Pool leak detection

Signs your pool may be leaking

• The water level drops more than about ¼ inch a day with no rain and normal use
• You're adding water every few days, or an auto-fill keeps running
• Your water bill has gone up
• Soggy spots in the yard, or water pooling near the equipment pad
• Cracks in the pool, deck or tile line, or loose tiles
• Air bubbles in the pump basket, or the pump losing prime
• The water won't stay balanced because fresh water keeps diluting it

Try the bucket test first

This simple at-home test compares your pool's water loss to normal evaporation:

1. Set a bucket on a pool step so it sits in the water, and fill it to match the pool's water level.
2. Mark the water level inside the bucket and on the outside of the bucket (the pool level).
3. Run the pump as usual for 24 hours and don't swim. Skip it if heavy rain is coming.
4. Compare the two drops. If the pool dropped noticeably more than the bucket, you likely have a leak.

Not sure how to read the results? Send them to us and we'll help.

What we check

Leaks often hide in a few common places. We work through them systematically:

• Equipment pad: pump, filter, heater, valves and visible plumbing fittings
• Skimmers: cracks and gaps where the skimmer meets the pool
• Return fittings, lights and drains: gaps around the fittings in the pool wall and floor
• Pool surface and tile line: cracks, delamination and loose tile
• Whether it's the structure or the plumbing: comparing water loss with the pump on and off helps narrow it down

After we find it

You'll get a clear explanation of what we found and what it will take to fix. Many leaks at the equipment pad or around fittings can be repaired directly. Some leaks, like those in underground plumbing or in the pool's structure, need a specialist with pressure-testing equipment or a contractor. If yours is one of those, we'll tell you up front.