When you have a swimming pool to enjoy at home, you may spend a significant amount of time maintaining the health and structure of your pool. Even if you keep your pool in great condition, there is still a chance that you discover a pesky leak somewhere. Swimming pool leak repair has various degrees of complexity to it. While a surface-level leak can be an easy fix, other leaks might require a more in depth repair process. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide for you to reference in case your swimming pool springs a leak and requires pool leak repair.

Identifying a Leak in Your Swimming Poolswimming pool ideas pool water fountain

If you want to maintain the longevity of your swimming pool, it’s good practice to consistently look for leaks. You might hire a pool technician to come to assess your pool or decide to examine it for yourself. Tests that a professional could run include:
  • Material checks
  • Sound tests
  • Dye tests
  • Water measurement tests

Material checks

It’s most common for leaks to occur where two different materials meet. This may be where the skimmer, drains, and tile lines coincide. These areas can have rips in the seams or even have hairline cracks that need to be patched up. Also, while harder to detect, underground pipes that make up your pool’s filtration system are another common culprit for leaks within your swimming pool.

Sound tests

When you hire a professional to determine where the leak is coming from, they will probably conduct a few sound tests with specialized tools designed for pool leak detection. These tools can pinpoint the location of the leak, and a technician will use listening equipment to track the flow of water in the underground pipes. If they hear a disruption in the flow of water, they can often target the location of the leak. Another listening device is a hydrophone, which is used to detect leaks above ground in the pool itself. Technicians are likely to use both tools to optimize the process of pool leak detection and provide the most helpful suggestions for maintenance. Knowing the location of the leak can make the pool leak repair process much smoother.

Dye tests

After the sound test, technicians often conduct a dye test. This test is safe for your pool, so you don’t need to worry about the chemical balance of the water. The dye is released near leak-prone areas to easily determine the origin of the leak. Technicians watch the movement of the dye within the water to see where the leak is coming from. After the problem area is identified and fixed, a follow up dye test is conducted after the repair to ensure the leak is totally sealed.

Water level tests

A third method involves the Leakalyzer, which involves sensors and data input, to calculate the amount of water the pool is losing. This can help technicians understand the urgency of the leak. Additionally, knowing how much water the pool is leaking can help you maintain the chemical balance of the pool while you’re waiting for the repair to occur. You can rely on our technicians at Manning Pool Service to help identify and diagnose any leaks in your swimming pool.

Causes For Leaks in Your Pool

Swimming pool maintenanceThere may be a few different reasons why you have a leak in your swimming pool. While some of these leaks may be preventable, others naturally occur. Swimming pool technicians may be able to identify the reason the leak started, which will help you prevent new leaks in the future. Commonly occurring swimming pool leaks include:
  • General wear and tear: Some materials used in pool construction, like vinyl or marble, will wear down after regular use. When these materials age, you might find a leak in your swimming pool. Consider arranging regular inspections to identify problems before a leak appears.
  • Ground movements: Sometimes, the ground may move as a result of tectonic plates shifting below the surface of the earth. Some movements may have a more significant impact on your pool, regardless of its age or construction.
  • Poorly constructed swimming pools: If your pool was constructed quickly or cheaply, it may be more leak prone. Cheaper materials that are less resilient or areas of the pool that weren’t sealed effectively upon construction can cause serious long-term damage.
  • Mechanical issues: Another cause of pool leaks are mechanical issues, which often occur when your pool skimmer breaks. However, this issue is fairly affordable and easier to resolve.
  • Plumbing issues: Sometimes, a pipe connected to your swimming pool can break or burst. This may occur in the skimmer, main drain, or return pipes and the length, cost, and complexity of the repair all depend on the location of the leak.

How To Fix a Swimming Pool Leak

The first step in swimming pool leak repair is identifying the origin of the leak. You could conduct tests on your own, but the best way to find the leak’s location is to call professional technicians to inspect your pool. Contact Manning Pool Service to visit your home for an inspection and diagnosis. The method for fixing the leak in your swimming pool depends on the location, urgency, and severity of the leak. More common types of swimming pool leaks include:

Leaks from pool tiles

If the leak in your swimming pool originates from the tile, there are a few different methods you can try to seal the leak. You can use epoxy to fill the crack in the tile, by squeezing it into the areas of the leak and letting it sit for about an hour. This fix can work above ground or underwater. Another method is a rubber-based sealant, which is similar to epoxy but requires more time to set. You can also seal these leaks with putty, which requires about 20 minutes to set in the tile.

Skimmer leaks

Your swimming pool may have a skimmer leak, which occurs when the seal between the pool wall and the skimmer breaks. One way to fix this leak is to repair it with putty. You can apply the putty with your hands by putting it into the area of the leak, smoothing it out, and waiting 24 hours. If it effectively sets, the putty will turn white in color at the end of the 24-hour period.

Underground plumbing leakspool springboard

If you have a leak in the underground plumbing of your pool, you may need to uproot your pool deck to solve the problem. Then, professionals can replace the pipe or fix the leak without a total replacement. Typically, to fix underground leaks, you can replace glue joints or cracked sections of the pipe by cutting out the broken sections and gluing in new PVC pipes with PVC glue and primer. You might also use silicone sealant or electrical tape to secure the bond. While this type of repair is costly, it’s much less common than other pool leaks.

How To Prevent Leaks

Before leaks become a problem, you can implement some strategies to prevent leaks before they have the chance to start. The first step to prevent leaks starts at the construction process. If you are building a pool from the ground up – only hire highly trained professionals with extensive experience in pool maintenance and pool repair. If you purchase a home with a pool already built-in, consider hiring professionals to inspect the integrity of the pools’ construction before you move in. Expertly constructed pools may have a lower chance of springing a leak later on. You can also prevent leaks by scheduling regular pool maintenance and frequent pool inspections. Our team can visit your home regularly to maintain your pool and inspect it for any potential weak spots. Identifying a leak early on may prevent the problem from getting worse, and will save you money. The investment of frequent inspections is well worth the time and money you’ll save by avoiding a damaging leak. Don’t forget to keep up your pool maintenance routine during the winter months as well. If you do have a leak, you should opt for permanent or long-term solutions instead of short-term, easy fixes. This may involve more of an investment up front but could save you from repeatedly fixing the same leak. If you have professionals fix a small leak right away, there’s less possibility for the same leak to appear again later. Pool leak repair can become an expensive process, so it’s best to deal with it properly as soon as you detect the leak.

The professionals at Manning Pool Services will help

While there may be ways to momentarily fix the leak in your pool, we highly recommend hiring a professional to assist with the repair process and pool maintenance. For bigger repairs, like underground pipe replacement, you’ll likely save time and money by hiring a skilled professional. With other types of leaks, professionals can provide a long-lasting solution to the issue, which may prevent the leak from reoccurring. If you have any questions about the repair process, you can reach out to us. While we hope you never have to deal with a leaky swimming pool, we’re here to help with whatever pool leak repair needs you have. Rather than trying to tackle the pool maintenance yourself, you can rely on Manning Pool Services to identify, diagnose, and fix any pool problems. Leave the process of pool leak repairs to our team so you can enjoy your pool without the headache of figuring out where your leak started from. Feel free to visit us in person, give us a call, or contact us online with your inquiries.   How To Clean a Pool Filter How to Find a Swimming Pool Leak at Home | Manning Pool Service – Houston, TX