Swimming pool leak detection — service guide
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A pool loses water every day to evaporation, so not every drop in level is a leak. But when the loss exceeds the usual, damp appears around the pool, or the auto-fill runs constantly, the question becomes: where is the water going? The answer needs measurement, because a pool is a system of three parts: a shell, fittings and buried lines.
Pool parts we inspect
- Shell: cracks in concrete or tiles and grout, expansion joints and corners.
- Fittings set in the shell: skimmer, return inlets, main drain, light niches — among the most common leak points.
- Lines: suction from skimmer and drain, return lines and the backwash line — all buried and needing a pressure test.
- Plant room: pump, filter, valves and visible connections.
When do you need the inspection?
- The level drops more than evaporation explains (compare with the bucket test).
- Damp, unusually green grass or soft soil around the pool or plant room.
- Air bubbles at return inlets or a pressure drop at the filter (air leak in the suction line).
- A higher water bill with continuous auto-fill.
- Cracked or loose tiles, or a sinking deck around the pool.
How we inspect
- Documented bucket test: we compare the pool’s level drop with a reference bucket on the steps to separate evaporation from leakage.
- Test with equipment running and off: if loss increases with the pump running, the return lines are suspected; if it increases with the pump off, the suction line or shell.
- Pressure test of each line separately: we isolate each line with plugs, pressurise it with water or air and watch the pressure hold.
- Acoustic listening and dye: a hydrophone to hear the leak in the pressurised line, and dye tests at fittings and cracks to see water being drawn.
- Documentation: a plan of the pool and its lines, each line’s result, and the probable leak location in the shell or fittings.
Repair
Repairs to fittings and cracks are usually local; a buried-line repair needs limited excavation at the location the inspection identified. We present this in writing after the inspection with alternatives, such as rerouting a line instead of digging up the whole deck.
How the service runs, step by step
- Booking
Pool type, approximate daily loss and size in the order form.
- Before the visit
The pool filled to its normal level, access to the plant room, and the auto-fill switched off a day before if possible.
- Inspection
Two to four hours depending on the number of lines; we may leave a test running and return to read it.
- Report
Result of each line and fitting, the probable location and the recommendation.
- Repair
A written quote and a warranty certificate on executed work.
What you receive
- A numbered report: bucket-test result, pressure-test result per line, fittings check and the probable location.
- A simple plan of lines and locations.
- A repair recommendation with alternatives.
- A written quote and a verifiable warranty on executed work.
How pricing works
Published inspection fee: 150.00 SAR (VAT included). Any further work is quoted after the on-site assessment, in writing, before it starts.
The price depends on the number of lines to test, pool size and whether diving or an extended dye test is needed. The repair is priced after the location is identified.
Verifying the report and warranty
Every inspection report and warranty certificate we issue carries a serial number, a verification code and a QR code. Enter the code on the verification page to confirm the document really came from us, that it has not been altered or revoked, and the warranty expiry date where one applies. A buyer, landlord or insurer can verify it the same way without contacting us.
Frequently asked questions
How much daily loss is normal?
It varies with temperature, wind and humidity. Instead of a fixed number we compare the pool with a reference bucket under the same conditions; if the pool drops more than the bucket there is non-evaporative loss.
Do I need to empty the pool?
No, the opposite: we need it full. Draining a concrete pool unnecessarily can damage it.
Does the inspection locate the point in a buried line?
It identifies the affected line with high confidence by pressure test, then narrows the point along it by listening. Excavation is within a short range rather than the whole route.
The pool is new and loses water — is that a leak?
It may be. Checking fittings, grout and lines after first commissioning is common, and the loss may be a partly open backwash line.
Do you inspect jacuzzis and children’s pools?
Yes, with the same method and fewer lines.
On-site service is available in Saudi Arabia; the guides and tools can be read anywhere.
This page is informational and educational. Confirming a leak, an insulation condition or a pest infestation always requires an on-site assessment, and structural questions are for a licensed engineer. We do not publish promises we cannot prove.