Swimming pool leaks are not uncommon. Diagnosis of a swimming pool leak is normally best left to professionals, but there are several steps you can take to narrow down the cause of the leak. As leak detection is so expensive the more information you can supply to the pool company the faster they can find the problem - you never know, you might even find it yoursefl!

A swimming pool leak can be a nightmare for the pool owner.

The cost of an untreated swimming pool leak can be enormous, not just in terms of lost water, but also with problems that can be created by the water that has escaped from the pool. By understanding the possible causes it may be possible to repair the leak yourself. Untreated swimming pool leaks can, over time, cause subsidence and structural problems for the pool or near by buildings.

So what do I do?

Gather information and eliminate possible causes. This will narrow down the places where a leak could be. Most tests should be done with water in the pool. This is very important if you need a pro, much of their equipment is dependent on saturated ground, but consult them first as some tests can be done without water in the swimming pool. It is futile to allow the water to find its natural level and assume its at the closest fitting. In 9 times out of 10, the leak is not in the pipe you think. Many of the pipes form a U bend. Or they are interconnected.

All of these steps can be taken by the home owner, but sometimes a specialist is needed. On the Costa Del Sol, Specialised Swimming Pool Repairs, have the latest in pressure testing, noise correlation and micro CCTV equipment.

Find out if the swimming pool is actually leaking.

Sometimes there is more evaporation than normal or a valve may have been left open etc...Perform a bucket test (details below). Checks on pump house plumbing. Establish if it is a suction leak or a pressure leak. Tests on lights and structure. Inspection of most common leak areas. Fluid for repairing leaks.

Evaporation. Most pools loose around 1inch or 25mm per week even in hot weather. This can triple, if heavy bathing is combined with very hot weather or heavy wind.The bucket test will show if the pool is leaking. The method is to half fill a bucket with water, put this on the top step of the pool. Mark the level of the water in the bucket and the level of the water in the pool. Leave for 24 hours, then measure the amount that each has dropped. If the water level in the pool has dropped more than the water in the bucket, there is a leak. If both have dropped the same amount, the water loss is due to environmental concerns.

A leak has been established. Now what?