Pool care blog
How to Spot a Pool Leak Before It Costs You
· 5 min read
The bucket test, the warning signs in your yard, and when water loss stops being evaporation.
Run a bucket test first
Fill a bucket with pool water, set it on a step so it is partially submerged, and mark the water level inside and outside. After 24–48 hours, compare. If the pool level dropped more than the bucket level, evaporation is not your explanation.
Know the normal loss rate
In a Southern California summer, roughly an eighth to a quarter inch per day of evaporation is normal, more on hot windy days. Consistent loss beyond that, especially when it continues through cool or humid stretches, is a leak.
Look outside the pool
Soggy patches of lawn, sinking deck sections, shifting pavers or a constantly running autofill are all signs of an underground plumbing leak. A water bill that jumped without a change in habits is often the first hard evidence.
Watch the equipment pad
Air bubbles at the returns, a pump that loses prime, or a pressure gauge that reads erratically point to a suction-side leak. Visible drips at unions and valves are easier fixes but should not be ignored.
Why speed matters
Leaks rarely stay small. Water moving through soil erodes bedding under decks and can undermine the pool structure. Chemistry costs also climb because you are constantly re-treating fresh fill water.