Low Water Levels Over Winter

by Cynthia BW
(Ontario Canada)

I live in Canada...very cold throughout the winter. My water level in the pool seems lower this year. I have removed most of the water from the winterized cover and realized the level is lower than when I first put the cover on 7 months ago. Is this normal evaporation?

Second question- Through the summer months, I have noticed small puddles of sand in the pool...every time I vacuum, it returns. I have tried vacuuming leaving the filter open so that the pool water goes onto the ground instead of being filtered and this did not make any difference in the amount of sand still puddling in the pool. Do you have any thoughts on this please? Thanks Cindy BW

Hi Cindy.

Of course I do, I have thoughts about everything pertaining to above ground pools. (insert smiley face)

Testing for leaks verse evaporation is easy. You get a five gallon bucket and fill if with water. This gets set next to the pool. With a marker put a line at the top of the water level. Do the same inside the pool on the liner. After a week you can measure the distance from the lines to the water levels and they should be the same. If the water is leaving the pool at a faster rate than the bucket you have a leak.

The only kind of leak in a pool that would cause you to see sand is a fairly large tear in the bottom of the pool. If the sand is always in the same spot I would look into it. Holes like this are easy to spot. If you are inside the pool the pool liner around the hole will be very soft and sponge. You can find a hole like this by walking around inside your pool with you eyes closed.

The color of the sand should be an indicator also. Filter sand is usually white, or a very light color. Most mortar, of masonry sand is a darker yellow in color. Mortar sand is also courser where filter sand is very fine.

The reasons you may have filter sand in your pool are either a bad spider gasket in your valve assembly or a tear in the laterals.