How to Detect a Leak in Your Pool
Leaks can originate from cracks in the pool itself, a bad skimmer seal, light conduits or numerous other areas. Because of this, a leak in your pool might not be immediately visible even when you first look for them. But if you’re routinely adding more than two inches of water to your pool per week, you may have a leak that is worth investigating to avoid potential costly damage to your pool. Read below to find out five of the most common signs to detect a leak in your pool.
Water level changes
The general rule is: If you are losing more than ½ an inch of water per day, there is a good chance the pool is leaking somewhere. However, it is important to determine if the water loss is caused by evaporation, backwashing, or splash-out. Evaporation can vary depending on wind, air and water temperature.
High water bills
If you notice a major spike in your water bill, it may be a sign that there is a leak in your pool. If you have automatic filling devices and you notice they are constantly running it might be because there is a leak. In this case Poolwerx recommends having a service technician come out and evaluate the system before committing to a full leak detection.
Water under equipment
Believe it or not, most leaks are located at the pool equipment. Visible wet areas, erosion or standing water on the equipment pad by the pump and filter indicate there is a leak. But when a pool is losing water and there is no visible leak, this one could be in the backwash valve. For this reason, it is important to have a full leak detection done by a service technician.
Cracks in or around the pool
Although most leaks are not underground, it is important to pay attention to cracks in and around your pool because they can be indicators of a leak or potential leak in your pool. Some smaller cracks can be sealed while more expansive problems may require professional resurfacing to avoid major issues down the line.
Unstable chemical levels
Another potential sign of a leak in your pool is the frequent change in the water chemistry. Leaking water carries chemicals out of your pool, which causes the need to add more than the usual to make up for that loss. If you have a leak on your hands it will be nearly impossible to keep your chemical levels steady from one day to the next.
Think you have a leak in your pool?
Our leak detection specialists can help locate the source of your water loss. They conduct a pressure test to determine if your plumbing holds pressure and perform dye testing on all areas inside the shell from which you could be losing water. Our pool leak detection and repair experts have located and repaired thousands of leaks and look forward to meeting your service and repair needs as well!
