My pool has a hole in the liner, how do i find the hole?

Question

My 3 year old pool has a hole in the liner that i can't find...

any suggestions?

Answer 1

First off, you need to eliminate the possibility that there is a leak elsewhere, like out backwash line or if this is an inground pool, that the suction and return lines are ok. That's usually done by temporarily putting your winterizing plugs in the skimmer and returns and doing what's called a "bucket test". Place a round ( no jagged edges weight) inside a bucket, place that bucket on the a step in the pool. Add water to the bucket until the level of the water inside the bucket appears the same as the pool water surrounding it as seen from the side. Let it sit for 24 hours. If the leak is in the liner, the pool water will drop below the level of the water in the bucket. If the leak is in the plumbing lines, there will be no change and both levels will remain the same. You use this method instead of marking the level of the pool water on the pool side because  it won't matter if it rains or if pool water evaporates. Exactly the same thing will happen to the bucket water and at the same rate. If you've found that the leak is in the lines, you'll need to get a pro in to pressure test and locate the leak.

If it's actually in the liner, there's only one tried and true method of finding it and that's to grab a mask and an old bottle of your Ph testing reagent and go hunting. Turn off your pool about 30 minutes prior to going in, so's the current doesn't disturb any dye you may use. The most common areas to check first are the deepend ( kids use pool poles to get toys off the bottom, sometimes they stab liners by not putting an implement on the end. Pool poles are sharp and will leave a smiley face shape gash). Next, look under ladder bumpers and around skimmer and return faceplates. They can crack. Use your pH reagent to squirt a bit of that phenol red at anything that looks suspicious. If you have built in stairs, use your dye around the stair strip. The liner can pull away there.

One rare place that the pool can leak is through an electrical conduit for any pool light you have. Under some conditions ( unusually high pool water level and a poorly laid conduit) they can start a syphon effect. A squirt of dye inside the light niche will tell you for sure.

Still nothing? Set up a search pattern and check the entire bottom, wall and seams. After that...not much else you can do other than call in a pro.

Answer 2

carefully pour a bottle of coloured food colouring into the pool ( pour into the centre as far as possible).

Watch the direction the water moves - the leak will pull the water towards it and the colouring will show which way the water is moving.

Cant do this if its windy as wind will upset water flow - wait for a still calm day.