When a pool loses water, the source may be inside the pool or in its underground plumbing. Atlantic Pool Leak Detection provides pool leak detection in Edison, NJ and throughout Middlesex County. We test the pool and its plumbing to find which part of the system is leaking before choosing a repair.
A broken pipe beneath a concrete patio may leave no obvious sign at the surface. One Edison job shows why identifying the line and locating the break are separate steps.
A Broken Bottom Drain Pipe Repaired in Edison
An Edison homeowner had a gunite pool more than 40 years old that was losing approximately 1 to 2 inches of water per day. We pressure tested the plumbing and confirmed a break in the bottom drain pipe. On this pool, the pipe connected directly to the skimmer line beneath the concrete patio. We pinpointed the break about 15 to 18 inches below the skimmer.
We temporarily plugged the bottom drain until the underground repair could be scheduled. Because the drain and skimmer lines were connected underground, the broken pipe still had to be repaired to stop the water loss.
We dug from outside the patio and underneath the concrete to reach the break. We repaired the pipe without cutting the patio, then removed the temporary plug and put the bottom drain back into operation.
This repair depended on the location of the break and the available access beside the patio. A similar approach may not be possible at every property.
How We Tested the Edison Pool
The customer was adding water daily because the pool was losing 1 to 2 inches per day. Over the winter, the water level dropped down to the pool light, making the light seem like the “obvious” reason for the water loss. But the symptoms, the pool’s plumbing layout and our initial testing when we arrived, led us to suspect the bottom drain pipe within minutes of arriving.
We isolated and pressure tested the bottom drain line, confirming it was broken. We then used specialized listening equipment to pinpoint the underground break that was about 15 to 18 inches below the skimmer.
Underwater access helped us isolate the drain. A visual check with scuba gear inside the pool alone could not have confirmed the broken pipe or located it beneath the patio.
What Water Loss Can and Cannot Tell You
Losing 1 to 2 inches per day called for testing at the Edison pool, but the rate of loss did not tell us what the problem was. If the loss is small or uncertain, a bucket test can compare pool water loss with evaporation. It cannot locate a leak.
Where the water level drops to can be misleading, as it was in the case. Proper diagnostics and testing gives a clearer answer than guessing from a surface clue.
Pool Leak Detection in Edison and Middlesex County
APLD has more than 15 years of leak detection experience and has performed more than 5,000 pool leak detections. Randy and Ryan work together testing vinyl-liner, gunite and fiberglass pools in Edison and throughout Middlesex County.
Schedule Pool Leak Detection in Edison, NJ
If your pool is losing water, call Atlantic Pool Leak Detection at 732-333-3304 or contact us online to request service in Edison, NJ. Finding pool leaks is what we do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Edison bottom drain need a pipe repair?
The bottom drain pipe connected underground to the skimmer line. The temporary plug inside the drain did not stop the water loss and did not replace having to repair the broken section of pipe. After the pipe was repaired, we returned and removed the plug.
Can you repair a pipe beneath a patio without cutting the concrete?
Sometimes. At this Edison job, it was possible to dig in the grass outside the patio. Every pool is different and repair options vary based on many different factors.
Does pressure testing tell you exactly where a pipe is broken?
Pressure testing identifies a broken pipe. Locating the break within that line is a separate step. When conditions allow, we use specialized listening equipment to narrow down where the break is located
