How to Find a Hole in an Aboveground Swimming Pool

Contain the water in your aboveground pool by first detecting any holes in the liner.

Aboveground pool structures utilize a plastic vinyl sheet, or liner, to contain the pool's body of water. A hole located in any area of the liner at or below the water line leaks water out to the area around the pool. Small pool toys, sharp debris such as rocks or even careless swimmers all cause holes in a pool's liner structure. Detecting holes in an aboveground pool allows repairs to begin on the hole, protecting the area around the pool from water leakage and preserving water for swimmers in the pool.

Things You'll Need

• Goggles
• Swim mask
• Food coloring
• Dropper

Instructions

1. Put on goggles or a swim mask. Enter the pool and swim along the pool floor. Search for dark spots on the pool's vinyl liner that are shaped like a half moon. Holes along the pool floor are most often caused by toys, coins or other small items and leave a distinguished half-moon shaped hole. Test suspicious areas by hand to confirm a hole exists in the area.

2. Swim along the walls of the pool, below the water line. Search for small air bubbles leaking up to the surface. Air bubbles indicate a hole in the liner or structure.

3. Check the seams of the pool's liner for bends or cracks. The seams are the most likely area of the liner to fail. Search for bubbles coming out of any of the seams or the presence of folds running to or over the seam.

4. Search the water line of the pool for collections of air bubbles. Use a dye dropper to place one drop of food coloring in the water next to any collection of bubbles. If the food coloring moves toward the pool surface and then disappear, a minuscule hole is located in that area.

5. Allow the pool's water level to fall if the leak is substantial. Once the water level in the pool stops, search the wall around the water line for the hole. Run your fingers over any areas containing bubbles or deformations such as folds in the liner and feel for rips or tears.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not allow any metallic or otherwise hard objects inside the pool; they can easily tear or rip the pool liner.

References

• Pool Center: Leaks in Swimming Pools
• Pool Center: Pool Liners