A hidden leak can be tricky to detect, but there are some telltale signs that can help you uncover the issue before it becomes a bigger problem.
Have you ever wondered why your pool needs refilling more often than usual? Your pool could be hiding a leak.
Losing water in a swimming pool is common, especially on hot summer days. However, it’s important to know whether the loss of water is due to natural occurrences like evaporation or a leak.
Water Loss Due to Evaporation
Evaporation is a natural process where water turns into vapor and escapes into the atmosphere. It happens in all pools and is influenced by several factors:
- Temperature: Hot, sunny days speed up evaporation. The warmer the air and water, the faster the water turns to vapor.
- Wind: Breezy conditions can sweep moisture off the surface of your pool, increasing water loss.
- Humidity: Lower humidity levels mean more evaporation. Dry air pulls moisture from the pool faster than humid air.
- Pool Activity: The more people splash around, the more water will evaporate and splash out of the pool.
- Water Features: Fountains, waterfalls, and other features can increase evaporation rates due to the constant movement of water.
Your pool can evaporate up to 1/4 inch per day. While this may appear to be quite high, there should be no cause for concern unless the amount of water lost suddenly increases.
Water Loss Due to a Leak
While evaporation is normal, losing water due to a leak is not. Here are some signs that your water loss might be due to a leak rather than evaporation:
- Wet Spots: Unexplained damp or soggy areas around your pool or in your yard could indicate water leaking from your pool or its plumbing.
- Air in the System: If you notice bubbles in your pool’s return lines or air in the pump, it could mean there’s a leak in the suction side of your system.
- Decreased Chemical Levels: If you’re constantly adding chemicals to maintain your pool’s balance, a leak might be the culprit, as it allows treated water to escape.
- Unusually High Water Bills: A sudden increase in your water bill can be a strong indicator that your pool is losing more water than it should be.
If you start seeing cracks in the tiles, plaster, or concrete, it’s a strong indicator that water is escaping from your pool.
How to Determine the Cause: The Bucket Test
If you’re unsure whether water loss is due to evaporation or a leak, the bucket test is a simple and effective way to find out:
- Fill a bucket with pool water: Place it on a pool step, ensuring the water level inside the bucket is approximately 1 inch from spilling over.
- Mark the levels: Mark the water level inside the bucket and on the outside of the bucket mark where ever the pool water level is.
- Wait for 24 to 48 hours: Make sure the pool pump is off, and compare the water levels after the waiting period.
- Analyze the results: If the pool water level has dropped more than the water inside the bucket, it’s likely you have a leak.
A bucket test compares how much water your pool loses with how much a bucket loses, to show whether evaporation or a leak explains the drop.
When to Call a Pool Leak Detection Company
A bucket test only shows that water is being lost. It cannot show where. Think about calling a pool leak detection service when:
- the pool drops clearly more than the bucket, in two tests
- you keep having to add water, or the water bill goes up for no clear reason
- you see wet spots, soft ground or cracks near the pool or equipment
- you find air bubbles in the pump basket or the pump keeps losing its prime
Acting early limits damage to the deck and the ground around the pool.
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