Built in spa has a leak!!

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Old 08-10-2019, 04:17 PM
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Default Built in spa has a leak!!

Much to our surprise our spa was almost empty a couple of mornings ago.

I filled it and tried all functions. Everything works but the water is going out of the spa somewhere. No visible signs of leakage anywhere around where the controls/pumps/heaters are located. Hence must be leaking some where in/under the spa.

The pool maintenance people have given me the name of a "leak expert".

Anybody have any experience with a problem like this?
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Old 08-10-2019, 07:11 PM
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Oh, man, I hope your result is better than mine. We had a built-in spa that started losing water. At first it was a little bit, then grew to 5-10 gallons a day. We tried a couple of liquids to see if that would at least slow the loss, but none worked. Then we had a leak detection company from Clermont try to find the leak. They could never exactly locate the spot and I was reluctant to have them start cutting holes in the concrete base searching. They came back three times and nothing stopped the leak. Then T&D got their own leak people and they thought they had located the leak and tunneled under my lanai to the area and changed the connection to one jet. Filled the hole and we filled the spa. Still leaked. At that point, after spending hundreds with no result, I told them to take it out. When they removed the spa, they found roots from my queen palm had grown under the lanai floor and encircled the spa damaging every water line to every jet. They removed the raised concrete platform and poured me a new lanai floor and removed the spa heater and pump and capped the old lines.

It was an easy decision to remove it since I only used it sporadically and the wife never did.

Again, hope yours is easily fixed.
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Old 08-10-2019, 09:05 PM
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After reading above, I would see if an above ground spa could be retro-fitted to the hole that was the original spa. My thought, I have a MAXX spa since 2013, not problems and simple repairs if there is a problem. No idea if these is even feasible, but it might be something to consider.
Good luck with your problem.
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Old 08-11-2019, 06:03 AM
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99% percent of the time the jets are loose. Obtain a tool from Amazon or T and D and tighten them.

https://www.amazon.com/Waterway-218-.../dp/B00564GTLY
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Old 08-11-2019, 09:37 AM
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If you sink or semi sink an above ground spa make sure you have full access to the door that holds the components, in case of repair. The area would also need to be large enough for the tech to work in. Interesting about the tree roots, never would have thought that was the problem.
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Old 08-11-2019, 10:34 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by upstate View Post
If you sink or semi sink an above ground spa make sure you have full access to the door that holds the components, in case of repair. The area would also need to be large enough for the tech to work in. Interesting about the tree roots, never would have thought that was the problem.
You are correct, all of the ones I have seen have about an 18 to 24 inch wide wooden panel that is removable to get access to the 'front' panel of the spa. No idea what wood was used, but very heavy.

Also, my point about retro fitting an above grade spa was all of the pumps, controls jet and plumbing are accessible. Hope you can find your leak and it is a minor problem. My suggestion was for a major problem like roots.
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Old 08-11-2019, 11:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by villagetinker View Post
You are correct, all of the ones I have seen have about an 18 to 24 inch wide wooden panel that is removable to get access to the 'front' panel of the spa. No idea what wood was used, but very heavy.

Also, my point about retro fitting an above grade spa was all of the pumps, controls jet and plumbing are accessible. Hope you can find your leak and it is a minor problem. My suggestion was for a major problem like roots.
Our door opening is 44” wide, the skirt on our first spa was real redwood. The second was a some type of synthetic, definitely lighter in weight. Both of the spas were from the same manufacturer.
We have thought about getting a spa for down here
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Old 08-11-2019, 02:51 PM
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My in ground spa has a very slow leak. Leaks into the pool through the pool tile grout. T&D built the pool and it started leaking 6 months after install. They spent many hours trying to repair it with no success. They recommended I call Ace Leak detection in Clemont. I did and they came and spent many hours trying to find the leak. Again no success. There last recommendation was to seal the grout in the spa as that was where they thought the leak was. Meanwhile the pool is out of warranty. I asked T&D to seal it based on the Ace recommendation. No luck with that either.

I will probably do that myself and see if it fixes the problem. Now it seems the back corner of the lanai where the leak is has started to settle and the concrete has cracked in several places. T&D says that is normal to crack.

Something will be done about this. I used to recommend T&D as they have always taken care of my pool and fixed everything. But this one issue will change that.
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Old 08-12-2019, 07:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by upstate View Post
Our door opening is 44” wide, the skirt on our first spa was real redwood. The second was a some type of synthetic, definitely lighter in weight. Both of the spas were from the same manufacturer.
We have thought about getting a spa for down here
I really don't understand this post. What is it all about Is it that you used to have a spa?
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