Let’s say you’ve noticed that your water level has been steadily going down, and strongly suspect that your pool has a leak. What do you do?

You could (and should!) call your local pool technician for inground pool leak detection and repair. But then the thought of pool leak repair costs come to mind and try to think of ways you might be able to help the situation yourself.

So, you grab your backyard garden hose and fill the pool. Great! However, a few days later, the water has dropped once again. What do you do? Grab the garden hose again!

You repeat this cycle whenever you notice the water dropping. No problem – you’re just replacing water that has gone somewhere, plus you’re saving money on pool leak repair costs, right?

Well, technically speaking, yes. You save money in the short term, but the truth is that you’ll be reallocating that money – and potentially much more – to other expenses you might not have expected.

The costs of not fixing a pool leak

Not fixing a pool leak can cause serious damage to your pool system, and can cumulatively cost you more overall than fixing the leak itself:

• Municipal water fees: Many communities, including Mississauga, charge a base fee for the water residents and businesses consume. On top of that, they also charge a wastewater fee for every drop of water you use. Whether you are discharging that water into the sewer system or allowing it to leak into the ground, that charge still applies. This means that every time you turn your hose on to top your pool off when the water level goes down, you’re spending money.
• Additional pool chemicals: When you lose pool water through a leak, rather than evaporation, all the chemicals in the water such as salt, calcium, and stabilizer are being lost with it. Also, when you top up your pool with fresh water, you’re diluting the existing water in your pool, requiring additional chemical balancing and adjustments. To keep the levels correct, you’re now spending time adding significantly more chemicals to the water, and going through it faster.
• Potential structural damage: Damage to your pool’s structure can happen very quickly as a result of an underground pool leak. When the chlorinated water from your pool comes into contact with the galvanized steel structure underneath, the chlorine very rapidly destroys the protective zinc coating, leading to rust in a very short time. When your steel walls rust, the repair work to fix this during a further liner change can be very costly, especially if the damage warrants replacing the entire wall. This can cost you thousands of dollars, all from a pool leak.
  Although you might not see the effects of structural damage right away, it’s a very real risk to your pool’s structural integrity if pool leaks go unrepaired.
• Impact to erosion: A pool leak can also impact erosion. When the supporting substrate under your decking is washed out, it can cause cracking in concrete due to shifting, or sinkholes and uneven low spots in interlocking brickwork. Maintaining a pool deck is a major cost associated with pool ownership, and allowing a pool leak to carry on unaddressed can lead to significant pool deck repair costs.

When to call pool leak detection experts

The best way to find a leak is to hire someone to find it for you!

That’s because pool leaks could be anywhere within your pool system, including in the liner, in your equipment, or in the underground piping system. Trying to find it yourself can cause you frustration, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

Be sure to call your local pool leak detection expert when you notice any of the following:

• Changes in water level: If you’ve noticed your water level is going down more than 2” per week, there’s a good chance you have a pool leak. However, you should first determine if the drop in water level is due to evaporation as opposed to a leak. There are some easy tests you can run to find out if there is a leak, and if there is one, get an idea of where it might be.
• Wet spots in your yard: Have you walked in your backyard and noticed patches of your grass are soft and mushy, or that the grass is growing unevenly? This could be caused by erosion due to underground water movement, which can affect your landscape and signal a pool leak
• Water pooling around your equipment: Standing water or corrosion at your pool pump or pipes is also a strong indicator that you have a pool leak.
• Air returning through the pool jets or low suction while vacuuming: If you see air bubbles coming out of the return jets in the pool, or you find there is low suction/difficulties vacuuming your pool effectively, you may have an air leak. Unlike the pipes that are under pressure returning water to the pool, the skimmer line coming from the pool is underdraw or suction. If there is a leak, the air gets sucked into the system with little or no water loss. This is very problematic as it compromises the water flow needed for the pool’s efficient operation.

As soon as you notice any of these signs, you should have your pool checked for a leak. Call your local pool professionals ASAP for a full assessment and repair before the pool leak spreads to your wallet!

Wondering about pool leak repair costs in Mississauga, Oakville, and the Greater Toronto Area? Talk to the award-winning pool experts at Lakeshore Pools & Hot Tubs.

If you believe you have a leak in your pool, it needs to be addressed right away. Our team of pool technicians will diagnose, detect, and repair your pool leak, so you can avoid further damage and get back to worry-free enjoyment of your pool. Count on us to answer all of your questions, offer friendly advice, and be there when you need us.

Visit Lake Pools & Hot Tubs at 309 Lakeshore East in Mississauga, or call (905)-891-8818 today!