Is Your Swimming Pool Leaking?

By udm - September 12th, 2016 in Pool Maintenance

Is Your Swimming Pool Leaking, or Just Evaporating?

Bakersfield summers are so hot that you naturally expect to lose water to evaporation. Unfortunately, it’s also common for pools and spas to develop leaks in the structure or system due to ground shifts. And leaks not only waste precious water, they can create costly damage to the pool.

A leaky pool causes the following:

• Increases the amount of chemicals you need to maintain water stability, driving up your chemical costs
• Costs you money for hundreds of gallons of water that leaks into the ground
• Creates pool structure problems by re-distributing the dirt that supports the pool

So, how do you know the difference between water loss due to evaporation and splashing and water loss from a leak?

Here are 5 ways to detect problems if you notice a sudden drop in the water level:

1. Perform a bucket test:
   • Begin with pool water at a normal level.
   • Fill a 5-gallon bucket with pool water about 1/3 capacity of the bucket (2/3 down from the top of the bucket).
   • Put the bucket on the first or second step of the pool, or at least 5 inches deep.
   • Mark the water level inside the bucket.
   • Turn off the auto-fil and the pump and mark the pool water level on the outside of the bucket.
   • Turn on the pool pump.
   • Compare the two water levels after 24 hours. If the levels are the same, then you only have evaporation. If the level on the outside of the bucket is lower, then you may have a leak.
2. Pay attention to water bills and chemical usage. An increase in either or both may indicate a leak. (You may need more chemicals to achieve proper balance and keep algae from growing.)
3. Walk on grass to discover soggy patches or extra-green patches of lawn that signal an underground plumbing leak.
4. Look for obvious cracks in the pool surface or deck.
5. Check the skimmers, main drains, and suction lines for blockages or air that shows up in the pump or blows back into the pool.

An un-repaired hole the size of a pencil tip may result in a loss of hundreds of gallons of water a day. The cost to repair increases the longer you wait. You may need help from a qualified pool leak detection expert to pinpoint the exact location and extent of a leak. Many pool leak repairs are permanent, so you won’t have a recurring problem from the same source.

Contact Us Today

Don’t delay. Talk with Atlas Pool Care about locating and repairing your pool leak.