How to Tell a Spa Check-Valve Problem From a Real Leak: A Practical Guide Before You Start Chasing the Wrong Problem
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A great pool experience gets frustrating fast when you walk outside and discover that the attached spa has mysteriously dropped several inches overnight. A real leak is one possibility, but on a raised spa that shares plumbing with the pool, the water may simply be flowing backward through a check valve that is no longer sealing properly. Knowing how to tell those two problems apart can save you from chasing cracks, fittings, and underground plumbing before you have checked the simplest explanation.