How much more than usual? Could you attribute the increase to a greater rate of evaporation?

Hi Randy,

Perhaps. It's been very hot here (Ontario). I'm running the bucket test, that I found on line. I'm sure you're familiar with it ....... filling a bucket on one of the steps to the same height as the pool water, then waiting a day to see if the water in the pool is lower than the water in the bucket. Hopefully that will tell me something. Thanks for replying.

..... john

Hi Randy,

Well, I finally have the results of the 'bucket' test. In the pool water I lost about 2/3" of water over two days, which works out to 38cu ft. (if my calculations are correct. This is 284 US gallons or 236 imperial gallons.) In the bucket I lost 2/5" of water over the same period, 2 days. This is 178 US gallons. I estimate the surface area of the pool to be about 700 square feet. Does this sound like normally evaporation rate to you?

Thanks,

...... john

I'm used to about an inch and a half per day, but that's in Maryland, not Ontario. I'd extend the bucket test to a week or so, until I had to add water to the pool, and see if the 3:5 ratio still holds.

Hi Randy,

OK. Well, I will have to add a hell of water in order to let it go for a week. An inch and a half per day! Yikes!! In our pool that would translate into 680 gallons of water. I'd be in the poor house..

....... john

An inch and a half of water loss per day is appropriate if your pool is suspended over a volcano, or sitting in the path of an active F5 tornado. Otherwise, your pool is leaking.

John, concrete pools should not have a vinyl liner. Most vinyl manufacturers will not even make the liner if they know it is intended for a concrete pool. In Ontario where you are located there are VERY few experienced concrete pool builders, but an army of vinyl "pool guys" who would be willing to install a coping strip, hang a liner and take your money. Concrete pools are expensive to renovate so a liner is an easy sales pitch. $10k+ for new concrete coping, $10k+ for new tile band and $10k+ for new plaster interior surface is too much for many pool owners so they like the sound of $4k for a liner coping track and a vinyl liner. The problem is that the vinyl will not last in a concrete pool. Your interior surface was failing to begin with so it is no longer smooth - more like a 50 grit sandpaper. As the liner shifts over the concrete, which is does constantly, the liner will wear away. You will be lucky to get a handful of years out of each liner in that pool. As for the ABS pipes - hopefully you meant PVC or poly pipe and are incorrectly calling it ABS. ABS is non-pressure rated black rigid pipe meant for drainage applications. It is not suitable for a pressurized pool system, nor is it compatible with chlorine. If it is in fact ABS that you have, I would not spend one dollar looking for a leak in the pipes if the symptoms point you towards a plumbing system leak. Replace everything. Poly pipe can look like ABS since they are both black, but poly would be clamped at the fittings where ABS would be (should be) glued with yellow glue.

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the primer. To be honest I have no idea what kind of pipe material is used in the system. I said ABS, because all black plumbing pipe is ABS ;- ) (everyone knows that). In the pump house everything is clamped on, so I guess it is PVC. The pool does have a liner. It's been there since we moved in, 15+ years ago.It looks OK, but other than that, I have no idea.

But for now, my concern is the likelihood of a leak. What is your opinion ..... does 1/4 of an inch per day sound like normal evaporation?

Thanks,

..... john

Yes John, with the heat we have been having in Ontario that would be well within normal range for evaporation. Use a solar blanket to reduce this and I would bet you see a reduction in your water loss. Your pipes are poly. LDPE or more likely HDPE (high density polyethylene) as evidenced by the clamps. PVC is glued, poly is clamped.

Thanks again Steve. We'll probably be removing the pool in about 5 year.

....... john