If your vinyl liner pool keeps dropping, you want to know two things fast: is it really a leak, and where is it? At The Leak Geeks, that is exactly what we do. I'm Ray Sanders, a Leaktronics-certified leak detection technician with more than 40 years in construction, and I find leaks in vinyl liner pools across West Columbia, Cayce, Columbia, Lexington, Irmo, Chapin, Gilbert and the Lake Murray area.
Is My Vinyl Pool Actually Leaking?
In a Midlands summer, a pool can lose about a quarter inch a day to evaporation alone. Before you assume the worst, try a bucket test: set a bucket of pool water on the steps, mark the water level inside the bucket and on the pool wall, and check both after 24 hours with the pump running normally. If the pool drops noticeably more than the bucket, you likely have a leak.
Other signs of a vinyl pool leak include:
- Wet or soft spots in the yard near the pool
- Wrinkles, bulges or a liner that is pulling away from the track
- The water level stopping at the same point every time (often the skimmer, a return or a light)
- Air bubbles coming out of the returns
- An autofill that runs constantly, or a water bill that jumped
Where Vinyl Liner Pools Leak
Vinyl pools have their own leak points. The liner can tear or puncture, but just as often the water escapes around something that cuts through the liner: skimmer faceplates and gaskets, return fittings, main drains, light niches, and step faceplates. Under the deck, the plumbing lines can crack or separate, especially here, where clay soil swells when it's wet and shrinks when it's dry.
Finding the leak means checking all of it, not just patching the first spot that looks suspicious.
How We Find Vinyl Pool Leaks Without Draining
Draining a vinyl pool is risky. The liner can shrink, wrinkle or float, and the walls can shift. Our detection is done with the pool full.
- Confirm the loss. We measure the water loss so we know we're dealing with a real leak, not evaporation.
- Dye test the fittings. We dye test every gasket, faceplate, light niche and seam, and inspect the liner surface closely.
- Pressure test the plumbing. We isolate and pressure test each plumbing line to find out whether the leak is in the liner or the pipes.
- Pinpoint with Leaktronics equipment. We use electronic listening equipment to locate underground or under-deck pipe leaks, usually within inches.
- Explain the findings. You get a clear explanation of what we found and where, before any repair starts.
We Find It and Fix It
Many leak detection companies stop at a report. We don't. If the leak is a liner tear, a failed gasket or a broken line, we can usually repair it ourselves, so you aren't calling three contractors. See our vinyl pool liner repair and no-dig pool plumbing repair services.
What You Get at the End of the Visit
You won't just get "it's somewhere in the plumbing." When we're done, you'll know whether the leak is in the liner, a fitting or a pipe, where it is, and what it will take to fix it. If we find nothing beyond normal evaporation, we'll tell you that too, and you won't have spent money on a repair you didn't need.
Serving Vinyl Pool Owners Within 25 Miles of West Columbia
We're based in West Columbia, SC and serve West Columbia, Cayce, Springdale, Pine Ridge, South Congaree, Columbia, Forest Acres, Lexington, Red Bank, Gilbert, Irmo, Chapin and the Lake Murray communities. I'm a lifetime Columbia resident, and I would rather tell you your water loss is normal evaporation than sell you a repair you don't need.
"The Leak Geeks found our pool leak, and stood by their repair when it failed (not their fault, the liner was brittle and it was in awkward spot). They had a much faster turnaround time than other companies we've used in the past. We appreciate their responsiveness and integrity in dealing with an unexpected leak!"
— Jacqui Wishart, Google review
Schedule Vinyl Pool Leak Detection
Losing water from your vinyl liner pool? Call 803-570-5283 or request an appointment. Call 803-570-5283 for a free quote on vinyl pool leak detection.