The pool was perfect. Or so I thought. The water level kept dropping, and I told myself it was evaporation. But when I was refilling every day, suspicion crept in. Something was leaking, and it was time to find it.
Chapter One: The Clues
I started with the usual suspects. Checked the skimmer. Dry. Inspected the pump and filter for drips. Nothing. Even the return lines looked fine. Yet every morning, the waterline was lower. The deck tiles near the shallow end felt damp, but I ignored it. That was my first mistake.
I noticed bubbles in the return jets, which should have tipped me off. There were also faint stains on the walls near the steps that I thought were just cosmetic. Turns out they were telling a story I wasn’t ready to hear. The grass along the pool deck grew faster than anywhere else, soaking up what I refused to see.
Even friends started asking why the waterline seemed lower every time they visited. I waved it off with jokes about hot weather. Inside, though, the unease was growing.
Chapter Two: The Interrogation
I grabbed my flashlight and crouched like a detective staking out a scene. I dyed the water around the steps and the skimmer to see if anything moved. Still nothing. Then I got lower, inspecting the liner, brushing my hands over seams I’d never thought to check. And there it was, a tiny tear hidden just behind a decorative tile. The kind of tear that laughs at you while it drains your pool overnight.
I pressed my finger to it, and sure enough, water seeped through like a confession. Case cracked. But being thorough, I kept checking. I pulled up a corner of the liner near the ladder and discovered another pinhole hiding underneath. I found a loose pipe connection under the deck where water was trickling silently into the ground. These little culprits had been conspiring together while I looked everywhere else.
I questioned everything. Had the liner shifted? Were the fittings installed properly? When was the last time anyone inspected behind the pool light? The answer was never and that was on me.
Chapter Three: The Evidence
With the flashlight and dye test, I found three leaks in total. Two in the liner, one at the return fitting. The leak behind the decorative tile was the biggest, but the others contributed too. The patch kit worked well for the liner, but fixing the fitting required tightening and sealing from the inside.
I also learned that small tears often appear around high-traffic areas like ladders and steps, where stress on the liner is greatest. And loose fittings usually happen after a hard winter or heavy pool usage.
Case Closed
The repairs were straightforward once I finally stopped ignoring the clues. A patch, some sealant, and a vow to never ignore damp tiles or suspicious grass again. The water level stayed steady after that. My pool finally stopped crying for help.
What I Learned:
- Not all leaks are obvious. Look closer.
- Check seams, corners, and under decorative tiles.
- Watch for overgrown grass or damp spots near the pool deck.
- Use a dye test to catch sneaky leaks.
- Don’t blame evaporation when it’s really neglect.
- Inspect behind the pool light and at ladder bases.
- Look for bubbles in the return jets, a sign of air getting in somewhere.
Next time, trust your gut. If the water’s vanishing, the leak is there. You just have to look where no one expects. Pay attention to the whispers of your pool before they become screams.
When you finally solve the mystery, you’ll feel like the hero your backyard deserves and your pool will thank you by staying full, happy, and quiet.
