Bubbling Swimming Pool

[Ronbo]

My in-ground concrete swimming pool has started blowing bubbles from the water jets. I have to assume that there is a leak somewhere between where the water goes into the skimmer and reaches the pump. The filter has little to no pressure. I checked for leaks around the pump skimmer basket lid but didn't find anything.

Is it possible that the underground pipe could have a hole in it? Is there a way to check this before calling a pool repair service?

Thanks for any insight

[notmytarga]

Try resealing the leaf basket cover and its gasket- ahead of the pump and filter - any low pressure will pull in air. It won't leak - it will just allow air in.

Other causes could be a low water level or even foam toys in the skimmer.

Start simple - don't start digging up pipes. Yet.

[sammyg2]

An easy way to check for vacuum leaks is to use shaving cream. Squirt it on joints and such, if there's a leak it will show up as a hole in the cream. Only works on accessible areas tho .........

[Hugh R]

Silicone grease on the rubber 0-ring on the leaf basket, good call.

[schamp]

Water level could be low and sucking air at the skimmer. If its low the pump could run dry.

[bell]

Originally Posted by schamp

Water level could be low and sucking air at the skimmer. If its low the pump could run dry.

this could also be caused by a clog or restriction in the feed to the pump slowing the water down.....causing the water level in the filter to be low........just like my fish tanks

[tcar]

Bleed the filter?

[Ronbo]

Thanks for all the ideas. The water level is fine and the filter is bled, so I'm going to pursue the other suggestions. Thanks again to everyone!!

[johnco]

Air bubbles in the strainer basket are usually caused by some small leak that can be anywhere from the skimmer/main drain to the pump itself. rather than start digging up lines and breaking concrete chasing a pinole you may never find, hire a leak detection company to locate and mark the leak for you. Down here they charge about $450 to check everything. Maybe a little more if you have spa jets, waterfalls, etc.. you might want to repair it yourself once they located it because I'm told they charge $1200 to cut out concrete and repair. I usually charge $450 a leak, so I've done many. suction leaks are harder to find than pressure side leaks. unless you get lucky enough to get close enough to hear the sucking noise... you'll be digging up every foot of pipe. we go weeks with no rain, then weeks of rain which makes the ground shrink and swell. that's when the fittings start to crack.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Silicone grease on the rubber 0-ring on the leaf basket, good call.

Mine has a printed warning against this... why would that be? I know mine tends to leak here, but never understood why the lube would be a problem.