Leak detection & repair
All pools will leak if they're not maintained. Ground movement, age, and wear and tear catch up with every pool — the trick is catching it early.
Why a leak matters
A leaking pool doesn't just cost you water. Water moving through the ground around the pool causes movement, and movement causes cracks. Skimmer boxes break, pavers dip, trees die, and surrounding areas flood.
If you've found a leak — or just suspect one — deal with it quickly. A small repair now beats a big renovation later.
Where pools usually leak
Hydrostatic valve
The plug in the bottom of the pool. It should be changed every 6 to 8 years but is often 20+ years old — one of the most common leaks, and one of the cheapest to fix.
Pool light
Lights leak when they've been removed and not resealed, knocked by a pool cleaner, used as a step, or when the sealant or bracket has perished.
Skimmer box face plate
Movement, age or cracks in the face plate or skimmer box let water escape a little at a time.
Pipework
Pipes are durable, so plumbing leaks are less common — but tree roots, excavation or fencing work can damage them.
How we find it
- The bucket test
- Sit a bucket of water on the pool steps, filled to match the pool level. If the pool drops lower than the bucket, it's a leak — not evaporation. You can try this yourself tonight.
- Skimmer box mark
- A strip of tape inside the skimmer box tracks exactly how much you're losing each day, without marking the pool.
- Dye test
- Dye released near a suspect spot shows exactly where water is escaping.
- Hydrostatic valve check
- The 40mm and 50mm screw-in plugs cause leaks all the time and should be changed every 6 to 8 years — around $150, and we check the rest of the pool while we're at it.
- Pressure pipe test
- For suspected pipe leaks we'll refer a local specialist (typically from about $380) — and fix what they find.
Repairing cracks
Fibreglass cracks are repaired with the best fibreglass on the market, colour-matched as close as possible — and we work out why it cracked in the first place. Concrete cracks are repaired with the strongest epoxy material available, ground in and sealed properly.
Most crack repairs take a day or two, and often the pool can start refilling the same day.
Leaks and repairs we've chased down
Think your pool is losing water?
Try the bucket test tonight — then call Jeff on 0425 227 366 before the ground starts moving.
Get it checked