Pool leak detection in Tampa
Every Tampa pool loses water to evaporation, so the first job is telling a leak from a hot week. Once it's a leak, the question is where, and finding it right the first time is what keeps the repair small.
Signs of a leak
- The water drops more than a quarter inch a day
- You're adding water with the hose more than once a week
- Soggy ground or settling pavers near the pool or equipment
- The autofill runs constantly
- Air in the pump basket or bubbles from the returns
- Cracks in the plaster or around the skimmer that weep when the level drops
Leak repairs
Skimmer and fittings
Resealing the skimmer throat and return fittings, the most common leak points in older pools.
Light niche and conduit
Sealing the light cord conduit, which drains a surprising amount of water.
Shell cracks
Epoxy or hydraulic cement repairs, and advice on when a crack means it's time to resurface.
Underground plumbing
Cutting and repairing the failed section, or rerouting a line when that's cleaner than digging.
Equipment leaks
Pump seals, filter tanks, heater headers and valves that drip onto the pad.
How a leak is found
- The bucket test. A bucket of pool water on the step, marked alongside the pool level. If the pool drops faster than the bucket, it's a leak.
- Pump on versus pump off. Losing more with the pump running points to pressure-side plumbing. Losing more with it off points to suction-side or the shell.
- Dye and pressure tests. Dye at the skimmer, returns, light niche and cracks; each plumbing line pressurized to see which one won't hold.
- Listening. Electronic listening equipment to pinpoint an underground plumbing leak before anyone digs or cuts the deck.
What affects the price
- Whether detection and repair are the same visit.
- Where the leak is. A skimmer seal is simple; an underground line under a deck is not.
- Deck or paver removal and replacement.
- Whether a structural crack points to resurfacing instead.
You get the price for your job before any work starts.
Leaks in Tampa Bay pools
Tampa's sandy soil shifts, and older pools in South Tampa, Carrollwood and Temple Terrace have had decades of it. Skimmers pull away from the shell, return lines crack where the deck settled, and plaster cracks open up. In summer, when evaporation can hit a quarter inch a day, a real leak hides inside a number that looks normal, which is why the bucket test comes first.
Common questions
How much water loss is normal in Tampa?
Up to a quarter inch a day in summer from evaporation, less in winter. More than that, consistently, is a leak.
Can you find a leak without digging?
Usually. Pressure testing and listening equipment locate most plumbing leaks to within a foot or two before anything is opened up.
Will a leak make my pool pop out of the ground?
A leak alone, no. An empty pool in a high water table can. That's why draining is never the first step.
Is a leak urgent?
It's expensive rather than dangerous. The water bill, the chemicals going down the drain and erosion under the deck add up, so sooner is cheaper.
Related services
Areas we serve
Leak detection across Tampa and these nearby communities: