Every pool loses some water to evaporation, especially on hot, windy summer days. A leak is different: it keeps draining water, chemicals and heat, and it can damage the soil under your deck or pool. Here are the signs to watch for.
Warning signs
- You are topping up more than usual. Adding water every few days during mild weather is a red flag.
- The level drops faster with the pump running, or stops dropping at a certain point. A level that stops at a fitting, light or skimmer often points to the leak.
- Wet spots or soft ground around the pool, equipment pad or plumbing runs.
- Cracks or gaps in the deck, tile or coping, or a liner pulling away from the wall.
- Air bubbles at the returns or a pump that struggles to prime, which can mean a suction-side leak.
- Chemistry that won’t stay balanced, because fresh top-up water keeps diluting it.
- Algae that keeps coming back despite normal sanitizer levels.
Try the bucket test
- Fill a bucket with pool water and set it on a step, so the water inside lines up roughly with the pool level.
- Mark the water level inside the bucket and the pool level on the outside of the bucket.
- Run the pool normally for 24 to 48 hours and avoid topping up.
- Compare the drops. If the pool lost noticeably more than the bucket, you likely have a leak.
Repeat the test with the pump off. Comparing the two results helps narrow down whether the leak is in the plumbing or the pool shell.
Finding the exact spot
Leaks often hide in lights, fittings, the main drain or underground lines. Poolmaster uses electronic leak detection (the Anderson Leak Trac 2200) and underwater inspection by our dive team, and can repair liners, lights, drain covers and seals. See our leak detection service.
Think your pool is leaking? Request a quote or call 416-449-1450.
