Utah's dry air drinks pool water — which makes every pool owner ask the same question each summer: is my pool leaking, or is this just evaporation? The answer matters because real leaks get ignored fo…
Utah's dry air drinks pool water — which makes every pool owner ask the same question each summer: is my pool leaking, or is this just evaporation? The answer matters because real leaks get ignored for months behind 'it's just the climate.' Here's how to know for sure.
In our dry climate, up to about a quarter-inch of evaporation per day is normal in peak summer — more on hot, windy days, less when it's humid or the pool is covered. If you're consistently losing half an inch or more per day, that's beyond evaporation. The numbers are the whole game: measure, don't guess.
Place a bucket filled with pool water on a pool step so it sits in the pool water. Mark the water level inside the bucket and the pool level outside it. Wait 24 hours with the pump running normally. If both dropped equally, it's evaporation. If the pool dropped significantly more than the bucket, you have a leak. Run it twice to be sure — wind and splash-out can skew a single test.
Air bubbles in the pump basket or a pump losing prime (suction-side leak). Wet spots around the equipment pad. Cracks in the shell or coping, or deck sections settling. A heater that can't hold pressure. Any of these alongside excess water loss means the bucket test already told you the truth — now it's time to find it.
Our pools live hard: alkaline clay soils that shift, freeze-thaw cycles stressing rigid plumbing, and ground movement working on aging pipes. Many Sandy-area pools are now old enough for plumbing to be the prime suspect. The good news: pressure testing and dye testing find most pool leaks without draining — the investigation is straightforward once you commit to it.
Swimming Pool Leak Detection — learn more →
Roughly up to 1/4 inch per day in summer heat. Consistently more than 1/2 inch per day beyond the bucket test indicates a leak.
Run the test with the pump on its normal schedule — you want real-world conditions. Just avoid backwashing during the 24 hours.
Yes — an auto-fill will mask a leak by replacing lost water. Shut it off for the test period so you're measuring actual loss.
Don't wait for the damage to announce itself. Call now — we're open 24/7 — or request an inspection online and we'll respond promptly.