Pool Losing Water — Is It Evaporation or a Leak?
All pools lose some water to evaporation, splash-out and backwash. But unexplained water loss of more than 5–10mm per day typically indicates a structural or plumbing leak. Pool leaks can damage pool shell integrity, erode surrounding soil, undermine decking, saturate lawn areas and flood basements — and a pool that is always losing water is always adding to your chemical cost. We locate pool leaks without draining the pool in most cases.
Possible Sources
Crack in pool shell (concrete, fibreglass or vinyl liner)
→ Pool Leak DetectionFailed main drain gasket or fitting connection
→ Pool Leak DetectionLeaking return line or suction line buried below the deck
→ Underground Leak DetectionFailed pump room plumbing connections above grade
→ Pool Leak DetectionLeaking skimmer body or faceplate at the pool wall
→ Pool Leak DetectionWhat You Can Check Yourself
- 1
The bucket test: fill a bucket to pool water level and place it on a step. Mark both levels. After 24 hours with the pump off — if the pool level dropped more than the bucket, you have a leak
- 2
Check the pump room for wet equipment pads, dripping fittings or staining from recurring water loss
- 3
Walk the perimeter of the pool for consistently wet soil, sunken decking or cracking near fittings
- 4
Note whether the pool loses more water with the pump running (return line leak) or off (shell or drain leak)
How a Specialist Finds the Exact Source
- Bucket test: confirm evaporation rate vs. actual pool loss to confirm a leak exists before any investigation
- We perform a full pool-on / pool-off pump test to determine if the leak is in the shell or the plumbing
- Dye testing at fittings, drains, skimmers and visible cracks locates shell entry points
- Pressure testing of buried return and suction lines identifies underground plumbing leaks
- For buried line leaks, acoustic detection or tracer gas locates the breach without excavation
When to Call a Professional
- The bucket test confirms you're losing more water than evaporation accounts for
- Your pool is losing more than 5–10mm per day
- You see wet or sunken areas around the pool perimeter or in nearby landscaping
- Your chemical consumption has increased significantly (leaking water = adding new untreated water constantly)
Other Common Problems
Frequently asked questions
Can you find a pool leak without draining the pool?
In most cases, yes. Dye testing, equipment testing and pressure testing of the plumbing are all performed with the pool filled. We drain only when the suspected source is at the very bottom of the shell and cannot be accessed any other way.
My pool deck is cracking near the pool edge — is it related to a leak?
Possibly. Soil erosion from a pool shell or plumbing leak can cause surrounding decking to subside or crack. Conversely, decking movement from soil heave can crack the pool shell. We assess both the pool and the surrounding conditions.
Found Your Source — Now Let's Confirm It
LeakInspections.ca — a division of Anyleak.ca and Leak.ca — serves homeowners, strata councils and property managers across BC since 1999.