Straightforward answers to the questions we hear most — so you can make an informed decision about your pool.
The most common signs of a pool leak are: losing more than 1/4 inch of water per day, an auto-fill that runs constantly, wet or sinking spots around the pool, visible cracks, air bubbles in the return jets, rising water bills, and water loss that stops at a specific level. A bucket test helps confirm a leak, and professional leak detection pinpoints the exact source.
A pool bucket test tells a real leak apart from normal evaporation. Fill a 5-gallon bucket with pool water, set it on a pool step so it's partly submerged, mark the water level inside the bucket and the pool level outside, turn off the auto-fill, and wait 24 hours. If the pool dropped about the same as the bucket, it's evaporation. If the pool dropped significantly more, you likely have a leak.
Normal pool water loss from evaporation in Texas is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch per day, and more in extreme heat or wind. Losing significantly more than 1/4 inch per day, consistently, usually indicates a leak rather than evaporation. A bucket test separates evaporation from a true leak.
Pool leak detection cost depends on pool size, how many systems must be tested, and whether underwater inspection is needed. The bigger savings come from accuracy: precise detection prevents paying to repair pipes and surfaces that aren't actually leaking. Contact us for a clear quote tied to your specific pool.
Pool cracks fall into two categories: cosmetic crazing (shallow surface lines that usually don't leak) and structural cracks (deeper cracks through the shell that can leak and spread). Structural cracks — common in Texas due to expansive clay soils — require stapling and bonding, not just a surface patch.
Pool pressure testing isolates each plumbing line and pressurizes it with air or water to confirm whether the pipe holds or leaks. It's the only reliable way to diagnose buried plumbing leaks before excavating, so any digging is targeted instead of exploratory.
The most common pool plumbing problems in Texas are cracked PVC from soil movement and freezes, failed glue joints and fittings, root intrusion, and lines that settle and crack from poor backfill. These are confirmed with pressure testing and fixed with targeted excavation and replacement.
San Antonio pools leak mainly because Bexar County's expansive Houston Black (Blackland) clay swells and shrinks with moisture, cracking shells and shearing buried plumbing. Edwards Aquifer dependence and recurring drought trigger SAWS watering restrictions, so even a small leak quietly inflates your water bill. Accurate detection pinpoints the source before repair.
Pools in Abilene and the Big Country leak because Taylor County's clay-and-caliche soil moves sharply through wet/dry cycles, opening cracks and breaking buried lines. Hard water from Lake Fort Phantom Hill, Hubbard Creek, and O.H. Ivie scales fittings, while wide temperature swings hard-cycle the shell. Precise detection finds the true source.
To choose a local pool leak detection specialist, look for a company that tests each system instead of guessing, repairs in-house so there's no finger-pointing, and understands Texas soils. We serve San Antonio, New Braunfels, Austin, Abilene, and West Texas — local knowledge of clay, caliche, and drought rules makes detection more accurate.
During Texas droughts, San Antonio's SAWS and the City of Abilene impose drought-stage watering restrictions that make every leaked gallon costly. Pools naturally lose water to evaporation — often 1/4 inch a day or more in summer — so a 24-hour bucket test is the key to telling normal evaporation from a true, repairable leak.
Still not sure?
Reading up is smart — but a pool only tells you so much from the deck. If your water level keeps dropping, we'll find the real source. See how our leak detection works or get on the schedule below.
Family-owned · Licensed & insured · We answer the phone
We test instead of guess. Get an accurate diagnosis and an in-house repair plan with no guesswork and no unnecessary work.
Family-owned · 15+ years · Serving Central & West Texas
Family-owned · Licensed & insured · We answer the phone
