DIY Pool Repair

How To Find Swimming Pool Leaks

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• 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

Leak Test Condition 1

Leak condition 1 refers to the pool losing the same amount of water whether the pump system is on or off.

Constant Rate Of Water Loss

If you have tried the hydrostatic water test and have concluded that your pool leaks the same whether the pump is running or not you can try isolating the leak further if you have not already done so. This would be done by plugging the return and skimmer ports to see if the rate of water loss changes.



The following potential leak locations assume that the rate of water loss remains constant regardless of the state the pool pump is in. It is important to note however that in many cases you are not able to isolate the plumbing system completely since the main drain can be difficult to plug. Only further testing will reveal the leak location for certain however the information on this page will help to create a profile of the leak that will be useful later once you have completed a few additional tests.

Reasons For Water Loss

Based upon the leak characteristics displayed by your swimming pool during the hydrostatic leak test, here is a list of the more likely areas of concern for your pool.

This information is not sufficient for stand alone diagnosis of your swimming pool leak in most cases, but can very often lead to an efficient diagnosis and repair due to recurring instances of these common pool failures:



(small leak of less than 1” / 2.5cm per day)
-possibly a small hole in the liner, likely on the wall
-leaking around gaskets such as stairs, skimmer mouth, lights etc
-hole in liner under drop in ladder resting position

(medium leak of 1-3” / 2.5-7.5cm per day)
-Major hole in liner, specifically on the floor of the pool
-Failing hydrostatic relief valve in main drain
-Failed gaskets at stairs, returns, lights or skimmer
-Cracked equalizer or non pressure pipe

(large leak of more than 3” / 7.5cm per day)
-Hydrostatic relief valve in main drain stuck open
-Liner seam separation
-Broken equalizer line


You can choose another condition from the side menu to explore other potential leak options or you can read more about condition 1 leaks in the sub section that looks futher at constant rate water loss and potential causes. When you are ready you can also proceed to the next leak test section that looks at the water level leak test



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.