Leak or Just Evaporation?
If you've been topping off the pool more often than you used to and you're not sure whether that's just Florida summer or something worse, the bucket test below will tell you in a day. No guessing required.
Every pool loses some water to evaporation, especially in Florida's heat. A simple bucket test helps tell normal evaporation apart from an actual leak. Fill a bucket to match the pool's water line. Compare water loss between the bucket and the pool after 24 hours. If the pool is losing noticeably more than the bucket, that's a real leak worth checking out.
What Happens If a Pool Leak Goes Unaddressed
A slow pool leak rarely stays slow, and the water going somewhere is going somewhere for a reason.
The water bill keeps climbing
Constantly refilling a leaking pool adds up fast, especially through a full Florida summer of evaporation on top of the leak.
Equipment can run dry
A pump running with insufficient water flow can burn out, turning a leak repair into an equipment replacement too.
Underground leaks can affect landscaping
Water escaping into the surrounding soil can saturate nearby ground, sometimes affecting decking, landscaping, or triggering a broader leak check over time.
Equipment Pad vs. Shell Leaks
Most pool leaks turn out to be at the equipment pad rather than the shell itself, which is good news for both cost and repair time.
- Check pump seals, filter connections, and plumbing joints first
- Rule out the equipment pad before moving to more involved inspection
- Compare against standard leak detection methods where the approach differs
- Move to shell or underground plumbing inspection only if the pad checks out clean
Why This Matters More With a Gulf-Adjacent Climate
Salt air and the area's hard, mineral-heavy water both add to corrosion and scale buildup on pool equipment fittings over time. This can speed up small leaks at pump and filter connections — a whole-home softener can reduce the scale side of that equation.
Patterns We See on Calls Like This
A frequent call comes from a homeowner who ran the bucket test after noticing the pool needing more frequent top-offs, and confirmed a real leak rather than just summer evaporation. In most of these calls, the equipment pad turns out to be the source, and a pump seal or connection repair resolves it without needing to touch the shell. Getting it checked before storm season keeps heavy rain from masking a leak that's already there.
| Service | Typical Cost Range | What Affects the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment pad leak detection | $150 – $350 | Equipment complexity, access |
| Pool shell / underground leak detection | $300 – $650 | Pool size, leak location |
| Leak repair (once located) | $200 – $700 | Repair type, access needed |
Ranges reflect typical SWFL market pricing and vary by leak location and pool size. Final pricing follows detection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my pool actually has a leak versus normal evaporation?
A simple bucket test can help: place a bucket on the pool step filled to match the pool's water line, then compare water loss in the bucket versus the pool after 24 hours. If the pool loses noticeably more than the bucket, that points to a leak rather than evaporation.
Is the leak more likely in the pool shell or the equipment?
Equipment pad leaks, at pumps, filters, and plumbing connections, are actually more common than shell leaks and are usually easier and less expensive to fix. We check the equipment pad thoroughly before assuming a structural shell leak.
Can a pool leak affect the surrounding yard or foundation?
Yes, particularly with underground plumbing leaks that go unnoticed for a while. Persistent water intrusion into surrounding soil can affect landscaping and, in some cases, nearby structural elements — the kind of situation our water mitigation team also handles — which is another reason to address a suspected leak promptly.