How to Detect Swimming Pool Air Leaks
There are a multitude of techniques used to find air leaks within swimming pools. Fixing the problem, however, can prove much more difficult. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Things to Look For
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1
Look for a lower water level. This is the most obvious sign of an air leak within a pool. However, more subtle air leaks can decrease water levels very slowly, and to observe them you may need to perform an evaporation test.
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2
Fill a 5-gallon container with chlorinated pool water and leave it on the ground beside the pool. Ensure that all pool filters and electricity are turned off, and mark heavily (e.g., with a piece of chalk) along the wall of the pool where the surface of the still water reaches. After a 24-hour period, both bodies of water should have lost some percentage of water as a result of air evaporation; however, if the pool has lost a larger percentage of water than the 5-gallon container, an air leak is present.
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3
Check for black algae on the plaster of the pool, air bubbles visible from the surface, malfunctioning equipment with water pipes that have become blocked by air, or dirt coming out of return lines in the pumping machinery. These chemical changes are indicators of air leaks.
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4
Look for cracks within the pool sealant and walls. Structural damage indicates leakage from underground air into the pool.
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5
Search for green grass adjacent to or at the bottom of the pool. This could mean the water is saturating the land outside of the pool, meaning air leaks are allowing the water to seep through.
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6
Run through this checklist yearly to prevent pool damage and water loss.
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Tips & Warnings
To fix an air leak, use a special "pool repair" kit from your nearby pool or home store.
Exercise proper supervision of young children around the pool area while examining the pool.
