 out of 5 inflatable palm trees 🌴 🌴 🌴 🌴 🌴
This tutorial is unfortunately, exactly what I need. Just bought a pool home in Florida, two weeks after taking possession I found the pool leaked. I'm heart broken but trying to stay positive and this video helped just a bit with that.
I live in Florida too, and have had a pool for over 23 years. I thought it would be great to own a house with a pool, but have come to realize the novelty quickly wears off, and soon it is just something to throw money 💰 into. I would never buy another house with a pool.
@@Dave-co1cv OH No. I would never own a home in Florida without a pool! We do everything in our Lanai. It's our #1 living area. We cool off, eat, sleep, cook, play games, relax, party...everything in our pool/Lanai. Our pool wasn't leaking by the way. It was evaporation. I wasn't use to the massive evaporation in FL.
@@RH-qk5lt Most people I know with pools (and I know a lot), almost all echo my sentiment. I'm glad you at least enjoy your pool.
Very informative, your diagram really gave me a sound understanding of how my pool is plumbed and works. Thank You!
Thanks for this. My pool water level drops way past the skimmer when not running.
I have an above ground pool and find myself adding water every 4-5 days. Thanks for this info! Will start testing to see if i can find out which type of leak I have
This is helping me immensely understand how to tackle and be informed about my pool leak and proceed by myself or at what point I need a pool professional.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and may God give you abundantly a whole lot more!
Top shelf instructions. I love TH-cam, and i love you. You’ve saved me thousands. Mark! Your the man!
I have been watching all Mark's movies and I am really impressed with the details and with his level of knowledge . I am working to find leaks on my pool ..., not easy but I hope with his help I will find
out soon where the leak is. Thank you very much Mark !
Wow. Simply the best explanation/directions on how to systematically and quickly find a leak. Even with the low tech drawings (which are awesome), this is by far the best!
Quickly? lol
An excellent explanation of determining a leak. Thank you. Found my leak in the skimmer. Small hole
Wow. Now that is how to explain in detail a complex troubleshooting technic. Good job! I suspect a leak in my inground pool as I have to fill a 20x40 pool each day as it loses an inch of water that I refill with the hose. It even happens overnight. I am however going to do the bucket test properly by leaving it in the steps with water at the same level in the bucket as in the pool just to eliminate evaporation. Although i seems excessive. I will lose my chemicals quick and my salt if it is a leak. There are patches on the steps where return lines must of been. Especially since the pool shed wall says "steps". A color dye should find tnat one easy.
This was an absolutey outstanding video. By far the best I've seen. Thankyou very much for this!
Best video I've seen in regards to determing where I might have my pool leak. Now I just have to go out and check each possibility so I can call my pool repairman and give some good history
You're actually great and you're very helpful!
Thank you so much for taking the time to teach us. God bless you so very much Mark!!
This is a great find. Though we're at the end of the season, I am still trying to figure out why my above ground pool continues to lose water. I will try this approach over the next few days and report back. Thanks.
Excellent info, trying to determine my pool leak now, no drain after plugging the skimmer holes, now checking return lines, also heard of a natural dye test to check holes. Cheers
Let us know if you have any other questions.
This is the best explanation on how to find the leak in the line. Thank you!
Thanks Mark! I appreciate the information. Our local pool maintenance company (PAP) are crooks and total idiots. I plan to follow your recommendations and will keep you posted.
great, really clear- I'm going to try it out now
Excellent video - best tutorial on TH-cam for sure! Thanks for sharing the wisdom!
Great video explaining to check lights too for leaks well done Mark.
My man out here saving lots of money and headaches!!! We just bought a new house and there's an inground pool, previous owner has never had a leak or other issues. I just started it and it's losing about 2 inches a day. We found cracks in the stairs, so hopefully the putty will be the solution to my sleepless nights lol.
Mate you're a bloody legend..... brilliant video, if you're ever in Australia I'll buy you a few beers
Mark this is the best video I have seen on finding a leak in pools. Thank you for sharing.
Amazing! Well done Mark. You answered my questions without any blather. Some of those guys just have too much to say without saying much. Thank you for information that is actually beneficial and practical. Keep up the good work. I hope they pay you well.
Thank you !
Mark you’re the man !!
