Well, maybe it didn't really take 451 steps, but when you don't know what you're doing it sure seems like it! Maybe my successful experience will convince someone out there that it can be done...for a tiny fraction of the cost of calling in the pros.
I am not a professional pool man, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
The image above shows the MidWestern MidCentury pool in December 2007. I noticed the level was dropping precipitously and the large turtle-shaped ice berg on the surface went down with it. The result? A stretched pool cover and a big water bill. I had to add water from time to time throughout the winter to make sure it didn't get too low.
I had nightmares about the main drain freezing!
With the cover off in the spring I astutely observed that the leaking stops or slows as the level reaches the pool light. Hmmmm. A light bulb went on in my tiny brain. An underwater one with a big lens. A cursory internet search confirmed that the pool light housing is one of the usual suspects in a pool leak case. Eureka!
But, how to confirm the leak without an advanced degree in poolology. Sources on the internet painted a grave picture of complexity, and pundits concluded that no ordinary person could ever hope to successfully diagnose their own pool leak. That was just the encouragement I needed.
I headed to the kitchen...
..for blue food coloring. Call me whacky, but what else? I blooped a few drops in and those little blue swimmers made a beeline for the light and disappeared. I found the leak! Now what? Back to the internet for more bad news. An attempt to repair your own pool leak might tilt the earth on its axis. Call the professionals, they said. "Don't be stupid," they warned.
I headed to the hardware store.
I flipped the breaker for the pool light OFF, and then lowered the pool level to just below the light housing. I removed the light. Remember, pool lights are cooled by the water that surrounds them. Never turn a pool light on when it's out of the water. It may launch into orbit.
Back to the leak. According to another internet source, the most likely culprit is the area where the wire exits the light housing. That sounded good to me. I whipped out the epoxy putty I purchased at the hardware store, broke about half of it off, and kneaded the light center into dark outside. It looked like a gray candy bar.
Like that one in Caddyshack.
When the putty was thorougly mixed and began to warm, I formed it around the opening in the back of the housing, and let it harden overnight. Then I added water until the housing was immersed...and waited...and watched Could this really work?
See for yourself!
Time spent: a few hours.
Cost: $5.00 (not including the water!)
Knowing I outfoxed a crafty leak that only a professional pool man was supposed to be able to find and fix: priceless.
Well done, I have the same problem but expect the leak is at one of the jets so I'll be buying some food colourant and watch those jets closely. A pool pro already fixed a large crack last week costing me $1800 and quoted me a further $1500 to fix the new leak. Love your article!
Posted by: Johann | December 18, 2010 at 11:57 PM