Swimming pool leaks can quickly escalate from a minor annoyance into a significant problem, wasting water, increasing utility bills, damaging surrounding structures, and disrupting your pool’s chemical balance.
Fortunately, Precision Leak Detection offers a streamlined, systematic process that allows us to find swimming pool leaks quickly, accurately, and non-invasively. Our technicians rely on four professional-grade techniques: visual inspection, dye testing, hydrophones (electronic listening devices), and pressure testing. When used together, these tools form a comprehensive strategy that delivers fast and reliable leak detection for residential pools.
Whether you live in Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Springs, Boca Raton, Lake Worth, Greenacres, or anywhere else in Palm Beach County, we’re ready to help you find and fix your pool leak.
Step 1: Visual Inspection – Using Expert Eyes to Spot Red Flags
Every leak detection service begins with a thorough visual inspection. This means carefully scanning the entire swimming pool, deck area, and equipment pad for common signs of water loss:
Cracks in the pool shell or tile line
Separation around fittings, lights, and skimmers
Soggy or eroded soil near the pool or plumbing lines
Air bubbles entering the return lines
Water puddling where it shouldn’t be
At Precision Leak Detection, our trained technicians know where to look and what to look for. Many leaks occur at known failure points, such as where the plastic skimmer meets the concrete pool wall, at the light conduit, or around return jets. Years of experience enable us to identify subtle visual clues, such as calcium buildup, algae growth in unexpected places, or faint cracks in the plaster that a homeowner might easily overlook.
Visual inspection doesn’t always tell the whole story, but it’s a vital first step in narrowing down possible leak locations before proceeding to more targeted testing.
Step 2: Dye Testing – Confirming Suspected Leak Areas
Once we’ve identified areas of concern during the visual inspection, the next step is dye testing. This method uses a syringe to apply a small amount of non-toxic dye directly around suspected leak points. When the pool’s circulation is off, and the water is still, any dye that is drawn into a crack, fitting, or joint confirms a leak.
Dye testing is particularly effective around:
Skimmer throats
Light niches and conduits
Return jets and wall fittings
Visible cracks in plaster or vinyl liners
Steps, benches, or drains
The beauty of dye testing is its simplicity—it quickly confirms exactly where water is escaping, so we don’t waste time or guess at repairs. Even tiny pinhole leaks can be detected this way.
In some cases, we’ll also use dye-testing cones or plugs to determine if the pool plumbing is contributing to the leak. If dye gets drawn into a plumbing line, that’s a clear sign there may be a break behind the swimming pool wall.
Step 3: Pressure Testing – Isolating the Plumbing
If no structural leaks are found—or if we suspect the leak might be in one of the pool’s underground pipes—we perform pressure testing. This method involves sealing off sections of the plumbing system (such as skimmers, returns, main drain, and spa lines) and then pressurizing them with air or water.
If the pressure in a line holds steady, the pipe is intact. But if the pressure drops, that means water or air is escaping from the line, indicating a leak. By methodically testing each pipe individually, we can determine whether the leak is in the plumbing and, if so, exactly which line is compromised.
Pressure testing is incredibly accurate and saves homeowners from unnecessary digging or structural repairs. It’s beneficial when:
The pool only leaks when the pump is on or off
The water loss is inconsistent
There are no visible cracks or damage in the shell
With the plumbing isolated, we can move on to the next phase—finding the exact location of the pipe break.
Step 4: Electronic Listening Devices – Hearing What the Eye Can’t See
Once we know a leak exists—whether in the plumbing or pool shell—our technicians use hydrophones and geophones (sensitive electronic listening devices) to pinpoint the exact location. Here’s how it works:
Hydrophones are placed in the pool water to listen for sounds of water escaping through a structural crack, fitting or plumbing line.
Deck Plates are used above ground, especially on pool decks, to listen for air or water escaping from an underground pipe.
If we’ve pressure-tested a return line and found it’s leaking, we’ll inject air into the pipe. As the air escapes through the underground break, it creates a bubbling sound. Our listening devices help us locate the spot where the sound is loudest, allowing us to mark the exact location of the leak—often to within a few inches.
This approach is non-invasive and saves homeowners thousands of dollars in unnecessary demolition. It also eliminates guesswork, letting us proceed directly to the most efficient and effective repair possible.
A Streamlined Process That Saves Time and Money
Each of these techniques—visual inspection, dye testing, pressure testing, and electronic listening—serves a specific purpose. When used together in the correct order, they allow our team to quickly:
Determine whether a leak is in the structure or the plumbing
Identify the exact location of the leak
Minimize damage to the property
Make fast, targeted repairs
Our technicians are trained to read the signs, interpret test results, and adjust their approach accordingly based on their findings. We don’t waste time on trial-and-error methods or unnecessary repairs. Our entire process is designed to find the problem fast so you can get back to enjoying your pool.
Why Homeowners in Palm Beach County Trust Precision Leak Detection
Finding a pool leak isn’t easy if you don’t know where to look or what tools to use. DIY methods can often lead to frustration, missed leaks, or even damage to your pool’s structure. That’s why homeowners across Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Springs, Boca Raton, Lake Worth, Greenacres, and the entire Palm Beach County area rely on Precision Leak Detection.
We combine years of hands-on experience with professional-grade equipment and a proven process that consistently delivers results. Whether your pool is losing an inch a day or seems a little off, we’ll quickly identify the problem and tell you precisely what needs to be done to fix it.
Schedule Your Leak Detection Today
If you suspect your swimming pool may have a leak, don’t wait. Leaks never fix themselves—and the longer you wait, the more damage they can cause. Precision Leak Detection is standing by to help homeowners throughout Palm Beach County find and fix swimming pool leaks with speed, accuracy, and professionalism.
Contact us today to schedule your leak detection service. Let our team take the guesswork out of pool ownership so you can get back to enjoying a crystal-clear, fully functioning swimming pool.
Precision Leak Detection – Proudly serving all of Palm Beach County.
