The standard protocol for checking for a pool leak includes something called the “bucket test” as well as a basic inspection of the deck and landscaping around your pool. If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably already done these.
Fortunately, there are a couple more things you can do before talking to a professional pool leak detection company. You can repeat the bucket test again, but this time with your pool filters and pumps switched off. After 24 hours, is the water level lopsided again? Note whether there are any changes from the previous bucket test.
You can also get into the pool and carefully inspect all cracks, seams, and linings in the pool. Be sure to also take a close look at any o-rings and plugs while you are in there. This will take some time, particularly with a large pool, but will save you some money if you can successfully find the leak. When you suspect a particular area, put a very small amount of dye into the pool next to the suspected leak. Is the dye sucked right into the crack/seam/etc? Then you’ve found your leak.
Don’t stop there, however! Just in case there is more than one leak, continue your inspection of the pool until you have the entire pool covered.
If you do not find anything, then chances are good that your pool equipment (filter, pumps, and the like) is to blame. Make an appointment with a professional pool company and when they arrive, you need to thoroughly discuss all your investigation details and any findings with the pool company. If you think you may forget any details, write everything down! What you find and note is valuable information for the pool company representative. They will also want to know some basic information about your pool setup, such as if your equipment is above or below ground, if it leaks more with the filter on or off, and how much water it loses in a day (if you know).
There is another method of testing for leaks that involves using dye. Dye testing can be used to identify leaks in the structure of the pool. This test works on the following principle: the tester squirts a bit of dye near the area of the suspected leak. If there is no leak, the dye will just sit there in the water. If a leak is present, however, the dye will be pulled out. It’s a simple test that can be useful when you know that the plumbing is not responsible for the leak.
Pool leak detection Charleston, if not repaired in a timely manner, can continue to cause more damage. For example, a small crack today can over time become a large crack as water and debris continue to fill it and cause it to expand. An analogy would be to think of a crack in a sidewalk that doesn’t get repaired, and over time it becomes bigger and bigger as rain and other factors damage it.
Also keep in mind that if you have a crack, it is going to be filling with water and potentially allowing water to go places where it shouldn’t be. In a worst case scenario, this may mean that in addition to structural damage, there may be equipment and mechanical damage as well.