Is Your swimming Pool Leaking?
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If you suspect your pool is leaking, it probably is. If you have owned a pool for awhile you get to know how much water has to be added, and how often. Though this 2016 season has been the worst I can remember for evaporation.
If your a new pool owner, here is a simple test you can do to determine if you are losing water due to a leak.
Fill a bucket with your pool water, leave two inches of space at the top. Set the bucket in the pool on a stair or chair, after the pool water settles, mark the water level on the outside and inside of the bucket. Run the pool for 24 hours- then measure and compare – If you lose more water from the pool side of the bucket than in the bucket it’s not evaporating, you my friend have a leak.
Swimming Pool Leak Detection Diagnosis Process
First you want to determine if the leak is in the plumbing and pipes, or if your pool shell or liner are the problem. Using our bucket again, set up the test, and this time leave the pool off for 24 hours. If you lose more water with the pool running, or more water is lost with the pump off, plumbing is your problem. If there is no difference in water loss with pump running or the pump off? Your problem is the liner or pool shell.
How To Find A Leak In A Pool With A Liner
We use electronic equipment that cost $1500.00. But I will assume you don’t have this equipment and provide an alternative liner swimming pool leak detection method.
You will want to make sure the pool is very clean, the water clear, and have vacuumed the pool recently. You will also want a little food dye, coins, chalk and goggles.
The Common Reasons For leaks In Liner Swimming Pools
- Dog nails often puncture holes (yes plural – Holes) in the liner around the stairs on inground pools.
- If you have a pool light, the seal often goes bad.
- Skimmer poles – One side has the skimmer screen and the other side is a round sharp piece of metal (like a cookie cutter). Children often put the sharp end in the pool and create little half-moon shaped cuts in the angled walls.
- Leaks where the plastic skimmer meet the cement of a plaster pool are common.
- Around the ladder or stairs with above ground pools.
- Plumbing elbows: Plumbing is always anchored to something with inground pools… Where it be a pool wall or skimmer. When the ground settles, it pulls on the pipes of the plumbing, and the elbows split causing gross leaks.
Liner Leaks Inground Pools
Look for holes by walking around the pool, and while vacuuming the pool. Dark spots that dont clean up while vacuuming are suspect. Use chalk to mark suspected areas. Then get in the pool, shoot a little food dye near the suspected hole and if there is a leak, the dye will get pulled into the hole.
Mark all hole with a coin so you can come back and repair them.
Liner patch kits can be purchased for 10-12 dollars to repair small liner punctures.
Plumbing And Pipe Leaks
If you have a plumbing leak below ground, there is only one way to detect which line is broken. You need to pressure test each line. Which ever line does not hold pressure is the culprit.
Cement And Gunite Swimming Pool Leak Detection
Home owners can try to find a leak in the shell with food dye, and purchase underwater epoxies to repair cracks and leaks if they can find them.
Massachusetts Swimming Pool Leak Detection Cost
Above-Ground Pool Leak Detection Service
For above ground pool leaks, we charge a minimum of $165.00. This price includes the service visit and the repair of up to ten holes. We scan the pool with an electronic wand and can find leaks within minutes. More often than not we just get in the pool and dive around and find them, and repair them on the fly.
In-Ground Pool Leak Detection Service
We charge $180.00 – $300.00 to scan /dive and pressure test plumbing on vinyl and gunite/plaster pools. Patching, Putty and adhesive repairs cost $75.00 to $150.00. In-ground pipe leaks where cement decking has to be cut removed and replaced cost $250.00 per cut minimum. We use state of the art equipment to detect leaks, locate them and repair them.
