It’s not at all uncommon that a pool looks to be losing water, daily evaporation alone might look suspicious, but only a proper leak detection is going to tell a homeowner what’s really going on.
Here’s something you can do today. Make sure your pool is filled to it’s proper level. Make a small pencil line on the edge of the skimmer throat or on a small area of grout where the water level is sitting full. After a few days, note they difference from where the water was, to where it is now.
An average 15,000 gallon pool may be subject of up to 3/4 of an inch of water loss due to daily evaporation. No major concerns, but if three days has passed and four inches of water is gone from your pool, it’s time for a leak detection. Call CalTech.
Here are Five Signs It Might Be Time For A Leak Detection.
1. Changing water levels:
As we discussed above, looking at the changing water levels in your pool is an obvious sign that you may be losing water somewhere. Water loss in pipes and plumbing may be slow, and sometimes water will drop to the area where the leak occurs and it will stop dropping. This might appear to be a sign of where the leak is, but other factors might be at play. Equipment failures, floats, check valve and other issues might be the reason for water loss. Call for a leak detection.
2. You see moisture or water puddles:
A big sign of a leak is water pooling and gathering where it shouldn’t be. Water alongside the decking or patio might be coming from a broken pipe under the concrete. Soft or mushy areas in the lawn might reveal a broken pipe running under the dirt and taking water out of the pool.
While it’s common that splash out and sprinklers on uneven laws can cause water to gather in one area, when water is in a place it shouldn’t be, a leak is most often the reason and will need a leak detection right away.
3. Cracked or missing tiles:
If you see cracked tiles, or areas where tiles have popped off, this could be a sign of shifting, settling or cracking concrete behind the tiles. A separation of concrete in an area where a cold-joint occurs is a big reason water gets pulled from a pool. It simply escapes through the area where the crack occurs, and as a result of that water moving through, tiles may pop off, or as the crack gets bigger, it shows by cracking tiles. Get the area inspected for leaks and have repairs made to ensure your pool lasts for years to come.
4. Water near the equipment pad:
If you see wet areas around the pool equipment, there could be a bad seal, or something just simply broken. A valve could be malfunctioning, or connecting pipes may have weathered to the point of not holding in water. As part of a proper pool inspection, these areas are looked over for potential leaks and water loss, a leak detection does more than just test the pool shell. Wet areas around pumps and pool equipment are a sign of a leak that might be easily repaired. Call for a leak detection.
5. Chemical balances are skewed:
A big sign of a leak is that chemicals in your pool keep washing out. If your pool service technician has mentioned that he has to keep adding chemicals to balance the pool water, it might be due to losing water in the pool. Look for other signs of water leaks, but call for a leak detection to know for sure.
CalTech Pools is the leading provider of swimming pool leak detections and repair services in The San Fernando Valley, Malibu, Simi Valley and Lower Ventura county. Using the non-invasive equipment manufactured by LeakTronics, finding leaks is fast, accurate and easy.
Contact CalTech today if you suspect a leak is plaguing your pool and stop water loss fast. Call 818-436-2953 to schedule a leak detection today.
