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Pool Leak Tips & Tricks

Pool Leak Tips & Tricks

Some water loss is normal, but if you’re topping off often, watch for these signs:

■ Losing more than ¼” of water a day

■ Wet spots or puddles near the pool or equipment

■ Cracks around tile, skimmers, or lights

■ A sudden spike in your water bill

Not sure if your pool is leaking?

Try the Bucket Test. It’s an easy way to tell normal evaporation from a real leak.

Need answers?

Precision Pool Diagnostics finds leaks with no digging and no guesswork. If you need major repairs, we’ll send you to experts we trust.

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Leak or Evaporation?

What Is the Bucket Test?

Every pool loses some water. Sun, wind, and humidity pull water out through evaporation, so a slowly dropping water line isn't always a problem.

The bucket test is a simple check you can do at home to find out whether that water loss is just the weather or a sign of a leak. You set a bucket of water on your pool step, wait a day, and compare the two water levels.

No special tools needed — just a bucket, a marker or tape, and 24 hours.

How to Run the Bucket Test

  1. STEP 1

    Prep the pool

    Note where your pool's water line sits right now. If you have an automatic fill device, turn it off for the test.

  2. STEP 2

    Keep everyone out

    No swimming and no pets in the water. Splashing pushes water out of the pool and throws off your results.

  3. STEP 3

    Fill the bucket

    Fill a bucket with water until it's about one inch below the rim.

  4. STEP 4

    Set it on a step

    Place the bucket on a pool step or bench so it sits in the water with the top 5–6 inches above the surface.

  5. STEP 5

    Mark both levels

    Mark the water level inside the bucket, then mark the pool's water level on the outside of the bucket.

  6. STEP 6

    Compare after 24 hours

    If the pool level dropped more than the water inside the bucket, you're losing more than evaporation can explain — and a leak is likely.

Bucket of water set on a pool step to check for a pool leak

Did it rain during your 24 hours? Start the test over. Rainwater changes both levels and skews the comparison.

Pool dropped more than the bucket? Precision Pool Diagnostics finds leaks with no digging and no guesswork.

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