There are many concerns to address for commercial pool management. If you aren’t taking advantage of a full-service pool company, the thought of facility repairs can be nerve-racking. One structural problem that sites may face is the possibility of leakage. Water Loss can come from evaporation at rates on average of 1/2 inch per day. A leak will be through a faulty pipe or line or even structural through the basin itself. However, there is a simple way to determine if your pool has a leak.

Administer the bucket test
The bucket test is a simple analysis of how much the leak is in comparison to evaporation. First, take a large bucket or bowl and fill it with water. Set it on a step so that the bucket is partially submerged. Adjust the water level in the bucket so that it lines up perfectly with the level in your pool. Mark the water line inside the vessel with a marker and leave it for 24 hours. If the water in the pool and the bucket have decreased the same amount, then your lowered water line is due to evaporation. If the water level in the pool has fallen lower than that of the bucket, then you may very well have a leak.

At this point, you may want to call in pool construction services. However, if you’d like to further diagnose your leak problem, you can take the bucket test a step further. This time, plug up all the lines and pipes and re-administer the test. If water level in the pool and the bucket stay the same, then the leak may be in the lines and pipes. If the pool water line still drops below that of the bucket, then the leak may be in the basin itself. Since this extra test requires a fair amount of legwork, you may want to consider simply skipping it and leaving it to the professionals.

If your facility has any maintenance problems, you should reach out to professional pool services immediately. A small problem may progress into a larger one that could cause more damage. For example, leaks can damage your pool’s tiles, coping and decks, rendering the facility unusable by guests until the issue is fixed. Commercial pool management should always stay vigilant, since large pools require a lot of attention to detail. Unless you or a staff member are qualified in pool repair work and are knowledgeable of the codes and laws associated, do not attempt to fix a problem, since the results could cause further damage. Never hesitate to ask for professional advice.