Swim Care here with some tips for detecting and repairing a pool skimmer leak. Is your swimming pool looking a little more like a swamp lately? It may be time to investigate potential leaks in your pool skimmer. Don’t worry, detecting and repairing leaks is a breeze with the right tools and information. Keep reading for everything you need to know about finding and fixing leaks in your pool skimmer. Happy swimming!
Are you noticing that puddles are starting to form around your skimmer? Or maybe the pump is running more often than usual. If you’re seeing signs of a leak, it’s time to check inside your skimmer housing for the leak.
A leak in the pool skimmer can lead to algae growth and other problems. For example, if water isn’t draining properly from your skimmer, it will leak out onto the pool surface and contribute to total dissolved solids (TDS) levels in your pool water. If those solids aren’t removed regularly through backwashing or shocking, they’ll cause scaling and cloudy water as well as equipment damage such as corroded metalwork and clogged pipes so it’s very important to detect and repair your leak as soon as possible.
Poorly maintained pool skimmers are one of the biggest causes of equipment malfunction in swimming pools, so make sure you’re not neglecting yours! To keep it humming along with minimal maintenance, replace any worn-out or broken parts regularly. For example, check the gasket between the top of the skimmer body and its lid which acts as a seal to prevent leakage. If that rubber strip is cracked at all it can leak water which will cause problems with your pump if not repaired. Give it a good visual inspection during each cleaning session to see if there’s cracking, tearing, or other damage that needs replacing.
At least once per season, drain about half the water from your pool skimmer by turning the pump off and opening the skimmer lid. Then, disconnect all fittings such as unions and clips that hold your skimmer components together for easier access to leak detection dye.
Leak detection dye is a non-toxic powder that you mix with water and then pour directly into the skimmer basket. The particles bond to any surface they hit so leak detection dye will cling to cracks and other damage in your pool skimmer. Once it’s dry, put everything back together and fill up your system again. You should notice some of the leak detection powder remaining on damaged areas, which you can easily spot now that they’re outlined in purple or blue! Use a screwdriver (and safety glasses) to pop apart any seams where leak detection dye might be stuck and look for any cracks or holes that might be letting water leak out. If you find an area of damage, use a sealant such as Dap 1403 Pool Skim Seal to fix the leak. You can also add leak detection powder directly to your pool skimmer while it’s still full of water so you don’t have to drain half the system each time you want to check for leaks. Simply mix about one cup of leak detection dye with four cups of clean water in a bucket, pour the mixture into your skimmer basket, then let it sit overnight.
Depending on where the leak is located, you may need to go up top around the skimmer housing with leak detection powder instead of pouring it directly into the skimmer. Use leak detection dye anywhere you suspect there might be damage such as on top of or inside your pool’s main drain. Check underneath the skimmer lid and around the skimmer flange for leaky seams or cracked rubber pieces. If you find a leak, it’s time for some leak repair.
Swimming pools are expensive to maintain, and if you neglect them for too long they can cost even more. The best way to avoid problems is by catching any issues early on so that the damage doesn’t get worse. Pool skimmer leak detection is a simple solution that will help prevent costly repairs in the future as well as save you money today. Call Swim Care before it becomes an issue or give us a call just because–we’re always happy to talk about your pool! We look forward to hearing from you soon!
