Is My Pool Leaking? How to Perform a Bucket Test
Every pool is different, and it can be quite difficult sometimes, with rain and evaporation, to determine if a pool is leaking. Follow these simple steps to determine if you have a leak, or if you are experiencing normal evaporative water loss.
Required Items
Bucket
Crayon (or wax pencil, or tape)
What to do
1. Fill your bucket about 1" from the top with the pool water
2. Set the bucket on the first step
3. Mark the pools water level on the outside of the bucket
4. Mark the bucket water level on the inside of the bucket.
5. Wait 24 hours and compare marks. If pool water has dropped more than the bucket did, you may have a leak. Call The Leak Guys at (727)922-1057 or (941)822-6602
Some notes about the test
-You want your bucket to get a comparable amount of sun and wind as your pool. This is why you want to fill the bucket nearly full, because your pool is nearly full. If your steps are covered, or get a a lot of shade, this may not be the best way to perform the test. For more accurate results, put the bucket on the deck, in the sun. To mark the pool level, shut the pump OFF and immediately mark the level INSIDE THE SKIMMER. Then, turn the pump back on. When you check the mark in the skimmer after a day has passed, shut the pump OFF before checking.
-Because the bucket water is flat, and the pool water moves and has ripples, there is commonly an insignificant difference between the levels in a 24 hour period. However, if you leave the bucket for a longer, this difference will become more significant. This is why I recommend a 24 hour test. "If you cant tell your pool is leaking in 24 hours, it ain't leaking"