Have you noticed that you’ve been adding a lot more water to your pool lately ? Unless there has been a significant change in environmental factors, you may have a leak. The first thing you must do is assess whether you have a leak.

Here is how to find a leak in your swimming pool:

• Fill a bucket with water from the pool, setting it on the steps of the pool with the top of the bucket above water level. If you do not have steps installed with your swimming pool, find a way to attach the bucket to the ladder. It is important to maintain the same environmental factors like temperatures to ensure proper test results. Make sure the water level in the bucket matches the water level of the surrounding pool water.
• Come back after several days to check the bucket. If you notice a difference between the two levels of water, you have a leak.

The next step is finding where the leak is, whether it is in the structure or the plumbing of your swimming pool. To do this you must fill your pool back to its normal level, marking it with a piece of duct tape. Leave your filter system running over the next day or so, and measure the loss of water. Repeat the steps, this time leaving your filter system off. Try to repeat the test during the same time of day as the first to ensure environmental factors stay the same. Here are what the results of the tests indicate:

• If the water loss is greater when the filter system is running, the pressure side of the plumbing system has been compromised.
• If the water loss is greater with the filter system off, the leak is somewhere on the vacuum side of your pump.
• If the water loss remains the same, the leak is in the structure of your swimming pool.

To fix a leak in the plumbing, there are two ways to find the leak.

1. Pressure test the lines, then dig as you follow the leak. Once you find it, use a patching kit to repair.
2. Call your local professionals, who have geophones specifically designed to listen for a leak, therefore localizing the digging area to save on the mess.

To fix a leak in the structure of a concrete pool you will first need to find it. To do this, make sure the pump is off at least one hour prior to testing. Take some food colouring, squeezing it near the crack. Any area that is leaking will then suck your food colouring in. If you don’t see any visible cracks, test areas around any pool attachments like lights, main drain, returns, skimmer, and so forth as these are common spots for potential leaks. Fix it using a patching kit, then repeat the food colouring test. Don’t forget to leave the pump off to let the patching adhesive settle.

If you have a structural leak in a vinyl pool, it may be harder to find. Just like concrete pools, any attachments like lights, returns, main drain, and skimmer are the most common areas. Check these first, checking to ensure that the liner has not been pulled away or that there is water leaking in behind. If this is the case, call your pool professional to assist you since you may require a new liner altogether. If this is not the case you need to search the liner by running your hands over the floor and walls. Using a vinyl patch kit once you have located the leak should maintain its hold. Again, keep your pump off until it has properly set.

In some cases, it may require actually swimming around your pool to do the food colouring test or find a vinyl structural leak. Follow patch kit instructions when fixing the leak. If the leak is in your plumbing, don’t forget to check around fixtures. If you are uncertain for any reason about whether or not a do-it-yourself remedy will fix your leak, you can always consult your local pool professional for more thorough advice.