Pool Leak Detection in Frisco TX — Signs You Have a Leak and When to Call a Pro

Every pool loses some water — that's normal. Texas heat, wind, and splashing all cause evaporation. But when you're adding water more than once a week, or you're seeing unexplained wet spots around the equipment pad, you may have a leak. Here's how to tell the difference and what to do next.

How Much Water Loss Is Normal?

In North Dallas, evaporation accounts for roughly 1–2 inches of water loss per week during hot, windy summer months. In Frisco and Prosper in July, it can be on the high end. If you're losing more than 2 inches per week consistently, start investigating.

The Bucket Test: Your First Step

Before calling anyone, run this simple test:

1. Fill a bucket with pool water to about 1 inch from the top.

2. Place the bucket on a pool step so it's partially submerged.

3. Mark the water level inside the bucket and the pool water level on the outside.

4. Wait 24 hours (don't use the pool during this time).

5. Compare the two levels.

If the pool lost significantly more water than the bucket, you have a leak — not just evaporation. Both should drop at roughly the same rate from evaporation. A difference means water is escaping somewhere.

Signs You Have a Leak

Around the pool:

• Wet or soft ground near the pool equipment pad

• Cracks appearing in the pool deck in Aubrey or Celina where soil movement is common

• Tiles falling off the waterline — bond beam leaks can cause this

• Unusually lush or green grass in one area near the pool

Water chemistry:

• Chemicals constantly out of balance even with regular additions — water leaving the pool takes chemicals with it

• Needing to add water more than once a week

Equipment:

• Visible drips or puddles around the pump, filter, or heater

• Air in the pump strainer sight glass when the system is running — suggests a suction-side air leak

Where Leaks Commonly Occur

Fittings and returns — the fittings where water returns to the pool are a common failure point, especially in pools 10+ years old. Gaskets and o-rings degrade.

Suction lines — underground pipe leaks are harder to find and require professional pressure testing.

The shell — cracks in plaster or fiberglass can allow water to seep through. These are often visible but sometimes not.

Equipment connections — unions, valves, and filter housing connections can all develop slow leaks that are only visible when the system is running.

The light conduit — pool light housings and their conduit are a surprisingly common source of leaks and often overlooked.

What Not to Do

Don't keep adding water and hoping it resolves itself. A slow leak gets worse over time — undermining the pool shell, washing out the soil under your deck (common cause of deck settling in Little Elm and The Colony), and wasting significant water and money.

Don't add extra chemicals to compensate. If water is leaving, chemicals are leaving with it. Overdosing to compensate creates chemistry problems on top of a structural problem.

When to Call a Pro

Call a leak detection specialist if:

• The bucket test confirms you're losing more than the pool's evaporation rate

• You find wet areas near the equipment but can't identify the source

• Your water chemistry keeps dropping out of range despite correct dosing

• You can see a crack in the shell or deck that concerns you

Leak detection is a specialized service — professionals use pressure testing, dye testing, and sometimes acoustic listening equipment to find exactly where water is escaping.

At Simple Dimple Pool Service, we watch for early signs of leaks on every visit. Water level trends, equipment condition, and deck changes are all things we document — so if something is developing, we catch it before it becomes a major repair.

Call or text: 469-888-1277

simpledimplepool.com

Serving: Frisco, Little Elm, Prosper, Aubrey, Celina, The Colony

CPO-certified. Licensed & Insured.