Your pool can lose water for a number of reasons. For instance, heat from the sun, humidity and wind can all cause water loss in your pool. Other causes, such as leaks or cracks, can be hard to find but are fixable. Your pool’s surface, pipes, and seals are all areas that could be the source of a leak. The areas in your pool where two materials meet are especially susceptible to leaking. A simple bucket leak detection test will determine if your pool water loss is due to natural causes or something else. All you have to do is place a bucket on the steps of your pool and observe the changes.
How to do a Bucket Test

1. Note the water level of the pool. If you have an auto-fill device, make sure it is turned off.

2. Be sure that no people or animals enter the pool during the test. This will skew your results because they may cause water to splash out.

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

pool leak detection bucket test

4. Place the bucket on a step or seating area within the pool so that it is immersed up to 5-6 inches from the top of the bucket.

5. Mark the water level inside and outside of the bucket.

pool leak bucket test

6. Check the levels in 24 hours. If the level of the water outside the bucket has dropped more than inside the bucket, this means that the water in your pool is being lost by more than natural conditions, and you may have a leak.

*If it rains during this period, you will have to redo the test.