Is my pool leaking? How to do the bucket test
Every pool loses some water to evaporation. The bucket test tells you whether yours is losing more than that.
Evaporation or a leak?
In a hot, dry, windy North Texas summer, a pool can lose a noticeable amount of water to evaporation alone. That makes it hard to tell by eye. The bucket test compares your pool to a bucket of water sitting in the same sun and wind, so evaporation cancels out.
The bucket test, step by step
1. Fill the pool to its normal level and turn off any auto-fill.
2. Set a bucket on the first or second step, and put a brick or weight in it so it stays put.
3. Fill the bucket until the water inside is level with the pool water outside.
4. Mark both levels: a line inside the bucket, and a piece of tape on the outside of the bucket at the pool’s level.
5. Run the pump as normal and leave it for 24 hours. Don’t swim or add water.
6. Compare. If the pool dropped noticeably more than the bucket, you likely have a leak.
Tip: run the test once with the pump on and once with it off. If the pool loses more water with the pump running, the leak may be on the pressure side of the plumbing or at the equipment. If it loses more with the pump off, it may be on the suction side.
Other signs of a leak
Adding water more than once a week
Wet or soggy spots in the yard or around the equipment Cracks in the plaster, tile line or deck
Loose tile or coping A higher water bill with no other explanation
Chemicals that never seem to stay balanced, because fresh water keeps diluting them
Where leaks usually hide
The equipment pad: pump, filter, heater and valve connections Underground plumbing lines
Skimmers, return fittings, main drains and light niches Cracks in the shell, tile line or surface
If the bucket test says leak
Check the equipment pad for drips or wet ground first. Then call us. We’ll check the equipment, plumbing and pool structure and tell you what we find. More on leak detection.
Bucket test says leak?
Tell us how much the pool dropped compared to the bucket, and over how long.
Bucket test questions
How long should I run the bucket test?
At least 24 hours. Running it over a couple of days gives a clearer picture.
Does rain ruin the test?
Yes. Rain adds water to both the pool and the bucket unevenly. Run the test on a dry day.
Can you find and fix the leak?
We’ll check the equipment, plumbing and structure and tell you what we find. Equipment and plumbing repairs are part of what we do, and for tile, coping or plaster we coordinate the crew. You get a quote first.