Ecosmarte Pool

The water for your swimming pool must always be above your skimmer inlet. While this may be stating the obvious some not so obvious issues can occur.

Autofills

Automatically introduce water to the pool, often tapped into the irrigation or misting system. If a leak is suspected the first step is to disable the autofill by unplugging it or turning the valve.

Evaporation

Based on an eight five foot perimeter pool, a week without rainfall, with high heat of 100°F-120°F (TX, AZ, and NV), and a 3″ minimum – 6″ maximum water loss. Without an autofill, add one or two inches of water. With moderate heat of 95°F-100°F the water loss is ½” minimum to 1½” maximum. With low heat of 70°F to 90°F the water loss is 0″ minimum to ½” maximum.

A daily loss of ⅛” or less is hard to qualify but if the pool requires hose filling in moderate temperature or rainfall weeks it is likely leaking.

Plaster Pool: Look for holes, they often have brown/black stains
Fiberglass Pool: Look for cracking
Vinyl Pool: Watch for stair frame screws, skimmer, light gasket, and main drain gasket

Leak to Level

In freeze climates the owner is logically afraid of a broken underground pipe. These are relatively rare and can be confirmed by allowing the pool to leak to level, with and without the pump running. A pressure test is ordered from a pool company after it is determined the pool will leak below the skimmer.