Pool Leak Detector Near Me: 5 Things You Should Tell Your Technician

After you’ve made your pool leak detection appointment, there are a few things you may want to tell your pool leak detector to help them perform the most accurate test possible.

You might wonder why you need to know what to tell a pool leak detector when you book an appointment. After all, shouldn’t they just show up and find the leak?

Well, ideally, yes. But pool leak detection is actually a more nuanced skill than you might think.

The things we will go through in this article will also help you understand your pool a little more and give you insight into what you should look for when you suspect a pool leak.

The questions we ask pool owners help us troubleshoot the problem and can save you frustration and unnecessary expense.

For instance, if you have water features, we will ask whether the pool loses water differently when those features are running. This matters for a couple of reasons. Some water-feature lines can be difficult or impossible to pressure test. If you turn the features off for a day and the water loss stops, that is a strong clue that the leak may be related to the water-feature system. Simple, right?

If the water-feature system is clearly isolated as the likely source, we may be able to move straight to the appropriate repair instead of performing a full leak detection. Keeping the feature off may also reduce ongoing water loss while you wait for service.

On the flip side, if the water loss does not change with the water features on or off, we can focus more closely on other parts of the pool.

So, with that said, here are a few pieces of information you’ll want to tell your leak detector.

Five things to tell your pool leak detector

1) When was the last time you filled up your pool?

This is the simplest question to ask yourself. It may seem too simple.

But why is this question important?

First, it establishes that you understand a baseline for the level at which you fill up your pool.

It also tells us how much water you are actually losing if you aren’t measuring.

So often, we go to pools after customers insist they are losing inches every day. We show up, and the water level is very high. Our pool leak detector will then ask, “When was the last time you filled up your pool?” Quite often, the answer will indicate that the pool doesn’t have a leak.

This isn’t necessarily the homeowner’s fault. It is so easy to feel like something is going wrong with your pool when it might not be. Maybe evaporation is high. Maybe you are overfilling the pool and don’t know where the extra water is going.

Either way, being able to tell your pool leak detector when you last filled the pool gives both you and the technician a clearer picture of the water-loss pattern.

2) Does your pool only leak when the pool is running?

Here is another useful question that may help narrow the problem and potentially save you money.

You see, when a pool is only leaking when the pool is running, this is often a sign of some very specific issues.

One common cause we see is water escaping through the backwash line. This can happen because of a faulty backwash valve or because the valve is not fully closed.

When this happens, water escapes to the drains every time your pool pump is on.

Here’s a super easy way to check your backwash for a leak.

3) How much water are you losing to evaporation versus a leak?

So, if you’ve kept up with our blogs, you know we can’t stop talking about “The Pool Bucket Test!”

It’s true—we love the bucket test because it gives the technician a useful comparison between pool water loss and local evaporation.

A pool bucket test essentially measures the difference in water loss from a 5-gallon bucket to the water loss in your pool.

Since we know the bucket doesn’t have a leak, any water loss from the bucket over 24 hours would be considered your evaporation level.

When you compare that amount with the loss in your pool, you can better determine whether the pool is losing water from evaporation or from a leak.

This is so important during the summer months because we see some pretty scary water loss amounts due to evaporation. And if you had to pay for a full leak detection just for us to tell you that you don’t have a leak, it’s just high evaporation… that’s a double ouch!

So, do the pool bucket test first to make sure your water loss is definitely due to a leak.

Click here for instructions on how to do the Bucket Test.

If you can’t do the bucket test, measuring how much water the pool loses each day is still helpful. The online tool below estimates evaporation in your area. It is not as precise as a bucket test because evaporation can vary from one backyard to another, but it can still provide useful context.

https://www.leaktools.com/evaporation-estimator.html

4) Does the pool stop leaking at any point?

Again, this is another observation that may help narrow the search and save you money.

Now, this is simple.

If it is safe for your pool type and conditions, turn off the equipment and carefully monitor whether the water level continues to drop.

If the pool stops leaking at any point, that is an indication that you have found where the leak might be.

For instance, if the water stops dropping at the bottom of your skimmers, the skimmers are likely the source of the leak.

This could be from a break in the skimmer line or a crack in the skimmer throat.

Either way, we can suggest a single-line test, which we do for a lower price than the full leak detection.

If the water keeps dropping, the level where it eventually stops can provide useful diagnostic information—for example, near a light, return, or skimmer. However, do not intentionally allow a pool to drain excessively. Some pools can be seriously damaged when the water level gets too low, so contact a qualified pool professional before allowing a substantial drop.

If the leak appears to stop at the skimmer level, a pool professional may be able to advise whether the skimmer circuit can be isolated temporarily while circulation continues through another suction source. Do not change valve positions or operate the system in an unfamiliar configuration without confirming that it is safe for your specific equipment.

5) Do your water features have their own pump?

Okay, this one is a little tricky, but it is worth knowing whether your waterfalls or other water features have their own pump.

I won’t go into the details of this too deeply. However, this is something for a pool leak detection company to know.

If a water-feature line has its own pump and contains a break below the pool’s water level, that plumbing may continue to lose water even when the feature is not actively running.

In some plumbing layouts, a break below the pool’s water level can allow gravity or siphoning to continue moving water through the damaged line.

If your pool loses water with the equipment off and the water features use a separate pump, tell the technician. Do not open pump lids or alter equipment unless the system is shut down and you are comfortable following the manufacturer’s instructions.

A change in water loss after safely isolating that circuit can be a useful clue that the problem is somewhere between the equipment and the water feature.

If the evidence narrows the problem sufficiently, the technician can advise whether targeted testing or a repair assessment is appropriate. Confirm the scope and any fee before changing the appointment.

Things to tell your Pool Leak Detector: Conclusion

In conclusion, there are five useful pieces of information you can gather before calling a pool leak detection company or before your technician arrives.

• 1) Know the last time you filled your pool and how much water you’ve lost since you last filled it up.
• 2) Note whether the pool loses water differently when the equipment is running versus when it is off.
• 3) Use a bucket test to determine whether the pool is losing more water than can be explained by evaporation.
• 4) Note whether the water loss stops at a particular level or fitting.
• 5) Check whether your water features have their own pump.

Knowing these things can save you a lot of time and money. And if you’re more curious about how to do these things, please give us a call or read more of our How To Blog Posts!