Our Bucket Test will help determine if your water loss is due to evaporation or if a leak is present.
Use the following steps to determine if your pool, spa, or fountain is leaking.
- Ensure that the swimming pool is filled to normal operating level.
- Dip a 5 gallon-bucket in the swimming pool (or water you have) and fill it an inch or two higher than the level of the pool water on the outside of the bucket.
- Place the bucket on the steps of the swimming pool. Do not immerse.
- Shut the pumps off and ensure that the auto-fill valve is off to set up the test.
- Mark the water levels inside & outside the bucket with a grease pencil.
- Restore the pump function (keep the auto fill valve off).
- Mark the time. After 24 hours compare the two levels of water.
Review Your Results & Keep A Few Things In Mind
- Do not carry out the bucket test during any rainfall, as the rain interferes with results.
- Do not extend the test over a 24 hour period or the results will not be accurate.
- Write down the number of inches lost in 24 hours and calculate the difference between the loss of water in the bucket and that from the pool.
- If the mark outside the bucket (swimming pool water) is lower than the mark inside the bucket, this is an indication that there is a leak.
The bucket test principle is simple – the rate of evaporation of water is the same from any surface. Hence, if the bucket shows a quarter inch loss of water owing to evaporation, the swimming pool should have the same loss. If the water loss in the swimming is more than in the bucket, there is a leak.
Call us immediately if you suspect a leak. Aquaman Leak Detection can expertly determine if the leak is in the structure, plumbing, or accessories, and isolate the leak to minimize the required repair expense.
Typical Evaporation
If your pool, spa or fountain is losing a half an inch a day, it could be evaporation, or it could be a leak. A quarter inch per day is most likely evaporation. The evaporation rate in your area depends on humidity, sunlight intensity, barometric pressure, wind, as well as the amount of use (people) in the pool, spa or fountain. In the heat of the summer, more evaporation is likely. If you aren't sure, you can perform a bucket test.
Preparing For A Service Call
If you suspect a leak, but don’t know how much water your pool, spa or fountain is losing per day, we may ask if a bucket test has been performed. Once we know a leak is present, we go right to work using our own patented leak detection technology to find the leak fast. We find and repair leaks the same day in most cases and offer warrantied work, leaving our clients with peace of mind.