What to do about a leaky pool fillter?

August 3, 2005 7:00 AM

How can I fix a leaking above-ground pool filter (with epoxy or something)? Should I try or will this mess it up further?

We have an older above-ground pool with an elderly sand filter. One hose comes from the skimmer, past the motor and into the filter. Another hose goes from the filter back into the pool. A third "port" with a screwed-on plastic cover exists near the bottom of the filter, possibly for draining for the winter, and it is this port that is leaking right now, dripping, not streaming, but dripping rapidly.

Should I epoxy it somehow (with what?)? Should I grin and bear it and replace the water a few times a week? I can't find anything expressly relevant on the web, probably because the filter is obsolete.

posted by Morrigan to home & garden (3 comments total)

That plastic cover exists for draining the -sand- in the filter in order to replace it and you should not seal it up.

The key to any kind of leak is to determine where it's leaking. If you can't tell by looking at it you can add some red food coloring and watch, though it'll take a bit with that sand to filter through.

If it's simply leaking through the plug itself you likely can remove the plug (unsure how you avoid draining the sand as you do it though letting it dry out completely would likely help) and wrap it with some silicone plumbing tape.
posted by phearlez at 8:05 AM on August 3, 2005

You can probably get a replacement cap at a pool store. They may have to order one. In the meantime you could probably just plug it with a rag and tape something over it like a heavy balloon. It might also just be leaking threads in which case I would try some plumber's tape, Teflon tape which is wrapped over the threads. You can get some at Home Depot.
posted by caddis at 8:06 AM on August 3, 2005

Filters really aren't that expensive, when you consider the amount of time you're going to put into it. When it gets to the point where it's a "mystery" leak, I typically figure it's beyond my ken to repair it.

If you replace the filter, I might suggest going with a DT filter, as I've had both, and the sand filters broke down on me (with leaks, pressure problems, etc) so much more than the DT-based filter.
posted by thanotopsis at 8:44 AM on August 3, 2005