How to deal with a leak in your swimming pool

If the water level of your swimming pool is dropping daily and you have to top it up more than normal then it is very possible that you could be dealing with a leak.  Before you get too worried about the situation remember that losing water from your swimming pool is not uncommon if you think of how much water is lost from just getting in and out of your pool daily.  Swimming pool leaks are a problem nearly every pool owner is going to be faced with at some point, but one that should not be overlooked.  Not only does a leak, whether it big or small, result in wasting hundreds of gallons of water, but having a leak will also increase the amount of chemicals that your pool requires.  Long term damage of your pools mechanical equipment can also be affected in the long run so it is important to have your swimming pool equipment checked on a regular basis.  There may be many reasons why you may be experiencing water loss, the most common being down to:

• Evaporation or splash water
• Leaks from the plumbing
• Leaks in the structure or shell of your pool

If you suspect a leak in your swimming pool, the first step would be to take a look at how often it is being used.  Could this water loss simply be down to excess use?  If you are in and out of your pool daily and the kids are frequently splashing around then splash water could be one possibility.  If however your pool is not being used frequently then it is unlikely for this to be the cause.  If you have ruled out splash water then it is time to look at whether the water loss could be down to evaporation.  Factors such as climate, humidity, wind, air and water temperatures must all be considered.  One test you can carry out to rule out evaporation is to fill a bucket with water from your swimming pool and place it on a step in your pool with the top of the bucket being slightly above the water level.   By keeping the bucket in the pool water the conditions are kept constant for the pool water and bucket.  Keep a close eye on both the level of your swimming pool and the level of the bucket and if the pool water drops at a faster rate than the bucket then it looks like you are dealing with a leak.

Once you know you are dealing with a leak in your swimming pool, it is important that you call in a professional to access the problem.   There are many different ways in which your swimming pool could be losing water and a professional company will run the necessary tests to determine where the leak is coming from.  Professional Swimming Pools have specialised equipment that allows us to pressure test pipe work if your pool is found to be leaking.  If you would like to find out where the leak is coming from before you call in help then you will need to find out whether the leak is coming from the plumbing or the structure of the pool itself.

Plumbing Leaks

So now you know you are dealing with a leak from your swimming pool, but where is it coming from?  Detecting a swimming pool leak will need a little investigation.  The first thing you should do is to look around your swimming pool equipment for any drips or damp spots and for any obvious leaks.  Even a small drip can result in a big water loss over a period of time.  If nothing obvious is found then it is time to look at the pump and filtration system.  Mark the level of your water and turn the system on for anywhere between 12 to 24 hours and note the loss in water.  Then run the same test with the system off and see if you notice a difference.   If you experience a greater loss of water when the system is running then you can put the leak down to being from the pressure side of your plumbing, past the pumps impellor.  If less water is lost when the filter system is not running then the leak is present somewhere on the vacuum side of your plumbing system, before the pumps impellor.  If however there is no difference in the water loss when the system is running and when it is not running then you can put the leak down to being within the structure of the pool.

If a leak occurs in the suction side of the plumbing, from the skimmers to the main drains then it may result in air being pulled into the plumbing lines that will either show up in the pump or be blown back into the pool.  These air leaks can be just as damaging to your pool and your pools mechanical equipment even though no water loss may be observed.  On this occasion it is essential that you call in professional help as long term damage to your pools equipment can result.

Leaks from the pool housing

If you have successfully managed to rule out the plumbing as being the cause of the leak, then you can almost certainly put the leak down to being from the pools housing or shell of the pool.  Small leaks underwater can be very hard to detect, but if you have a concrete structure then it can prove to be a little simpler.  If you are lucky enough to see a crack in the structure of your pool then you can simply determine whether the pool is leaking by taking some food colouring and squeezing some close to the suspected crack.  If you see a movement in the food colouring towards the crack then it will show you exactly where the water is escaping from.  If you see no cracks present in the concrete structure then it may be necessary to squeeze some food colouring at every intrusion into the concrete housing, for example, where the skimmer joins to the concrete, the returns, the lights, the and main drain.  The most common leak occurs when the plastic skimmer and the concrete housing become separated.  Once the leak has been detected it is time to think about repairs.  It is important that you act quickly once you have found out where the leak is coming from as  the longer it is left, the more costly it could turn out to be in the long run.  In some circumstances it may be possible to repair the leak yourself using a patch kit, but an experienced professional will offer more efficient repair solutions that gets your pool back up and running in no time.

What happens if I have a vinyl pool?

If you have a vinyl pool then things can become a little more complicated in not only detecting where the leak is coming from but also when it comes down to fixing, so professional assistance is advisable here.  Remember if dealing with a vinyl lined pool that they require water in them at all times.  The first step of action would be to check around all fittings that join the liner and check for any tears where the vinyl has pulled away.  If you have no success here then it is time to start checking the vinyl as a whole and search thoroughly, feeling your way around.  A snorkel and mask might come in handy when checking your pool for tears and punctures.  Once the leak has been detected in the vinyl and it is an easy repair then patching it up using a vinyl repair kit should suffice.

Even by running all the necessary checks on your swimming pool, you may not find the heart of the leak.  Specialised equipment is now available to pressure test pipes and to send small cameras down deep into the pipe work to get a better look at what is going on.  Our engineers cover the majority of Central London and parts of Kent, Surrey and Essex. For one of our consultants to visit your property and discuss the issues you have with your swimming pool and suggest tests that you can do yourself will cost £90.00 per visit. For one of our teams to attend the site and undertake testing of the pool and its associated pipe work will cost £150.00 per visit which allows up to 4 hours on site. Please visit our  Testimonials page to see what our customers are saying about Leak detection and other PSP Services. Also claim your free “Pool Care Guide” by clicking here.

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