Warning to all pool owners

[KathyG]

On Saturday we heard from the caretaker/cleaners that the pool pump wasn't working properly, wasn't pumping water round the pool and was making a strange noise. The pool was green in the corners too. We deduced there must be a leak somewhere and air was being drawn into the system but they'd spent an extra 3 hours trying to fix the problem, and failed. Luckily our next lot of guests are not due till tomorrow - phew!

They went back on Sunday and spent a few more hours at it then spoke to Glen for advice here but nothing he suggested had any effect.........only one thing for it, .....hop on the overnight ferry........thank goodness we and the ferry were available! Well not me, I'm trapped here with puppy.

Anyway, latest news is that there is no leak, but although they'd reported that the pool water was almost at the bottom of the skimmers and had topped it up, we've no idea till we talk to them, how long it's been like this. Top and bottom of it is that the pump has burnt out, most of the pipe joints are warped and valves have melted , all due to the system running with no water in it.

Luckily I was able to source from the UK a new (very expensive) pump which Glen has picked up and fitted now but can't test till tomorrow once all the re-welded joints have set. Please can everyone cross their fingers!

Now we don't know quite why the pool water level became so low, is it possible that this current heatwave has evaporated that much water in just a week? Did the caretaker even check the water levels weekly? A lesson to everyone with pools, or is it just us that didn't realise how important it was to keep an eye on water levels? This also means that the heat pump hasn't been able to heat the water so I hate to think what the temperature now is.

Cost so far:
Ferry £211.00
New Pump £625.00
Extra caretaker hours worked, 6 apparently.....£90.00
2 days off work for Glen
Stress,stress, stress!

[Big Sis..]

Oh Kathy what a shame........I hope it all gets sorted.

I know nothing of pools but just wanted to send a H U Gxx

Take Care, Love Rosxx

[la vache!]

What volume of water is in the pool Kathy? We had some heavy thunderstorms here which brought a lot of rain which kept the pool topped up, but if there isn't any rain, I have to top it up every week, but it has only ever dropped substantially when there was a leak in the liner. How often do you have the pool cleaned - could your cleaners at least check twice a week instead of once?
I really sympathise, I don't know how you not on site owners manage and that was a horrendous cost to fix the problem.

[Jimbo]

Given that the water level had dropped sufficiently to cause terminal damage to the pump suggests either a leak or a lack of regular checking for heat evaporation (or both) but I'd be surprised if heat loss alone was the cause unless the pool had been ignored for too long. Add the fact that the pool had started to go green and I'd be concerned about a lack of proper maintenance. But you're obviously between the usual rock and hard place because you need your caretaker. Me, I'd be worried if my pool was only being checked/maintained on a weekly basis. In my experience (and our pool has been a nightmare at times), when things go wrong, they can happen very quickly. Couldn't something like a thermal cutout be installed to protect the pump if it started to overheat?

Jim

[la vache!]

Add the fact that the pool had started to go green and I'd be concerned about a lack of proper maintenance.

True. Chlorine disappears very quickly in hot weather and I check my ch and ph levels daily. If I didn't clean it out every day/every other day, it would be quite dirty too.

[fincafern]

No Leaks here, but we are topping up everyday at the moment.
It was the hottest weekend in Malaga for 47 years.
Even checking it everyday, black algae had started to creep in but that's cured because we are on site.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you Katie, pools can be a nightmare in hot weather.

[mpprh]

We find that wind evaporation has more effect on the water level than high teperatures (we regularly have air temperatures in the 35C - 40C range over the summer).

Current water temperature is 31C, and this requires 15hrs of filtration / day with increased chlorine (I use 1.5 blocks instead of 1 - so I add the next one when the previous one is 50% used) to avoid algae formation.

If you source water through the skimmers and bottom drain, you probably would not have the problem of the pump running dry due to reduced water level.

I keep a regular eye on my pool (and several others in the area) and your problems suggest lack of (no ?) maintenance. It takes a long time for pumps to be damaged by running dry (one here had a broken pipe for a week before it was spotted, with no damage). Even a sudden leak should have been seen fairly quickly ?


