If you’re concerned that your pool is losing water and could have a leak, you’ll want to first eliminate other common causes of water loss.
The Un-leaky Culprits
Did you know that on the hottest summer days, a pool can evaporate up to a 1/4″ of water? That’s 2 inches in just 1 week! Air temperature, wind conditions, humidity levels and lack of shade and protection from the elements can all contribute to how much water your pool loses each day. You could also see significant water loss if you’ve had higher than usual pool traffic – especially if there’s been lots of splashing.
Pool repairs are an inevitable part of pool ownership. It is always a bummer, however, when an unexpected pool leak interrupts even one day of pool season.

The Bucket Test
There is a simple way to determine if your pool water is evaporating or leaking. All you will need is a bucket, a pool step or ladder and these instructions.
- Fill a bucket 1-2″ from the brim with your pool water.
- Place the almost full bucket of water in your pool on the
second pool step or top rung of the ladder. You’ll want the water in the bucket to be level with the water in your pool. - Mark the water level on the inside and outside of the bucket with tape or a permanent marker. Be sure to turn off your auto-refill device if you have one.
- Test 1: Leave the bucket alone for at least 24 hours with the pump on, then measure the water level in your pool and your bucket.
- Test 2: Leave the bucket alone for at least 24 hours with the pump off, then measure the water level in your pool and your bucket.
If the pool water level has decreased by the same amount as the bucket water level, you don’t have a leak, you have evaporation. If the pool water has decreased more than the bucket water, you likely do have a leak. Check out this video from American Leak Detection to see the test in action.
- You lose more water when the pump is running – the problem is in the plumbing. Call a professional (or contact us for a referral) to perform a pressure test to pinpoint the leak.
- You lose the same amount of water when the pump is on or off – the issue is likely in the liner, lights, or somewhere in the shell of the pool. It could also be a leak in the hydrostatic valves at the bottom of the pool.

The Dye Trick
For this exercise you will need food coloring or leak finding dye, goggles and a snorkel.
- Take your food coloring, goggles and snorkel into the pool and prepare to search for the leak. Pro Tip: Move slowly around the pool to avoid disturbing the water.
- If you suspect the leak to be higher up the wall, we recommend draining your pool to that level to see if leaking appears to stop and to narrow down the location of the leak.
- Test areas with visible cracks by squirting food coloring or dye in bursts into the cracks to see if the coloring gets sucked into the cracks. If it does, you have discovered the location of a leak!
- If you aren’t sure where to start, we recommend starting near your main drain and return lines or anywhere the pool’s shell has been punctured.
Fixing the Leak
We highly recommend contacting professionals to do the necessary repairs, especially if the leak involves your pool plumbing. However, if you have a concrete, plaster or fiberglass pool and you feel comfortable tackling the problem yourself, be sure to do your research and purchase the proper supplies. If you have a vinyl pool liner and have identified a liner leak, you can purchase a vinyl repair kit in our store and attempt to patch the hole before bringing in the pros.
We also recommend and carry Natural Chemistry’s Coverfree® liquid solar blanket. “Coverfree’s advanced technology offers the ability to save water and money by decreasing evaporation. Coverfree forms on the water surface. Even when the water is disturbed by the wind or bathers, it reforms the liquid barrier at the surface to protect from energy loss.” Check out this video to see how it works and stop by our store to purchase some today!

The longer it takes to determine that you have a pool leak, the more difficult it can be to address the issue. Make it a priority to routinely check your pool and equipment for signs of leaks to prevent headaches in the future.
[…] If your pool is losing water, you are literally throwing money down the drain. Overtime you could be losing thousands of gallons of water if a leak is not detected right away. We can’t stress the waste factor here enough. Identify and fix your pool leaks. […]
Thanks for sharing valuable information. Clearly explain the pool leaks and how to identify them. The blog is interesting and useful for those owing swimming pools in their home. Keep blogging!
Thanks so much for your feedback, Andrea! We are so happy you’re enjoying our blog and finding it helpful!
Thanks for sharing valuable information. Clearly explain the pool leaks and how to identify them. The blog is interesting and useful for those owing swimming pools in their home. Keep blogging!
[…] If your pool is losing water, you are throwing money down the drain. Over time, you could be losing thousands of gallons of water if a leak is not detected right away. Identify and fix your pool leaks. […]
[…] If your pool is losing water, you are throwing money down the drain. Over time, you could be losing thousands of gallons of water if a leak is not detected right away. Identify and fix your pool leaks. […]
This is a great guide! Thank you for this!