Definitely a thumbs up video because it was very informative and well done. My only critique and perhaps this will be addressed in the other videos is where is this magical place in the world where all pools have threaded wall returns and drain pipes? In nearly 2 decades of pool work in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area I’ve yet to see a single threaded drain. I’ve lost count of how many drain covers I’ve replaced and not once has a drain pipe been threaded. As far as returns I don’t know if it’s 50/50 or something similar but some returns are threaded and some are pressed. This video has me wishing everything was threaded.
Thanks for your input, l have noticed this as well. There are 4 parts to this video series where l have mentioned this. Some drains have deeper wells that still have enough thread to screw into. Drains or returns that are not threaded or do not have enough thread left, you can use an expandable rubber plug to seal it off. Thanks for watching.
Amazing, professional, friendly, well explained video! 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! Thank you!
What an amazing teacher! Thank you so much Mark❤
Great idea smart way to detecting leak thank you so much
Excellent video. When you say to cut off the pool to test for suction and pressure leaks, do I also cut off the valves to my skimmers and drain?
When you turn off the pool you do not have to cut off the drain or skimmer valves. Thanks for watching.
I am now enjoying your follow up videos. Thanks for making them. @@HallmarkPoolSupplies
Wow! Finally understand how to find where the leak is. I explained the exact symptoms to repair pros and got different answers. One actually came out and told me to drain the pool and install a new master drain unit. The minute I took the old one out I knew that wasn't the problem. It was nice and tight with no sign of a leak. Filled up the pool and still detected a leak of about an 1 1/2 inch a day. I'm betting it's a pressure return line since it only seems to leak when the pump is off. So where is the water going? I don't see anything in the backwash line or any sign of water anywhere around the pool.
Leaks typically go in the ground where you can’t see them. However, if you have any questions give me a call to work one on one.
Great explanation of how to actually diagnose the leak. I flew airplanes for a living. What is wrong, how to you fix it, and how do you know? Great questions.
Too many "professionals" jump to well this is the usual solution to the common problem.
Could be, but show me why.
I seem to have an intermittent leak. Goes down below the light, returns, skimmer intake when we close in the Fall..
Filled up last spring. After initial fill it stayed pretty level, added water like once a week, and added a bag of salt like once a month. Figured I had a manageable leak.
Left for CO in Sept for a week. Came back. Pool was down 6 inches. Got my attention.
Closed it after a few weeks of filling and adding salt.
Pool went down to below light, skimmer Inlet, returns, and pool sweep fitting.
I have a salt chlorine generator, but given the leak, I am using chlorine shock/tabs.
Had a pool leak service come out.. Stated all return lines were good. The pool sweep line was good six inches in.. Line from skimmer to pump was good.
When I vacuum with the skimmer cover in place, I get lots of air. Started vacuuming with hose direct to the intake. No air, so tells me the hose is intact.
After reviewing video, I will start process again. Though I believe plugging the drain line and the lower skimmer input line will stop the leak.
Great video. This is one you can follow the logic. I like that.
Thanks, feel free to contact me to trouble shoot or if you need help.I will be glad to help.
Very well explained. Thank you!
Best videos I have seen yet
Very helpful Mark, thank you so much.
Wow! Very well presented. Thank you for sharing your knowledge as I think I discovered where the leak is now because I though that if the water is above the light, it can't be the light! Thanks again!
Fantastic video!!!
If its a STRUCTURAL LEAK could you tell us how to go about finding it
@@KayaK0791 A structural leak is not related to plumbing (suction or pressure). A structural leak can be a crack or hole in the surface of the pool, using a mask underwater will magnify and makes it easier to see. If you find a spot that is questionable you can use dye, however the water has to be still and you have to be right on the spot in question to see if the dye disappears. Structural leaks can also be a cracked skimmer, light, or steps just to name a few. It will be a process of elimination. Thanks for watching.
Explained well & great visual diagram!
real professional. wish you guys were in my town. very helpful video. If you guys do orders I would be willing to buy supplies from you if you can ship in order to sponsor a real professional
Thank you for posting this! I will use this to find my own leak and save about 200 dollars.
This is a fantastic channel! Thank you for all of the information, clearly explained... AWESOME!
Excellent info! Thanks!
This is a very good video. I'll try to find the leak in my pool right away. Thank you.