Peter

[Mouse]

Katie sorry to hear about your troubles...and the costs involved in fixing the problem. It really is fortunate that you're able to nip over and be involved in sorting it all out - I dread what the cost would have been to have someone else doing it all.

If it is lack of maintenance from your pool company I'd certainly be looking at compensation (they should have liability insurance?)

Hope it's sorted now

Mouse
x

[KathyG]

Add the fact that the pool had started to go green and I'd be concerned about a lack of proper maintenance.

The system we've got there Jim is (we thought) idiot-proof. The water quality is continuously monitored as it runs through the system, pump is on 8 hrs a day, so maintenance on a weekly basis has been fine for the last 2 years, all he has to do is put the pool robot in and manually check water quality against the machine.

Couldn't something like a thermal cutout be installed to protect the pump if it started to overheat?
Jim

If such a thing is available we'll definitely be investing in one of those now!

If you source water through the skimmers and bottom drain, you probably would not have the problem of the pump running dry due to reduced water level.

Haven't got a bottom drain Peter, skimmers only.

It takes a long time for pumps to be damaged by running dry (one here had a broken pipe for a week before it was spotted, with no damage). Even a sudden leak should have been seen fairly quickly ?

Hmm Interesting!:evil:

Don't know the volume of water offhand LV but it hasn't rained properly there for about a month.

[KathyG]

Add the fact that the pool had started to go green and I'd be concerned about a lack of proper maintenance.

The system we've got there Jim is (we thought) idiot-proof. The water quality is continuously monitored as it runs through the system, pump is on 8 hrs a day, so maintenance on a weekly basis has been fine for the last 2 years, all he has to do is put the pool robot in and manually check water quality against the machine.

Couldn't something like a thermal cutout be installed to protect the pump if it started to overheat?
Jim

If such a thing is available we'll definitely be investing in one of those now!

If you source water through the skimmers and bottom drain, you probably would not have the problem of the pump running dry due to reduced water level.

Haven't got a bottom drain Peter, skimmers only.

It takes a long time for pumps to be damaged by running dry (one here had a broken pipe for a week before it was spotted, with no damage). Even a sudden leak should have been seen fairly quickly ?

Hmm Interesting!:evil:

Don't know the volume of water offhand LV but it hasn't rained properly there for about a month.

[The Olive Grove]

Haven't got a bottom drain Peter, skimmers only.

What do you do if you have to empty the pool then? Only asking, 'cos because of our suspected leak we were advised to filter using the bottom drains, and silly me thought they were only there to empty the pool. Local (English) plumber put me right. Now only skimming over top when absolutely necessary as we are sure that is where our leak is.

[KathyG]

What do you do if you have to empty the pool then?

Ermm I guess we pump it out? Mind you I've got a feeling there's a fitting low down at one end, can't remember off hand.

Well the good news is that pump and system are now working perfectly!

Latest: Batteries in pool alarm have lasted precisely 1 day! We really don't need this now, boiler ran out of oil last week.

[The Olive Grove]

Oh dear Katie, things aren't going right are they

We have to get our place sorted for Friday, so need to get cracking in case we have any unforseen problems.

Thinking of you.

[Mouse]

I can emphathise Katie...we've had all 3 toilets go in the 1st 2 weeks of renting Even after replacing the entire inerds one still refused to work, but thankfully it seems to have settled down now.

This morning our own toilet gave up the ghost

Its amazing how these things only seem to occur as soon as you install guests.

Mouse
x

[KathyG]

Latest: Glen got the time of the ferry wrong!! He's absolutely furiously spitting feathers at the moment! All my fault of course.

Ferry was 3pm French time, next Roscoff - Plymouth is 3pm tomorrow, 12 guests arriving at 4pm so he can't stay in the house........have booked him on the Cherbourg - Poole at 23:00 tonight, gets in at 6.30am, we live in Plymouth.

As you can imagine, he's not a happy bunny at all!