As a swimming pool owner, I have many times been in the fix of having to deal with either having a contractor to clean it or to repair it. It is not surprising to see how novice I am when it comes to anything related to swimming pool. The unexpected problem that occurred with me is finding my swimming pool leaking and as someone who panics at the slightest of problems, I tried to call in a plumber to help me but alas, I couldn’t locate where the leak was originating from. That is why I decided to call in a swimming pool repairing contractor. Well, before that I did some research about how to find it the leak for novices, so to help you out here are the things I found out and which company I contacted to help me out.
Have you noticed that you seem to be adding a lot more water than normal to your pool? Has your weather not been unusually dry or hot? Do you find yourself adding water more frequently than you used to? Do you sometimes wonder if you have a leak? If these suspicions begin to cloud your mind, then you need to do the bucket test. Get a utility bucket and place it in your pool somehow (on the steps of an in-ground pool works well). Add water to the bucket until both the water level inside the bucket and the water level of the pool outside the bucket are the same. Mark off both water levels on the bucket itself and wait 24 hours. If the water level of the pool (outside the bucket) has gone down below the water level inside the bucket, then you have a leak (if both are the same, then that is simply evaporation).
There are a few signs that can help you identify a leak as well as the potential source of the leak. Some are obvious, such as if there are any visible cracks anywhere in the pool itself, or if the deck itself is changing its level relative to the pool.
Unless you know how to precisely locate and repair pool leaks, you should hire a professional pool company to find and repair that leak for you. But in the meantime, there are a couple things you can do to try to narrow down the source of the leak. First, walk around the pool deck and the area beyond the deck. Do you see any wet spots? Is the ground beyond the pool soft and mushy? Does it look like an area of grass or plants is not doing as well as the rest of your landscaping? These are suspicious signs.
Next, shut off the filter and pool pumps and do the bucket test again. Is there still an obvious leak? You can take all the results of this investigation and present it to the pool company representative when they visit.
It is important that you clean your pool before the pool leak company shows up. Having debris and other material in the pool can cause holes to be missed because it can cover up the leak. And the team who came out to check my pool for leaks repaired it using these tips:
Swimming Pool Repairs Tip #1: Check the plumbing.
If you seem to be losing water using the filter system running, the leak is likely in the plumbing. The first thing to do is examine where your backwash line comes out. You can do these one of two ways. First, you can perform a pressure test on the lines, then dig, pursuing the leaking line till you discover it. Then again, you can call in your nearby leak detection service. We would highly suggest the latter unless you prefer to dig. Specialists will utilize “geophones” to listen for the leak and only dig where necessary!
Swimming Pool Repair Tip #2: Examine the vinyl liner.
A leak could be a little more challenging to discover and repair in a vinyl pool, but it is not out of the question. We would recommend that you first examine around all the things that pierce the liner (primary drain, returns, lights, etc.). Should you find that the liner has broken free or is leaking behind a fitting, we would Strongly advise that you call in your local pool professional at this stage. If you mess this repair up, you could very easily be investigating a new liner! If you do not detect a leak close to the fittings, you will need to investigate the liner itself.
Swimming Pool Repairs Tip #3: Check the concrete structure.
You will require some food colouring for this, and you will want to turn off the pump at least an hour in advance. In a concrete swimming pool, any cracks in the shell are usually obvious. By squeezing out the food colouring near the crack, you will see the crack pull the food colouring in. That will show you where the swimming pool is leaking. Once the leak is discovered, it is simple to repair utilizing a patching material. Most of them will work under water. After patching, check again with your food colouring to make certain you plugged the leak. Please be aware that should you patch close to a fitting, you will wish to leave the pump off while it cures, so the movement of water does not wash the patch away.
If you are dealing with the same problem as I did, then get the help from the best in the field LEAK INC. in Sydney, NSW. Oh, by the way, I finally managed to learn how to detect leakage problems in swimming pool! Also, I have learnt a new way to decorate my pool which I will share in my other blog!
My favorite part of this article is you were able to clarify here the importance of examining the backwash line for any leaks. Thank you for also informing your readers that food coloring could be used in checking the concrete’s cracks. Well, just in case this happens to me, I’ll make sure to hire a pool contractor that may detect the leak.
I noticed that the water level in my pool seems to be going lower and lower. It makes sense that there could be a leak! Maybe it would be a good idea for me get a professional to take a look for me, because I can’t find one. I don’t want to wait too long, because I can see how this leak could cause a lot of problems.
My sister noticed that her pool is already leaking due to its cracks, which is why she’s thinking of having it repaired. Well, I agree with you that a professional service must be considered because they’re equipped with the right equipment. Anyhow, we’ll keep in mind to hut off the valve too.
I appreciated it when you shared that it is important to clean the pool first before calling a reliable service to check for any leaks. My father just mentioned the other day that he has noticed that the water in our backyard pool has gradually decreased and he is afraid if there is a problem with it. I will suggest to him looking for a reliable service to detect if there are any leakings and make sure to clean it first before the inspection begins.
Thanks for the tip to check where your backwash line comes out. My swimming pool has been losing a lot of water lately, and I can’t identify where the problem is coming from. I’ll check the backwash, and I’ll start looking for a plumber who can help me out.
My uncle thinks that he can get the right kind of care for his pool in order to prevent any accidents, and be better. He would really like to get some help from a professional in order to detect any leaks in the area. I liked what you said about how an obvious leak can be found with a bucket test after shutting off the filter.
I’m glad you mentioned the dangers of vinyl pools leaking. We found a leak and it damaged our pool deck. I’ll have to hire a contractor to do treatment on the wood.
I like that this post shared that when looking to identify leaks from our swimming pool, it is best that we monitor our water levels. The other day my wife mentioned she noticed our water is slowly reducing. I will definitely look at hiring a contractor to have the leaks inspected.
I like your pool tips. I need a contractor for my pool. I think we have a leak.
I like your pool tips. I need to get a hole patched up. It keeps leaking water.
Thank you for explaining about doing a pressure test on the lines to look for the leak. We think that our pool has a leak somewhere, but we aren’t sure where to check. I’ll be sure to try this out before we make a call to someone to help us with getting it fixed.
We appreciate your advice to clean your pool before the pool leak repair firm arrives. My mother is complaining because the pool is leaking. I’ll assist my mother in cleaning the pool before dialing the pool leak repair services.
Thanks for pointing out that it can be harder to find where the leak is in a vinyl pool. With that in mind, we should be hiring a swimming pool repair service to ensure that all the problems can be identified and addressed. We just think that we have that kind of issue after noticing the water going down in just a month.