Contractor Tips Blog

Dec
18

Bucket Test For Leaking Pools

Posted in Swimming Pools

If you suspect your swimming pool is leaking, it’s important to get it taken care of right away.  Water leaking from your pool not only costs you money, but water leaking into the soil can cause serious damage to your foundation or to any structures on your property.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you even have a leak.  A big leak is pretty obvious, but it’s not easy to tell the difference between a small leak and water loss due to normal use and evaporation.  One way to tell is by using the bucket test.

Fill a bucket almost to the rim with pool water.  Sit the bucket on a pool step so that the pool water level is at least a couple inches below the rim of the bucket.  If the bucket tries to float away, put a couple bricks or rocks inside the bucket to hold it down.

Mark the water level inside of the bucket with a pen or magic marker.  Mark the outside of the bucket at the pool water level.  Wait at least 24 hours and compare the water level inside the bucket with the pool water level marked on the outside of the bucket.  If the pool water level has gone down more than the water level inside the bucket, your pool is probably leaking.

At this point, your best move is to call a pool service company that specializes in leak detection and pool and spa repairs.  A good leak detection company will have computerized leak detection tools that can not only confirm that you have a leak, but also calculate how big the leak is.

Dec
17

Pool Leaks

Posted in Swimming Pools

Are you concerned that you may have a leak in your pool?  Most pools will develop a leak at some point.  Leaks can develop in the pool floors and walls, but more commonly leaks occur around pool fittings such as skimmers, drains and light fixtures.  Pool plumbing lines and equipment can also leak. 

Pool leaks can be difficult to locate, but if you think your pool is leaking, it is important to take care of it right away.  Even a small leak can send hundreds of gallons of water a day into the ground around your property.  Not only is it expensive to replace this water, but it can do serious damage to your home’s foundation and to any structures on your property.  It is also more difficult and expensive to regulate the pH level, chlorine, and other chemicals.

Some leaks are noticeably obvious.   If the water level in your pool drops several inches every night, you have a pretty good sized leak somewhere.  Smaller leaks are harder to identify.  Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between a leak and water loss due to evaporation and water splashed out of the pool during normal use.  You may notice that you have to fill your pool more often than normal or if your pool has an automatic fill device, your first clue may be a water bill that increases steadily each month. 

If you think you have a water leak, your best course of action is to call a pool service company that specializes in pool leak detection and repairing pool leaks.  They have the experience and sophisticated tools for identifying, finding, and repairing pool leaks.

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