Leak Detection
Find a hidden leak behind a wall, under a floor or between the meter and the house.
Leaks and water lines
Pool Leak Detection and Repair in St. Petersburg
A pool loses water every day to the sun. When it loses more than that, the question is whether the water is escaping through the shell, the plumbing or the equipment.
Do the bucket test first. It tells you what to tell the dispatcher.
Signs the pool is leaking
- Falling more than a quarter inch a dayBeyond what evaporation usually explains.
- Soggy ground near the equipmentWet soil or lush grass near the pad or the pool edge.
- Water bill and chemical use riseThe pool needs topping off and rebalancing more often.
The bucket test
Fill a bucket with pool water to the same level as the pool, set it on the first or second step so it sits in the water, and mark both water lines. After a day, compare the two. If the pool dropped more than the bucket, water is leaving by a route other than evaporation.
Run the test once with the pump on and once with the pump off. If the pool only drops when the pump runs, the leak is in the pressure side of the plumbing. If it drops either way, the shell or a fitting in the pool wall is more likely.
Where pool leaks come from
Pool plumbing runs underground between the pump, the filter, the heater and the pool. A crack, a failed fitting or a root can leak at any point. Skimmer throats, return fittings, light niches and the equipment pad are common weak spots. The shell itself, whether plaster, tile or a liner, can also leak through a crack or a worn seal.
Because the pipes are buried, a leak can run for a long time before anyone sees it. Ground that stays wet near the pad or a soft spot in the deck are clues.
Cost
What affects the price of pool leak work
Locating the leak and repairing it are two separate jobs, and both are priced on the details.
Ask whether the quote covers the deck repair, and whether it includes refilling and rebalancing the water.
In St. Pete
Heat, rain and pool season
In a warm climate with sun, wind and screen enclosures, evaporation can be large, especially in summer. Heavy summer storms can add water to the pool and hide a slow leak for a few days, so the bucket test is best done during a dry stretch.
Many homes in Pinellas County have pools, and the ground can be sandy and wet, which means a leaking line can be slow to show on the surface.
How a pool leak is found
A pool leak search works by elimination. Each section of plumbing can be isolated and pressure tested to see whether it holds. If a section loses pressure, the leak is in that line. Underwater dye can show where water is being drawn out of a crack or a fitting, and listening equipment can help trace a pressurized line.
The shell, the skimmer and the fittings are checked as part of the process. The result should be a specific location, not just a general guess.
Repairing the leak
A repair may be as small as replacing a fitting or as large as digging up a line and replacing a section of pipe. Pool plumbing repair often means breaking into the deck, so ask how the surface will be restored.
Do not keep refilling a leaking pool without a plan. A steady leak can wash out soil, damage the deck and run up the water bill. If you suspect a leak, stop adding chemicals until you know how much water you are losing.
Spa lines and remodeled pools
Spa plumbing
A spa has its own jets, suction lines and return lines. A leak may be in the shell, a fitting or a buried pipe. Spa lines are covered along with the pool.
After a remodel
Remodels can disturb fittings and pipe. If the level drops after the work finishes, a pressure test of each line can show which one is leaking.
Related services
Water Line Repair & Replacement
Repair or replace the pipe that carries water from the meter into the house.
Backflow Testing & Prevention
Test and maintain the device that keeps irrigation and reclaimed water out of drinking water.
Common questions
Pool leak questions
It varies with sun, wind, temperature and how much the pool is used. A loss of about a quarter inch per day is a common rule of thumb, though a bucket test is a better guide.
Often yes, but a steady leak can undermine the surrounding ground. If the pool is dropping quickly or water is surfacing in the yard, stop running the pump and call.
The bucket test, run with the pump on and off, helps tell. Pressure testing individual lines settles it.
Sometimes. Fixing a fitting below the waterline or a crack in the shell may require lowering the water, while a plumbing repair under the deck may not.
Yes. A pressure test of each line shows which one is leaking, and spa lines are covered.
It can point to a pressure-side leak in a return line or fitting. A contractor can test each line.
Pool dropping faster than it should?
Do the bucket test, then call with the result. It helps the contractor plan the visit.