TX AquaDoc

Look for wet spots around the pool deck, equipment pad, or yard. Check if the water level drops more than normal evaporation (about 1/4 inch per day in Texas heat).

Run the bucket test.

Normal evaporation is about 1/4 inch per day in Texas summer heat. Half an inch per day is double that.

You're losing roughly 3.5 inches per week. That adds up to hundreds of gallons and real money on your water bill.

Run the bucket test to be sure. But at that rate, you almost certainly have a leak in your plumbing, skimmer, or shell.

Call someone now. The longer it runs, the more it erodes soil under your pool and deck. That turns a small repair into a HUGE problem.

We start with a visual inspection.

• Check the equipment, skimmer, returns, and deck for obvious cracks or wet spots.

• Run a pressure test.

• A leak detector that listens for the sound of water escaping, sonar or tracer gas.

• Use dye to drop it near suspected cracks.

The whole process takes 1 to 3 hours depending on how hidden the leak is.