❤❤Your AWSOME!
I just paid a pool place and they can't find the leak so thank you . They didn't do anything you did .they just squrited dye . So I am hoping I can do some of this , per your Excellent Instructions.
QUESTION...
I'm ordering the 1022 from Amazon. But someone from leslies pool supply told me , if I had an inground pool 30k gallons that i needed a 2inch for my skimmer baskets , so im a little confused. could you please address this . And if I do need a 2 inch what would I get ?
I didnt see a 2 inch 1022 ...
Also is there any reason to turn the skimmer basket valves off when plugged ,because of pressure on the motor?
Thank you in advanced , im gonna follow you i hope you share more info on pools , and anything else . I lost my husband and im trying to learn to care for the home ....and pool ❤❤❤❤❤❤🙏🏼
There are a lot of questions that l have. (Size of pump, filter, number of skimmers and the type of pool and the equipment that you have etc.) In order to help you better, check out my patreon page where l can work with you one on one. I not only do phone sessions but l also do virtual service calls and l can even help with the leak that you have. If you need this l will be glad to help. Thanks for watching.
The only comment I have is to include (maybe first thing)--to check pool liner to see if any patches of holes or thin tear lines--let alone sun damages areas.
Very informative and very helpful video. More power to your channel.
this is the best video on the subject, thanks so much.
great content! Great teacher! Nice to see someone who is passionate in the trade!
This was very helpful. Now to apply what I've learned.
Great video and well explained!
well done direct and very informative
Great video, thanks.
This is way more detailed than i guess or hope the simple leak or and videos by LVVWD.
Wow!!! Ain’t nobody better!!! Thanks!
Excellent explanation! Thank you!
Wow thank you that was a great explanation.
Outstanding Mark. Very helpful.
A Excellent & Great video, I learned alot & thank you for your time & Knowledge!
Rockstar Video!
Great video, very logical approach.
We had a hydrostatic valve stay open with a small stick wedged in it and drained our pool 80% in three days. 350$ to fix. Could’ve been worse!
Thanks Mark.... that'll help me on my new pool job
Well done video. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the very well detailed video. I just paid someone to "fix" a leak in our pool that cost me thousands 😢 I can't afford to pay anymore for more "fixing." Two days later my pool is still leaking almost an inch in 24 hours. Im going to attempt and figure this out myself. My pool returns dont have eye balls that come off, they seem to be all one piece. I'm wondering if they are old return fittings? If so is there another way?
The eye ball fittings in the returns should screw out if you are trying to plug them. If you have an older concrete pool, you may have a straight pipe for the returns. If this is the case, then you would just plug the pipe. Some older pools have return fittings that are glued in. If you email some pictures of your return jets l will be glad to take a look at it for you. Thanks for watching.
Dang this video helped soo much, best one I’ve seen. Thank you!
Fantastic resource, thank you. This is great information.
Great video! Very informative. Thank you 🙏
Thumb up for this video. Thanks very much Mark!
We don't lose water in the winter. But when the summer hits and it's 100+ degrees outside and the water temp is a constant 93 degrees then we lose water like crazy. I have to add to water every other day. I thought maybe we had a leak, but we only lose water during the summer.
Keep an eye on the water level in the pool, evaporation can happen. If you have a leak, it will only get worse in time. Thanks for watching.
WOW, thank you this video was sooo informative.
Thank you so much! This is great! My pool was down to the return line this morning and now I have an idea what the problem could be. My return is just a flat cut pipe. I would like to see a video (if it is possible) how to convert to a fitting so I can install a return powered fountain. thanks!
Glad I could help. I will consider that for one of my upcoming videos. If you like, give me call and I could discuss a few things regarding your return fitting.
I discovered that the 2" Jandy valves on the suction line can also be an air leak source. Behind the valve cover is an o-ring seal. Both valves on my system had cracked o-rings. I replaced them and used some silicone grease around them, and no more leaks. No video even mentions this.
His teaching water leaks..o ring seal would be air leak suction if it is on the intake line.. won't cause water Level to drop
When doing the first few steps in measuring the difference of water loss between the filter on and off, does the water level need to be above the skimmers?
Only when running the pool 24 hrs on, when you are checking the pool 24 hrs off it does not matter. If you have any questions feel free to contact me I will be glad to help.
Instead of marking it, use a tape measure and get measurements of the water line and make records.
This is probably a dumb question, but when you plug the jets, skimmer, etc. do you leave the water pump running?
No, make sure the pump is off when you plug your jets. Thanks for watching.
Very well explained.
Thanks for these videos. I'm hoping you're still seeing comments/questions...I'm making the assumption that whether the pool is "on" or "off" for each of these tests, the autofill must always be turned off, correct?
Yes, this way you can get a more accurate measurement of water loss. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for good information
Awesome video sir, Thank you
Hi Mark, great series of videos. I have an old gunite pool with fiberglass sides built in the 60's. It's been leaking water for the last several years but we haven't address it. We lost most of the water over the winter (live in Michigan) and before filling it I want to replace the valve but it's brass and I'm not sure the best tool to use. The water is green so I'll have to pump it all out so I can work on it but I don't want to leave it dry long. Any suggestions/tools to remove it? Should I place it with brass or a pvc fitting? If I have to torque on it too much I'll just leave it and just add water, I don't want to open a can of worms. Thanks.
You can use a pair of channel locks. Most hydrostatic valves today are PVC. I would recommend to drain and clean the pool first, then inspect the valve, then put about a foot of water over your drain and mark the water level. Come back 24 hrs and if it holds then you should be fine. If the water drops then I would replace the valve before filling the pool all the way up.
You are the Pool King!
I stumbled across your videos a couple weeks ago. I have been trying to locate a leak in my fiberglass pool all summer. It loses about 1.5 inches a day when the pool is on, less when it is off 0.5-0.75 inches. I have plugged all the valves, return jets, skimmer and 2 main drains. It is still losing water. I have been working with a local pool company, he thought it was the main drain. The ground near main drain is noticeably soft from water. I went down with my snorkel mask and plugged the main drains, still leaking!!! They have pressure tested all the lines, but I’m questioning the deck jets line. Everytime we open the automatic cover. I see water in the deck jets and they are not on. Is there a way I can isolate that line? We also had a leak a few years back and they replaced the skimmer box front plate. That seemed to fix the issue then. I have used dye, no noticeable leaks. The water goes well below the skimmer, which doesn’t make sense if it’s the front plate. Could it be a light? I was maybe going to call the pool guy and have him seal everything he could😩
@@karenmason-y4q You should be able to isolate the deck jets but it depends on how they are plumed in from the system to the pool. There are 4 parts to this video series, the next video deals with structural leaks (for example the light). Here is the link to this video, hopefully this will help. Thanks for watching.
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Thank you for this video.
What are your thoughts on doing a pressure test?
Pressure testing has been a method that has been used in the field for many years. A lot of pool professionals still pressure test plumbing today when a particular line is in question. Thanks for watching.
Great job explaining how to find a leak!
Great video!
Can i apply Shmear over pool putty? ...or nust i remove the pool putty somehow?
@@bcbarc7044 No, you need to remove the putty before you schmear. Thanks for watching.
After I plug my return lines for 24 hrs, still loosing water,next you said to plug the skimmer.
Should I leave the return plugs or remove.
Hope you can help.
After the skimmer and main drain tests, I have a pool light as well to check if the problem persists.
So far your system is telling me I have a pressure leak.
@@BruceBlair-mq9po You can leave the returns plugged and plug the skimmer. If the pool still leaks, the only other line would be the drain, if you have one. If you plug the drain and the pool still leaks then you probably have a structural leak. I have a video on structural leaks that is part 2 of this video series which consists of 4 parts. Here is the link to this video, hopefully this will help. If you need more help check out my Patreon page, l can go into more detail on this issue and l will be glad to help. Thanks for watching.
excellent videos, very informative
Thank u sir,,u helped me a lot about pool..Godbless
Sometimes the break in the drain line will siphon itself completely empty. Seen it
Wow amazing video!!! Thank you!!!!
Dude. You are the man!!
I didn’t know ANY of that lol. Hope you’ve done one for above ground :)
I have not made a video on above ground pools pertaining to leaks, because everything is visually seen and easy to spot, with the exception if you have a hole or holes in the liner. Sometimes a hole can be hard to spot so you may have to go swimming to find one. If you find a hole you can simply patch. Thanks for watching.
You are a great teacher !