Swimming pools blog

Hello all, I’m probably not going to like some of your answers to my
questions but I am determined to have my pool functioning again this
summer so it has to be asked. What are the steps to finding a leak
in your pool? We realized it was a leak late last summer just about
when it was time to close up the pool. I believe it was slowly
getting worse most of the summer and we attributed it to evaporation
because we actually had a nice summer for a change.
It is an inground vinyl pool.
The filtration system is D.E. which does a beautiful job even though
the pump & motor are ancient.
It is rectangular I believe 16 X 32.
There are 3 return lines and one skimmer line.
Our climate is cold and our frosts go deep.
The pool came with the house we bought 3-1/2 years ago so I have
limited pool experience.

In the fall I blow out and seal the skimmer & return lines, then
unhook, drain, clean & store the pump/filter. Then I use a winter
cover.
When the system is functioning and the pump is turned off, there are
large bubbles when the pump
is first turned back on which eventually give way to champagne
bubbles (these bubbles are from the return line closest to the
pump/filter.
We hunted the sides and bottom but never came up with a hole or
tear. It doesn’t mean it isn’t there as my aunt said they hunted
and hunted for weeks and finally a neighbors kid spotted it when
they were in the pool. Once we stopped “topping it off” the pool
went down to the level of the return line inlets so at first I
thought it must be in the line. It did however continue to go down
a few more inches but it seemed to do it much more slowly. There
was no time to fill, time it, fill again, etc to know for sure.
Possibly the last few inches were evaporation but it was fall by
then so we covered it to deal with this spring.
Unfortunately the best way to find a vinyl leak is in the pool and
it will be early June before we can stand to be in the water. If we
can’t find a tear/hole in the vinyl by then, it would mean we start
digging/repairing right when we want to be using our pool. It would
also mean trying to keep enough water pumped into it to stay ahead
of the leak.
I think we are going to have to dig and inspect in 2 or 3 months as
soon as the ground is not frozen.
Sometimes just writing out the problem and questions gives me where
I need to “go with it” but any thoughts would be much appreciated
before we start digging Thanks
Sue