How to Know if Your Pool Is Leaking — Expert Tips for Homeowners in MA, NH, and ME

How to Know if Your Pool Is Leaking — Expert Tips for Homeowners in MA, NH, and ME

Is your pool losing water faster than it should? You’re not alone — homeowners across Peabody, Danvers, Newburyport, Andover, and other North Shore towns deal with unexpected pool leaks every season. At Seacoast Water Services, we help diagnose and fix pool leaks quickly using scuba inspections, pressure testing, and underground acoustic leak detection.

Here’s how to know if your pool has a leak, how to rule out evaporation, and what steps to take before costly damage sets in.

Common Signs Your Pool Might Be Leaking

While some water loss is normal due to evaporation, certain signs may indicate a more serious issue:

• You’re losing more than 1/4 inch of water per day

• Air bubbles are blowing into the pool through return lines

• The autofill is constantly running

• Higher than normal chemical usage

• Wet spots or soggy soil appear near your pool, deck, or patio

• Cracks in the pool surface, tiles, or around skimmers

• Pump is losing prime or sucking in air

These red flags often go unnoticed until the water loss becomes extreme — or costly.

Why Pool Leaks Are Common on the North Shore

• Seasonal freeze/thaw cycles causing pipe movement

• Sandy soil conditions near the coast ( Newburyport, Portsmouth, and Surrounding coastal areas)

• Heavy rain and snow melt masking water loss

If you’re a homeowner in Newburyport, Peabody, Boxford, Middleton, Topsfield, or surrounding areas, a slow leak may be causing damage you can’t see.

Evaporation or Leak? Try the Bucket Test

The bucket test is a simple DIY method to tell if your pool is leaking or just evaporating:

1. Fill a 5-gallon bucket with water and place it on a pool step.

2. Make sure the water level inside the bucket is even with the pool water level outside.

3. Mark both water levels.

4. Wait 24 hours (with the pump off if possible).

5. Compare the two levels.

If the pool water drops more than the water in the bucket, you likely have a leak.

How We Detect Pool Leaks — Step by Step

At Seacoast Water Services, we use professional tools and over a decade of experience to pinpoint hard-to-find leaks. Here’s what a typical inspection includes:

• Scuba Inspection: We dive in to inspect the pool structure, lights, skimmers, and return jets directly.

• Pressure Testing: We isolate each plumbing line and check for loss of pressure.

• Acoustic Leak Detection: We use advanced microphones to hear leaks underground.

• Camera Scoping: If necessary, we inspect plumbing lines with a specialized camera.

We’ve successfully inspected and repaired leaks in pools across Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and Southern Maine, Including:

• Peabody, Danvers, Beverly, Andover, and Newburyport, MA

• Portsmouth, Exeter, and Rye, NH

• York and Kittery, ME

Why Catching a Leak Early Saves You Thousands

Small leaks can lead to big problems:

• Higher water bills

• Erosion around the pool structure

• Damage to the foundation or surrounding decking

• Pump burnout and equipment failure

Fixing a small problem now could prevent a $10,000 issue later. Our inspections are fast, thorough, and often include on-the-spot patching when possible.

Need Help? Let’s Find the Leak.

If you’re losing water and want peace of mind, schedule a professional leak inspection today. We serve residential and commercial pools throughout Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and Southern Maine.

Call or text Seacoast Water Services at (978) 912-1538, or contact us here.