How to Find a Leak in Your Pool — Step by Step

Think your pool has a leak? Before calling a professional, here’s what you can do at home to confirm it — and where to look.

Step 1: The Bucket Test

Fill a 5-gallon bucket with pool water and place it on a pool step. Mark the water levels inside and outside. Wait 24 hours. If the pool dropped more than the bucket, you have a leak.

Step 2: Pump On vs. Pump Off

Repeat the bucket test with the pump running for 24 hours, then off for 24 hours. If you lose more water with the pump on, the leak is likely in the plumbing. Same rate either way? It’s probably the shell.

Step 3: Visual Inspection

Look for cracks in the pool surface, gaps around skimmers, light niches, and returns. Check the equipment pad for drips. Look for wet spots in the yard.

When to Call a Professional

The bucket test tells you IF you have a leak. Finding WHERE requires professional equipment — acoustic listeners, pressure testing, and dye testing. Call Leak Science at 480-794-0959.