How To Locate and Repair Swimming Pool Leaks Like a Pro.

One of the biggest mistakes a person can make is not checking to see if there is really a swimming pool leak or if it’s something else. Even though you may think it’s a leak, it could be something entirely different. There are only three main causes of water loss with swimming pools:

• *Plumbing leaks
• *Shell leaks
• *Evaporation. 
  

You need to make sure (absolutely sure) that it is, without a doubt, a leak.  There are times when the “swimming pool leak” is really a lot of splashing out of the sides because of a crowd diving in, or forcing water over. The other could be evaporation.

You must make sure that your pool is not evaporating. Evaporation is one of the most common reasons a pool can appear to have a leak. Here is how you find out if your pool is merely evaporating or if you have a leak:

First, you want to take a large container and fill it with water.  Put it on the first pool step.  Next, remove some of that water in the container  so that the water in the pool and the container are the same level.  At this point you want to leave the container in the water for a few days. Make sure no one uses the pool while you are conducting this test.

When you check back, the levels should be the same.  If the levels of both the pool and the container have gone down, then you now know that you have water evaporating from your pool, and there is no need to call the swimming pool repair man. If, however, you have a large amount of water gone from the pool, and not from the container, you know you have a problem.

If this is the case, and you have boiled it down to a leak in your swimming pool, it is time that you pin point where the leak is coming from. Make sure you always start by looking at the pump and the plumbing leading toward the swimming pool. This way, you can notice if there are any moist or damp areas along the way to the pool, and you can see if it is due to a bad connection in your plumbing.  In most cases, a swimming pool leak will turn out to be a connection with one of the pipes. 

If you’ve gone through all of this trouble, and there is still no sign of the leak, then you’re probably looking at a leak in the shell.  This is easy to find if you have an above ground swimming pool, as you can find the whole, and repair it simply.  Though, if you have a pool that is below ground, it is probably going to be a little more complicated.  Try to inspected the shell in the pool, and if that doesn’t bring any indication of a leak, begin checking surrounding areas.

Usually, finding a leak in your swimming pool usually is a process of elimination until you find what is causing it. Most of the time, when a leak is found, it is up to you to either call a professional, or repair it yourself. Choose the professional.