Is the auto-fill hiding a leak?
Many Center Grove pools have an auto-fill that keeps the water level steady. It’s convenient, and it also hides leaks: the pool looks fine while the meter runs. If your summer water bills are much higher than last year, or the auto-fill seems to run all the time, turn it off for a few days and do the bucket test below.
Because most homes here feed the pool, the house and the sprinklers from one meter, a pool leak shows up on the same bill as everything else. Turning off the auto-fill and the sprinklers isolates the pool.
The bucket test
- Turn off the auto-fillClose its valve so it can’t add water during the test.
- Set a bucket on the stepFill it to match the pool level and mark both water lines.
- Wait 24 hoursRun the pump as normal.
- CompareIf the pool dropped more than the bucket, the difference is a leak.
- Repeat with the pump offMore loss with the pump on suggests the return side; more with it off suggests the suction side or shell.
Full instructions: how to find a pool leak.
Think you have a leak? Call and tell us what you’re noticing in your Center Grove home.
(877) 729-0265Where Center Grove pools leak
| Spot | Why it leaks |
|---|---|
| Light niche and conduit | Water follows the light cord conduit; a very common leak in in-ground pools |
| Skimmer throat | The joint between skimmer and pool shell cracks with ground movement or freezing |
| Return fittings | Seals and fittings loosen; leaks often show only with the pump running |
| Buried return and suction lines | Joints under the deck crack from soil movement or freeze damage |
| Vinyl liner | Tears along steps, corners and around fittings |
| Equipment pad | Pump seals, filter o-rings and valves drip into the gravel |
How we test
- Inspect the equipment pad and every visible connection first.
- Use dye at fittings, the light niche, steps and any cracks or liner seams.
- Listen underwater with a hydrophone for escaping water through the shell or fittings.
- Plug and pressure-test each return, suction and main drain line.
- On a failing line, listen through the deck to find the break before any concrete is cut.
The report lists every test, what passed, what failed, and photos of each leak, ready for your pool company or our partner.
Spas and swim spas
Attached spas share the pool’s plumbing and often leak at the spillover or jet fittings. Standalone hot tubs and swim spas leak most often at pump seals, heater unions and jet bodies inside the cabinet. They’re tested the same way: isolate, pressure-test, dye-test and listen.
Pool Leak Detection: questions from Center Grove homeowners
How do I know if my pool is leaking if it has an auto-fill?
Turn the auto-fill off for the test, then compare the pool with a bucket of water on the step for 24 hours. If the pool loses more than the bucket, it’s leaking. A summer bill that keeps climbing is another sign.
Why is the light niche such a common leak?
The light sits in a niche connected to the deck by a conduit. Water can leak through the niche seal or follow the conduit out of the pool.
Can you find leaks in the lines under my deck?
Yes. Each line is plugged and pressure-tested. If one fails, we listen along it through the deck to pinpoint the break so only a small area is opened.
Do you test spas and hot tubs?
Yes, both attached spas and standalone hot tubs and swim spas.
Guides that go deeper
Sources: Indiana American Water; Town of Bargersville Water Utility; Indiana 811; Indiana Administrative Code, Title 327. Updated October 1, 2026.