Damage To Your Swimming Pool

It would seem that if you are experiencing water loss, a likely suspect would be any aspect of the pool which appears to specifically be in disrepair. If one corner of your liner is duct taped to repair a tear in the liner, you likely have found the culprit.

Should any noticeable inconsistencies in the liner exist, whether on the walls or the floor, this would be well worth noting. Inconsistencies in the wall and floor can be either the direct problem, or a symptom thereof so heavy scrutiny should be given to any area of the pool which appears to be abnormal.


Start In The Pool Pump Room

The pool itself will be relatively easy to inspect for damage. The plumbing system which is largely buried below ground is much more difficult to inspect. The pool mechanical or pump room will be a good place to get a look at the type of plumbing that was used in the construction of your swimming pool.



You are looking for any signs of leaks, but you are also viewing the quality of the plumbing installation, the type of plumbing materials used, and the relative condition of these materials.

If you have a plumbing system that is very old and appears to be installed in a haphazard way you would rate the possibility of a leak in your plumbing system higher than a swimming pool mechanical room which looks like it was installed yesterday. Another example would be to check the type and condition of any pipe clamps which are used with black poly propylene piping material.


Pipe Clamps Are A Huge Leak Source

Pipe clamps should be compromised of stainless steel and should be free of rust and decay. Additionally these clamps should always be installed in tandem, meaning that two clamps are tightened over each fitting.



Again, you are not looking for definitive causes for the water loss in your swimming pool just yet, but instead creating a profile of your swimming pool which will allow you to follow a logic system to systematically determine the location of the leak in your pool.


Gaskets & Faceplates

In a vinyl liner swimming pool you should inspect all gaskets and faceplates in the returns, skimmers, in-wall stairs, lights and any other location where a compression seal is made around a hole in the vinyl liner. Should obvious signs of rust be present on the faceplate itself or the screw heads that would increase the likelihood of leaks in these locations


Pool Damage Inspection Conclusions

If visible damage exists on any part of your swimming pool you can consider this location a high likelihood for water loss. Still, only so much information can be garnered from a simple inspection and you must further analyze the pool leak characteristics in order to gain a full understanding of where your pool is leaking, and how to fix it.

Move on to the section dealing with water loss characteristics to continue diagnosing you pool leak problem. You can also stay with this subject and read advice from an expert about what to look for when inspecting a pool for signs of damage.



The menu on the right is a chronological step by step process to determine where a swimming pool is leaking. This website is written as a readthrough technical assistance guide for locating leaks. When you believe you have identified where the pool is leaking you need to go to our sister website to see pictures and learn more about the actual swimming pool leak repair process.