Detecting a leak in your pool isn’t an easy thing to do. Pools often have water around them just from using them, and their water levels will drop naturally from use as well as evaporation. So if the presence of moisture or a dropping water level isn’t always an accurate sign of a leak, how do you know if you need pool leak repair in Sacramento, CA? Keep reading to learn the signs of a pool leak and how to more accurately determine if you have one.
Cracks or Falling Tiles
Normal ground shift and settling will put pressure on the structure and cause cracking and leaks in the plaster or cause some decorative tiles to begin to fall off the walls. This is all part of the pool “settling” into the softened ground and can be a sign of trouble for your pool. If you see this, you’ll need to get a professional out to inspect and repair your pool right away.
Wet Spots in the Yard
Water on the deck around your pool is normal when you use it. However, large puddles in nearby grass is a sign of trouble. It means there’s underground seepage that is rising to the surface nearby, and you have a crack somewhere in the pool’s structure that’s leaking. This type of leak can lead to the structural damage we described above, so get it addressed quickly. Although this isn’t very common in California, it can happen. Another thing to look for in your yard is a bright green spot in the yard, or conversely, a dead spot in the yard (due to the pool water’s chemical content) can be a sign of a leak, so keep your eyes peeled.
Water Under the Equipment
Again, while water on the deck isn’t necessarily a sign of a leak, there shouldn’t be water under or around your pool equipment unless it’s from rain or sprinklers. Leaking equipment is usually easier to detect than leaks in a pool’s structure. If you notice water around your equipment, do a thorough visual inspection to see if you can detect where it’s coming from. Look around valves and pipe joints, as these are some of the most common areas to start leaking, and can often be fixed by simply tightening the joists. If there’s not a clear, easy fix for the problem, contact a pool technician to come out and repair the issue or replace the equipment if necessary.
How to Accurately Check for Leaks
Even if you don’t have any of the above issues with your pool, you could still have a leak somewhere. If you feel like your water levels are dropping far faster than they should, and you’re constantly adding more water to your pool, it certainly doesn’t hurt to perform a simple leak test. Here’s a simple method you can use to determine if your pool does have a leak—the bucket test.
As we already stated, water levels dropping is totally normal when you use the pool, and even if you’re not using it often, simple evaporation will cause the water levels to drop a little bit. The bucket test helps to rule out both of these factors as the cause of your dropping water levels. All you need is a 5-gallon bucket and a large rock to weigh it down. Set the bucket on a step in your pool, ensuring that a decent portion of the bucket is below water level; weigh it down with rocks or bricks to keep it in place. Then, add water to the bucket until the water level inside the bucket is the same as the water around it. Now, leave the bucket there and don’t use your pool for at least 24 hours. After this period has passed, check the water level outside and inside the bucket. If they are still the same, you don’t have a leak in your pool; if the water around the bucket is lower, then your pool is leaking.
Get Professional Leak Detection
If you feel fairly confident your pool has a leak, finding its exact location is still quite difficult. The best option is to look for professional pool and spa leak detection in Sacramento, CA, instead of trying to do it yourself. At Bullseye Leak Detection, we specialize in pinpointing the exact location of hard-to-find leaks so that you can get the repairs done quickly and effectively. With our decades of experience and high-tech tools, we can find leaks in the pool’s plumbing, structure, and even underground. Contact us today, and we’ll inspect your pool or spa to find and eliminate those water-wasting leaks.