Just wanted to share this region-specific story for anyone in the area who thinks they may have a pool leak. I was in the same situation as many of you. The pool seems to be dropping faster than normal, but you're not 100% sure. Leak detection companies cost $500 - $1000 and then some, so do you spend the $$$ to confirm what may just be paranoia?
I was seeing a drop of 1/4" - 1/2" per day in my 30,000 gallon inground pool with a vinyl liner with full sun almost all day in June/July. It's more drop than I remembered, but with global warming, who knows if it was just evaporation. Strangely, no real drop over the fall/winter/spring when it was covered. The liner is new but the plumbing is 30 years old. I did the bucket test in the summer and the pool went down much faster than the bucket. I also noticed that my neighbor's pool wasn't dropping at all. Evidence of a leak was growing.
I built a pressure test kit and tested the lines (which can be extremely dangerous - FYI). They all held water pressure and I let them each line sit under 10 psi for 30 minutes. I then plugged all of the suction and return lines to see if the pool level still dropped, which it did. That told me that the lines were good, but there was a leak somewhere else. I then did a dye test of the skimmer housings, pool light housing, main drain housing, and every single location where the liner was cut out and fastened such as skimmer holes in the wall, stairs, returns, and vacuum port.
After almost giving up, I saw dye being sucked in the right corner of the stairs where the faceplate/gasket meets the liner (and holds it in). The company that replaced the liner reused the 30-year old faceplate and gaskets instead of installing new ones, resulting in a small gap. I read that it's a massive risk to attempt to replace the faceplate and gasket, as the liner may slip out and not go back in. I repaired it using Epoxybond 2-part pool putty stuffed into the gaps, which hardens into a plastic-like substance even underwater. Worked like a charm. Now, even in a heat wave with temps in the 80s and 90s, the pool level does not drop (maybe a millimeter a day, if that).
So the lesson learned is that even a 1/4" drop per day in this area could be a leak. 1/4 - 1/2" may be normal for Texas and Florida, but not here. The pool level might not appear to drop when it's closed in colder seasons, but we also get tons of snow and rain and the water table may be higher, which prevents leaking. Do the bucket test and buy a $20 dye test kit before hiring a leak detection company.
I won't advocate for DIY pressure testing because it could kill you, as plugs can shoot out like a cannon. If you built your own test rig, everything must be 100% perfect since a leak in the rig (not enough teflon tape, loose fitting, etc.) or the failure to plug a line will show a leak when there isn't one. My first try at the test rig had leaks at the pressure gauge because it wasn't tight enough. I also used the cheap rubber winterizing plugs at first and they leak even when tight, and eventually purchased the more expensive and specialized leak detection plugs, which work perfectly. You can still test your lines by buying these plugs and blocking up all of your lines to see if the pool drops or not.
Best of luck!
I was seeing a drop of 1/4" - 1/2" per day in my 30,000 gallon inground pool with a vinyl liner with full sun almost all day in June/July. It's more drop than I remembered, but with global warming, who knows if it was just evaporation. Strangely, no real drop over the fall/winter/spring when it was covered. The liner is new but the plumbing is 30 years old. I did the bucket test in the summer and the pool went down much faster than the bucket. I also noticed that my neighbor's pool wasn't dropping at all. Evidence of a leak was growing.
I built a pressure test kit and tested the lines (which can be extremely dangerous - FYI). They all held water pressure and I let them each line sit under 10 psi for 30 minutes. I then plugged all of the suction and return lines to see if the pool level still dropped, which it did. That told me that the lines were good, but there was a leak somewhere else. I then did a dye test of the skimmer housings, pool light housing, main drain housing, and every single location where the liner was cut out and fastened such as skimmer holes in the wall, stairs, returns, and vacuum port.
After almost giving up, I saw dye being sucked in the right corner of the stairs where the faceplate/gasket meets the liner (and holds it in). The company that replaced the liner reused the 30-year old faceplate and gaskets instead of installing new ones, resulting in a small gap. I read that it's a massive risk to attempt to replace the faceplate and gasket, as the liner may slip out and not go back in. I repaired it using Epoxybond 2-part pool putty stuffed into the gaps, which hardens into a plastic-like substance even underwater. Worked like a charm. Now, even in a heat wave with temps in the 80s and 90s, the pool level does not drop (maybe a millimeter a day, if that).
So the lesson learned is that even a 1/4" drop per day in this area could be a leak. 1/4 - 1/2" may be normal for Texas and Florida, but not here. The pool level might not appear to drop when it's closed in colder seasons, but we also get tons of snow and rain and the water table may be higher, which prevents leaking. Do the bucket test and buy a $20 dye test kit before hiring a leak detection company.
I won't advocate for DIY pressure testing because it could kill you, as plugs can shoot out like a cannon. If you built your own test rig, everything must be 100% perfect since a leak in the rig (not enough teflon tape, loose fitting, etc.) or the failure to plug a line will show a leak when there isn't one. My first try at the test rig had leaks at the pressure gauge because it wasn't tight enough. I also used the cheap rubber winterizing plugs at first and they leak even when tight, and eventually purchased the more expensive and specialized leak detection plugs, which work perfectly. You can still test your lines by buying these plugs and blocking up all of your lines to see if the pool drops or not.
Best of luck!
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