Signs of a leaking pool

It's the middle of summer and your pool is constantly in use. However, you notice that it keeps losing water. While evaporation from the Fort Worth sun is normal and children often splash water around, it can be difficult to figure out the exact cause for a lowered water level. Here are some tips to help determine if your pool has a leak.

According to American Leak Detection, regular evaporation should average a loss of about a quarter inch of water a day or two inches per week, especially when the weather is hot and dry. The simple solution to evaporation is to add water, but make sure your chemicals are balanced afterward. You may have a leak if you're adding more than two inches of water to your pool every week, stated the Pool Center.

Inspecting for cracks
First, check your pool for cracks in the surface. Ensure that your pool is clean, as this will allow a crack to stand out better. You can inspect from outside the pool, but don't hesitate to swim underwater with goggles and scan suspected areas. If you notice soggy or water logged spots surrounding your patio or in your backyard, consider checking the pool surface around there. Also, if you notice that your patio is collapsing inward or bulging outward, that could be a result of a crack in the pool's surface or deck.

Equipment problems
Another cause of lowering water levels can be old, worn out equipment. This can result in water leaking from pipes or filters. Check for wet spots under the equipment or use a dry towel to touch the pipes and identify excess water.

Cracks in pipes can also cause air to get into your pool's system. Pool Leak stated that a leak in the suction side of plumbing may cause air to be pulled into plumbing lines and that can be just as damaging as a water leak, but you may not notice water loss. This excess air will be pushed into the pump or be blown into the pool itself.

In other cases when assuming you use an automatic pool refill system, it can be difficult to determine whether your pool is losing water too quickly. This problem can be evident when you notice higher water bills than average. Also, if there's a sudden increase in the amount of chemicals necessary, this can be due to an automatic system adding more water than usual.

In the event that you notice any of these signs, contact your local Fort Worth pool service immediately.