The most obvious sign of a leaking pool is water loss, but are there other common symptoms to be on the lookout for?
Absolutely!
Here are a few additional items that pool service professionals can pay attention to, even if they are not leak detection specialists, to help customers avoid further damage to their outdoor investments.
Water Level Changes
The clearest sign a pool is leaking is that the water level drops within the pool. But is it leaking, or just evaporation? Evaporation rates vary depending on wind, air and water temperature, humidity and other factors.
Anderson Manufacturing has an easy to use and free online Evaporation Calculator to see the evaporation rate in a specific area based current weather data. Go to www.leaktools.com and click on Evaporation Estimator. Simply type in a zip code and the calculator will estimate the expected daily water loss. Water loss in excess of that amount indicates that the pool is leaking.
Cracks or Falling Tile
When a pool is leaking, the ground surrounding the pool becomes unsettled by the presence of excess water, so cracks and tile movement are more likely to occur. Additional cracks or gaps in the bond beam may occur as the pool settles farther into the softened ground.
Wet Spots in Yard
Soft, mushy spots or uneven grass growth around the pool area may indicate a plumbing leak. Erosion due to water movement underground can cause landscaping to shift and sink.
High Water Bills
Automatic fill devices can hide leaks by keeping the pool filled. Pay attention to whether the autofill is running constantly or ask the customer about increased water bills.
If so, it’s time to start investigating for a leak.
Water Under Equipment
Standing water or corrosion at the pump or around pipes is an obvious sign of a leak. Equipment leaks can often be found with just visual inspection.
Air or Dirt Blown into Pool
A plumbing system leak may pull air or dirt into the plumbing system through a leak. That dirt can wind up being blown into the pool from the returns. This may also cause mysterious gurgling sounds.
Algae Growth
Continually adding new, untreated water to a leaking pool often leads to fluctuating chemical consumption and algae growth or discoloration.
Instead of continuing to treat the water, finding and repairing a leak may be the solution.
