Your in-ground concrete spa or above ground portable spa seems to lose water in the winter months, even though you have a cover on it. You suspect a leak... But I doubt that it is even leaking.
Wintertime Water Loss
How is it that your pool or spa loses water in the wintertime? Let's think about this...
Do you see that stuff floating in the air above your pool or spa? That's called steam.
Newsflash - that steam is water!
Even with an insulated cover, your pool or spa will lose water, just like it loses heat. The greater the temperature differential between the air and the spa water temperatures, the greater the amount of steam that will be produced - (more water and heat that will be lost).
Bucket Test
The best way to satisfy your curiosity, is to perform a bucket test.
Uncover the spa and place a bucket of warm water into the spa. The rim of the bucket must rise slightly above the spa water level.
Weight the bucket down with a brick if needed to keep it from moving around.
Mark the water level on the outside of the bucket.
In 24 hours, check the levels of the level in the spa and inside the bucket. If you do not have a leak, the levels should be close to each other.
If there is a great difference then proceed to a static test. Basically, repeat the same test, this time with the equipment off for 24 hours.
Warning: You assume the risk of frozen, cracked or damaged pipes/equipment if you chose to perform the static test when your spa may freeze up.
Typical Water Loss
Spas and pools that are heated during the wintertime may even experience greater water loss that during the summertime.
How's that even possible?
The temperature difference is a lot less during the summer months, so the water and heat loss is less.
Depending on the temperature differences, wintertime heated pools and spas can lose 2 - 3 inches of water in a 24 hour period.
If this is not acceptable to you, then consider draining and winterizing your vessel. That steam you see is MONEY - water, heat and chemicals floating off into space.
Otherwise, crank up the heat, open a bottle of wine and start adding water. Enjoy it, because we cannot turn off physics.
Contact the author, Paolo Benedetti of Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa at:
info@aquatictechnology.com or 408-776-8220.
Visit his website at: www.aquatictechnology.com.
All Contents © Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa, 2013.
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To contact the author, Paolo Benedetti of Aquatic Technology pool and Spa, email him at: info@aquatictechnology.com or call 408-776-8220.
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