DIY Pool Repair

How To Find Swimming Pool Leaks

Menu:

• Home
  Swimming Pool Leak Detection
• Pool Resources
  List of swimming pool resources - Must read for any pool owner
• Signs of damage
  Obvious deficiencies can be a significant possibility for water loss
• Water loss characteristics
  Has the leak developed slowly over time or suddenly over a short period of time
• Pool plumbing systems
  Understanding your plumbing system is critical in being able to diagnose a leak in your swimming pool
• Hydrostatic test
  Learn how to monitor water loss and conduct a hydrostatic test for your pool
• Test Analysis
  Analyze the data from this leak detection test to find out where your pool is leaking
• Condition 1
  Leaking the same with plumbing system on and off
• Condition 2
  Leaking more when plumbing system is on, but water loss in both conditions
• Condition 3
  Leaking more when plumbing system is off, but water loss in both conditions
• Condition 4
  Leaking when plumbing system is on, not leaking when it is off
• Condition 5
  Leaking when plumbing system is off, but not leaking when it is on
• Leak detection test 2
  Another easy method to determine where your pool is leaking
• Water Level Test conclusions
  Analyze the results of the water level leak detection test
• Faceplates & Gaskets
  water level holds anywhere where gaskets or faceplates are touching the waterline
• Skimmer & Mid Wall
  water level below skimmer mouth but above return outlets
• Return Outlets
  water level holds at the height of wall returns
• Indefinite Drop
  water level continues to drain down past wall returns or lower
• Leak Detection Dye Test
  Use colored dye to locate leaks in your swimming pool
• Common Pool Leak Points
  Breakdown of pool components prone to failure and associated water loss symptoms
• Hole In the Liner
  See symptoms associated with a hole in the liner of your swimming pool
• HRV Failure
  Hydrostatic relief valve failure symptoms
• Filter Head Gasket
  Filter head gasket alignment is a common location for unexplained water loss
• Leaking Skimmer
  See symptoms associated with a leaking or cracked skimmer
• Leaking Return Lines
  See symptoms associated with leaks in the swimming pool return lines

Pool Inspection

The first step in trying to isolate a leak in a swimming pool is to inspect the pool for any signs of damage. This is the same process that you would use if you were inspecting a new swimming pool or if you are considering buying a house with a pool as any signs of damage are certain to end up costing you money sooner or later if you are responsible for the pool.

Assuming the pool was ever in reasonable condition at some point in its life then you can assume any abnormalities that you see to be a problem. A trained industry expert can likely tell with greater accuracy than the average home owner the severity of any given pool damage, but just consider that the pool was built to be perfect and something has gone wrong in any area where you see something that looks "funny".



This can be cracks in the deck or sinking or uneven pool decks, coping cracks or failures, liner rips or patches, lumps or bumps under a pool liner, cracks in a concrete pool, tiles falling off the wall etc.

All of these are signs of problems currently developing and swimming pools have a bad reputation for being expensive to repair. If the pool is losing water then you know that there is a problem. If you also see physical damage this is an indication that part of the pool has failed so the two could very likely be related.

How To Inspect A Pool For Leaks

You may not know where to look for signs of damage in a swimming pool so consider the following tips are potential things to watch out for:

Vinyl Liner Pools (look for holes, wrinkles, lumps, patches etc)

Concrete Pools (look for missing tiles, cracks on the walls floors and feel plaster surface. It should be smooth. Rough means it needs renovation soon)

Skimmer (this is the source for many problems. Inspect the throat between the pool and the skimmer and the inside and bottom of the body for cracks)
Deck (look for cracks, fissures, sinking or water pooling)

Pool Level (Check the waterline to see if the pool looks level from end to and and side to side)

One of the harder things to tell from standing on the pool deck is the condition of the walls and especially the floor of the pool. This can become impossible if the pool water is cloudy or dark from algae. If you visibly can not see the floor then this alone is a bad sign but you may be able to still draw some basic conclusions by using a pole and brush to roughly determine the condition and shape of the floors and slopes underwater.

Swimming Pool Deficiencies

At this stage you are still only creating a profile of your pool to determine through a process of elimination where the leak is. Any deficiencies in the pool should be thoroughly noted and inspected. When you inspect really what you are doing most of all is looking closely for cracks.

For example a skimmer can crack down on the bottom of the inside or sometimes in the throat waterway that connects the pool to the skimmer. Cracks in these areas can go undetected for long periods of time so be sure to inspect all areas closely with decent lighting. If anything looks out of place with the pool you can assume that repairs will be required in the future if not the near future if this turns out to be the cause of the leak. Sometimes the deficiency can actually be a symptom of the larger problem but in either case the visible damage is the warning flag.

Now you can continue to the section dealing with water loss characteristics to continue diagnosing you pool leak problem.



The menu on the right is a chronological step by step process to determine where a swimming pool is leaking. This website is written as a readthrough technical assistance guide for locating leaks. When you believe you have identified where the pool is leaking you need to go to our sister website to see pictures and learn more about the actual swimming pool leak repair process.