Leak or evaporation? Run the bucket test
- Fill a bucketSet a bucket on the pool step or a ledge and fill it to the same level as the pool water.
- Mark both levelsMark the water line inside the bucket and on the pool tile or skimmer.
- Wait 24 hoursRun the pump as usual, and don’t add water or let the auto-fill run.
- CompareBoth lose the same amount from evaporation. If the pool dropped more than the bucket, the extra is a leak.
- Repeat with the pump offIf the pool loses more with the pump running, suspect the pressure side (return lines). More with it off often points to the suction side or the shell.
Hot, windy Indiana summer days can pull a quarter inch or more a day out of a pool by evaporation alone, so the bucket matters more than a ruler. Full method: how to find a pool leak.
Why Greenwood pools leak
Winter freeze damage
If lines aren’t fully blown out and plugged at closing, water left in the skimmer throat or returns can freeze and crack them. The leak shows up when the pool is opened in spring.
Ground movement
Clay soil around an in-ground pool shifts with wet springs and dry summers, stressing the buried plumbing and the seals around skimmers and lights.
Vinyl liner wear
Liners get brittle with sun and chemicals; tears hide along steps, corners and fittings.
Equipment pad leaks
Pump seals, filter o-rings and valves drip at the pad and are easy to miss when the pad sits on gravel.
Think you have a leak? Call and tell us what you’re noticing in your Greenwood home.
(877) 729-0265How we find a pool leak
- Equipment check: pump, filter, heater, valves and unions at the pad, where many “pool leaks” actually are.
- Dye testing: colored dye released near fittings, light niches, steps and cracks is pulled toward a leak.
- Underwater acoustic listening: a hydrophone picks up the sound of water escaping through the shell or a fitting.
- Line pressure tests: each return, suction and main drain line is plugged and pressurized; one that won’t hold pressure is leaking.
- Acoustic listening on the deck: on a line that fails its test, we listen through the deck to pinpoint the break.
You get a report of every test, the leaks found, and photos of each location, ready for your pool company or our partner to repair.
Before the visit
| Do | Why |
|---|---|
| Keep the water at normal operating level | Fittings and the skimmer must be under water to test |
| Note how much water you add each week | The rate of loss helps narrow the search |
| Write down whether loss changes with the pump on or off | Points to the pressure side or the suction side |
| Check for wet spots near the pad or between the pool and the pad | Buried line leaks often show there first |
Spas and hot tubs
Attached spas share plumbing with the pool and often leak at the spillover, jet fittings or the heater connections. Standalone hot tubs leak most at the pump seals, heater unions and jet bodies inside the cabinet. Both are tested the same way: isolate, pressure-test, dye-test and listen.
Pool & Spa Leak Detection: questions from Greenwood homeowners
How much water loss is normal for a pool in Greenwood?
It depends on heat, wind and sun. On hot, windy days a quarter inch or more a day from evaporation alone is common. The bucket test compares your pool with a bucket beside it so weather is taken out of the equation.
Why did my pool start leaking after I opened it this spring?
If lines weren’t fully cleared and plugged at closing, water left in a skimmer or return line can freeze and crack it over the winter. Those leaks show up as soon as the pool is filled and running.
Can you find a leak in the underground pool plumbing?
Yes. Each line is plugged and pressure-tested. If one won’t hold pressure, we listen along it through the deck or yard to pinpoint the break, so only a small area is opened.
Do you test vinyl liner pools?
Yes. Liner tears are often along steps, corners and around fittings. Dye testing and underwater listening find them, and small tears can usually be patched without draining.
Can a pool leak be under the deck?
Yes. Return and suction lines run under the deck to the equipment pad. A line pressure test tells us which one is leaking before any concrete is cut.
Guides that go deeper
Sources: Indiana American Water; Town of Bargersville Water Utility; Indiana 811; Indiana Administrative Code, Title 327. Updated October 1, 2026.