You’ve just come out to your pool and you realize that the level of the water in the pool is lower than it was just a few hours ago! It’s hot and there’s bound to be some evaporation, but the fact is that in most cases that evaporation will not be noticeable within such short timeframes. Chances are you have a leak in your swimming pool.
How Can You Determine a Leak?
There are numerous ways that professional pool service companies can determine whether or not your pool is leaking. Some of these processes can be rather laborious, and if the leak is not found quickly can become somewhat expensive. To help avoid unnecessary costs, there is a simple method to help you determine if a leak in your pool actually exists.
Simply take a container (like a plastic bucket) that can float in your pool, and fill it to about 2/3 full with pool water. Mark the waterline at the top of the pool water in the container, and then place the container in the pool – try to secure the container so that it won’t tip over. Don’t use the pool for at least one day; the test period.
After the test period check the levels of water in both the container and the pool. If you see that the amount of water lost in the test period is equal for both, you can assume that you probably don’t have a leak and that evaporation is the cause of your lower water levels in the pool. However, if the level of water in the pool is lower than that of the container, you probably have a leak.
You Have a Leak – Now Find Out Where It Is
Two areas of your pool’s water system can be checked relatively simply. One is the multiport valve gasket, and the other is the circulation system itself.
The most common source of leaks is found in the multiport valve gasket. By checking the backwash pipeline while the circulation system is running, you might find a small dribble of water leaking from the pipe. While this leak might not be the only cause of water leakage in your pool, it’s sure that if you find this pipe leak you have at least A source of leakage.
The circulation system requires a bit more effort to test, but nothing difficult. Take these simple steps:
- Measure the amount of water you lose over the course of 24 hours while the circulation system is running.
- After turning the circulation system off, take another 24 hours and then measure the level of water in the pool once more.
If you find that more water loss (or even all of the loss) occurs when the system is shut off, then the source of your leak is within the pressure side of the circulation system. Conversely, if more water is lost when the circulation system is shut off, your leak is most probably within your circulation suction. And if the water loss is the same in both tests, you most likely have a leak within the shell of the pool itself.
A Pressure Leak, Pipeline Leak, or Pool Shell Leak
A damaged gasket can cause water to get behind the return-inlet fittings’ liner (if one is used) if the cause of your leak comes from the pressure side of the circulation system. This is an item that can be easily replaced and might prevent further repair services.
Pipeline leaks require more extensive examination, and you should contact Horizon Pool & Aptio to run a pressure test of the system.
Finally, a leak in the pool shell will require repair(s) to the area source of the leak. Finding where a shell leak originates requires a prolonged process of allowing the water level in the pool to continue to drop while leaving the circulation system if off, until the water line remains stable. The leak (or at least the lowest leak) should be parallel to the lowered water line.
To help locate and repair pool leaks, contact Horizon Pool & Patio at12785A West Forest Hill Blvd Wellington, Florida 33414.
We can also be reached by phone at (561) 790-0665, through fax at (561) 790-0666, or through our website.
