My Pool Is Losing Water – Is It Normal?

If your pool is losing water, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is something to worry about. As you might expect, splashing around in your swimming pool, alongside other factors such as evaporation and filtration systems, can cause your swimming pool to lose some of its water, so your water loss might be completely normal. 

However, if you begin to notice that your pool is losing more water than usual or that you’re having to fill it up more frequently, it could be a sign that you have a problem such as a leak. If you are noticing the water level drop with the system off, you could have a structural or suction side plumbing leak. If you are noticing the water level drop only when running, you could have a leak in your pool pump’s pressure side plumbing.

In this article, the team here at Pulliam Pools will explain what kind of water loss is normal and when you should call in professional help. 

How much water loss is normal?

The amount of ‘normal’ water loss can vary significantly depending on the season. For example, during the colder months, your pool is likely to retain more of its water as the pool is being used less, there is less evaporation occurring, and rain can even add water to the pool.

However, during the summer, you’ll probably notice more water loss as people are keen to dive in and evaporation is happening more frequently. 

On average, a pool contains between 18,000 to 20,000 gallons of water and during a drought or intense summer, it can lose up to 60-120 gallons a day from evaporation alone. 

With all this in mind, if you’re concerned about water loss, it’s important to rule out the normal causes first when determining if your pool has a leak. 

Normal causes of water loss include:

• Splash out – This naturally occurs when people are getting in or out of the pool, and as people are swimming or playing in it. For instance, think about how much water comes out of the pool as people dive in. 

• Evaporation – The sun’s rays can cause your pool water to evaporate, especially during the hotter months. While this is normal, it can be hard to determine if it is happening. Luckily the handy bucket test can help here – more on this later. 

• Backwash – Some filtration systems have a backwash feature which increases the rate at which you need to fill your pool. 

• Wind – If you live in a particularly windy area, then strong breezes can cause water to come out of the pool. If this is a common problem for you, then you should use pool covers. 

Signs my pool has a leak

One of the best ways to determine whether your pool is leaking or the water is simply evaporating is to do the bucket test.

• First, make sure the pool is filled to its normal level and switch off the autofill feature if you have one.
• Take a bucket and add water until it is about ¾ of the way full. Mark the water line inside the bucket.
• Put the bucket on the first or second step of your pool. About six inches of the bucket should be under the water. Mark the water level on the outside of the bucket. 
• Wait 24 hours.
• After 24 hours have passed, check the bucket. If the water marker outside the bucket is now lower than the marker inside, then it is a sign you likely have a pool leak. If it has rained during the test period, then you will need to repeat it for accurate results.

Other common signs of a pool leak include:

• Algae growth
• Abnormal water level changes 
• Cracked tiles 
• A wetter than usual yard or decking
• Standing water around your equipment
• A significant increase in water bills 

If your pool does have a water leak, it’s essential that the problem is fixed as soon as possible. If neglected, the issue can get worse and repairs more costly. Here at Pulliam Pools, in addition to building custom swimming pools and spas for customers in Fort Worth, Arlington, Weatherford, and the surrounding areas, we also provide leading pool maintenance services that can help to detect leaks and fix them so you’re not paying high water bills and can continue enjoying your backyard pool.