I am seeking advice on our swimming pool, which loses about 8 cm of water daily.

[Umbrella82]

Dear All,

I am seeking advice regarding an issue with our swimming pool, which measures 6x4 meters. We have noticed a daily water loss of approximately 8 cm, which seems excessive even considering the high temperatures in Hua Hin, Thailand.
We need to add water every day to prevent the skimmer from sucking in air, which could damage the pump.

Has anyone experienced this phenomenon? If so, could you confirm if this is indeed abnormal? If this is not normal, could you recommend a reliable repair service, preferably one you have personally used and were satisfied with?
If possible, please provide the name, contact information, and Google Maps location or website of the service provider.

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,
Umbrella

[Dannie Boy]

Unfortunately I can’t help you with recommending anyone, but from my experience of having a pool (11x7m) I used to top it up maybe 5cm a week, so it seems as though you must have a leak somewhere. How old is the pool / did you have it installed or was it already at your house?


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[Nereus]

Yes, need more information; but the first thing to check would be the back flushing valve. It may be simply not in the correct position or just worn and leaking.
There are a multitude of "experts" in Hua Hin, but most of them have no idea about how the systems work.
Do you service it yourself, or have a contractor?

[GroveHillWanderer]

With that amount of loss, it sounds like you're dealing with a leak.

That kind of daily fall seems like more than can be accounted for by just evaporation.

I am happy with the pool construction and repair company I've always used, which is called Pool Concept. They're located on Soi 112, between Soi Hua Na 3 and 5. Contact info as follows:

Khun Ben: 089-2595058 Eng/Thai
Khun Thongpoon: 084-6620685 Eng/Thai
Email: sales_poolconcept@hotmail.com.
Line ID: poolconcept
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id ... tid=JRoKGi

Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/B5RhcpfLab5SSeXY8

[Nereus]

To try and isolate what is happening, fill it up to the correct level and turn off the pump for 24 hours.
24 hours will not be a problem for the water quality.

If it still drops then there is a leak underground, which would be very difficult to find. That could be either the structure, or the pipes themselves.

If the level does not drop, or only slightly, then it points to a problem with either the back wash valve or again the actual pipes. The pump pressure is much higher than the static pressure, so without the pump running it should at least help to point to where the leak is.

[Green Nomad]

I agree with Nereus. I had a similar problem with our pool in Spain, turned off pump for a day and noticed the level stopped dropping just below bottom of skimmer inlet, thought I had a leak in the skimmer itself, turned out to be problem with the pump. Unfortunately I was abroad and do not know the exact issue, but it got fixed. Hope this helps.GN

[Umbrella82]

Dear All,

Thank you for your suggestions and information

I would like to extend my special thanks to GroveHillWanderer for providing the contact information of the repair company, and to Nereus for the valuable advice on identifying the issue

I will inspect the leak by switching the pump and measuring the water level. After 24 hours, I will measure the water level again to determine if the leak is in the swimming pool or the pump. I suspect the pump may be the issue, as we frequently observe water coming from that area, but we will confirm this through the test.

Once the issue is identified, I will contact the repair company recommended by GroveHillWanderer.


Brief responses to questions:

-- Dennie Boy: The swimming pool is 6 years old but was renovated by the previous owner.
-- Nereus: The swimming pool was part of the house (it was already built in). We have tried two different service (Swimming Pool Maintenance) companies, but we encountered the same issue you mentioned: "There are a multitude of 'experts' in Hua Hin, but most of them have no idea about how the systems work."

[Umbrella82]

Dear All,

I wanted to provide a brief update regarding the issue with the swimming pool.

I attempted the recommended tips, but the water level continued to drop, which raised concerns about a potential problem with the entire pool.

Based on a friend's recommendation, we consulted a specialist.
The specialist advised us to observe if the water level drops below the skimmer exit. If it does, the leak might be at the bottom of the pool.
However, if the water level stabilizes and is no lower than the skimmer exit, the leak is likely within the skimmer system.


After conducting a thorough check, we observed that the water level does not drop below the bottom line of the skimmer exit, accounting for normal evaporation due to heat. This confirmed that the issue lies with the skimmer pipe. Additionally, the specialist tested the water's pH level, which was approximately 6.7, rather than the optimal range of 7.2 - 7.6.

Interestingly, our current swimming pool maintenance service was present that day to clean the pool and add chlorine. This highlighted their inadequate performance over the past few months and explained other issues we had been experiencing with the pool. Consequently, we have discontinued their services and engaged a new team that conducts lab testing during each visit and takes care of our swimming pool.


My advice to others is to ensure that your swimming pool maintenance service regularly tests the water and does not add chlorine without proper checks. If they fail to do so, it is advisable to discuss the issue with them or consider finding a new maintenance team. Alternatively, you can manage the maintenance yourself. pH testing kits are available on Lazada.
LINK: https://www.lazada.co.th/tag/pool-test-kit/