How can you tell if your pool is leaking?
A pool loses water to evaporation every day, and South Florida's heat makes that worse. A leak is more than that. If your water level drops faster than normal, or you keep adding water, it is worth testing.
Other signs show up around the pool: wet spots in the yard, cracked or sunken deck sections, and an auto-fill that runs more than it should. Algae that keeps returning despite good chemistry can also be a clue.
- Water level dropping steadily or by more than a normal day
- Wet or soft ground near the pool or equipment
- Cracks or settling in the deck
- Water bills that jump for no clear reason
- Air bubbles in the pump basket or return lines
What is the bucket test, and what does it tell you?
A fast way to read it: run the test on a day with the pump on, then again with the pump off. If the water drops more when the pump runs, pressure-side plumbing is a suspect. If it drops the same either way, the shell or a fitting may be the cause.
Set a bucket on the first or second pool step, fill it to match the pool level, and mark both. After a day or two, compare. If the pool dropped more than the bucket, you are probably losing water beyond evaporation.
The bucket test is a screening tool. It tells you whether to worry, not where the leak is. Finding the source takes a proper inspection.
How do you find the source of a leak?
We use pressure testing on the plumbing lines to see which ones hold. Dye testing shows moving water at cracks, fittings and skimmer throats. We also inspect the finish, because a crack that shows in the surface can be the entry point.
Common culprits are skimmer throat leaks, return lines, cracked finish, and in some pools the zero-edge basin. Each of those needs a different repair, so knowing the source matters before any work starts.
How is a leak repaired?
Repair depends on the cause. A skimmer throat may be sealed or the skimmer replaced. A return line may be repaired or rerun. A cracked finish may be opened and repaired, and that may include resurfacing.
We test before the repair and again after it is complete, so you know the leak is addressed. Repairs typically take two to seven days on site. Draining is sometimes necessary and, in areas with high groundwater, it needs to be done with care.
What makes South Florida pools different?
Older pools from the 1970s through the 1990s have aging plumbing, finishes and skimmers. Shifting soil and heavy rain add stress. High water tables mean draining to fix a leak can risk hydrostatic pressure, so groundwater should be checked first.
Community pools have heavy use and long plumbing runs. We have repaired leaks for a master association, and the same method applies at any scale.
How a pool leak detection & repair project runs
Call or text
Tell us what you are seeing. Photos help us get a first look.
Inspection and testing
We run pressure and dye tests and inspect the skimmers, lines and finish.
Written findings
You get the source of the leak and a clear estimate for the repair.
Repair
The repair is done, with draining only if it is needed and safe.
Test after completion
A second test confirms the repair held before we call the job complete.
Where we do this work
We handle pool leak detection & repair across Palm Beach and Broward counties from our Boca Raton office, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Parkland, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Davie, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Hollywood and Miami.
