Does Your Pool Leak?
Excess loss of pool water dilutes your chemicals and increases your water bill.
Pools will lose up to 1-2 inches of water per week due to evaporation, backwashing and splash out, but if your water level drops more than that, you may have a leak. First check for obvious leaks near the equipment. Some equipment leaks can be fixed by replacing an inexpensive O-ring in the backwash valve unit.
The “Bucket Test” allow you to compare your pool’s water loss to the water loss in a bucket of water. Water loss due to evaporation will be the same for both.
- Place a bucket of water on your pool step (with a rock in the bottom to weigh it down) and fill the bucket with pool water so that the level in the bucket is the same as the pool.
- Use a piece of tape to mark the water level in the bucket and another to mark the pool water level on the outside of the bucket.
- Check the levels after 24 hours. If the level of the pool water drops more, then a leak is indicated.
This test can be done with the pump on and again with the pump off to help isolate the cause of the leak. If the pool water only drops while the equipment is on, this indicates a leak in the equipment or a pipe. A leak detection company can locate leaks in underground pipes. If the pool water drops when the equipment is off, then the leak may be from a crack, skimmer unit, light housing or drain. Skimmer leaks can occur when the skimmer unit separates from the concrete pool and can be repaired with epoxy for underwater use.
We can refer you to a leak specialist if needed.
Our Pool Service Technicians are standing buy to answer your questions regarding your Pool Maintenance needs.