How do I find a leak in my above pool liner

You need to use common sense to look for any areas that could be prone to having holes. For example if your steel ladder does not have the ladder bumpers on, the steel of the ladder will act like a cookie cutter on the walls of your pool. If you have a ladder without bumpers on the legs, you almost certainly have a leak there.

Another common cause of leaks in the liner can be from vacuum heads and leaf nets that have been attached to the telescopic poles with wire or sharp hose clamps. If you have been using a vacuum that has sharp edges you will have tiny crescent shaped punctures in the liner along the bottom 6 inches of the walls.

Once you have located areas that could be prone to leaking - use red food coloring or the red drop dye from your test kit. If you squirt a little red dye under water about one or two inches away form any area that looks like it may be leaking you will be able to see the red dye being pulled into the hole in the liner. This is a method that professionals have been using for years.

Finally, if you have a major leak, let the water find its own level. Let the water leak out until the level has stabilized. It is very likely that the water level in your pool will be at the exact height as the hole causing your leak.

I hope this information is helpful.

Steve Goodale
Serendipity Pools