Pool maintenance is a complex process that requires level balancing, regular garbage collection, and so on. However, even with outstanding care, force majeure situations can occur. One of these is water leakage.
At first glance, it may seem that finding and fixing a leak is easy. However, it can be tiny (less than 5 inches) or pass water very slowly. In this case, you may need pool leak detection services. However, the cost of pool leak services can reach $500. It is pricey!
If you want to save a few hundred dollars, you can use kits for detecting pool leaks. Therefore, to help you find the one that suits you best, we’ve gathered four leak dye testers and, as a bonus, two pool leak patching products. Also, we have described signs that can lead to a leak. Let’s get started!
| Pool Leak Detection Kits | |
Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection Winner in the category: The highest efficiency | Characteristics Amazon rating: ⭐️ 4.2 Volume: 8 oz bottle (40 refills of a syringe) Kit: refill bottle and syringe with a 6" needle Color: blue What makes it the best The most effective – allows you to find leaks due to the visible blue color of the dye and its ability to penetrate the gap or hole; The safest elimination – fully disappears in water with no residue remaining due to its biodegradability; The most convenient filling of the tester – allows you to fill the syringe without spilling dye; Works for chlorinated water – high chemical resistance and highly-concentrated dye formula; Everything you need is at hand – a syringe with a needle presented in a kit. Jump to the detailed review |
Anderson Dye Tester Pre-Filled Winner in the category The best in finding small holes | Characteristics Amazon rating: ⭐️ 4.4 Volume: 0.2 oz Kit: syringe with a 6" needle Color: fluorescent-yellow What makes it the best The best in finding small holes – 60% of users report that the liquid penetrates even the smallest gaps ( The longest lingering in the place of application – the concentrated liquid lingering in water for a long time; The best for finding holes in corners and shadows – the fluorescent dye absorbs light and glow; Convenient use – allows you to apply dye accurately without spraying it over a large area due to the 6-inch needle; As many as you need – the convenient volume of one syringe. Jump to the detailed review |
Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection Kit Winner in the category The most extensive kit | Characteristics Amazon rating: ⭐️ 4.1 Volume: 8 oz bottle (40 refills of a syringe) and 4.6 oz putty Kit: refill bottle, syringe with a 6" needle, pool putty, and instructional step-by-step DIY videos for mixing & applying epoxy Color: fluorescent-yellow What makes it the best The most extensive kit – allows you to fill each syringe up to 40 times, find the hole, and immediately fix it with putty due to an 8 oz refill bottle; The most noticeable dye – easily spot dye due to its fluorescent-yellow color; The most self-sufficient putty – both the resin and hardener in one stick are presented in one stick; Versatile putty appearance – allows you to easily paint the putty over with any color due to it becoming white after hardening; Ease of use – instructions for applying the putty are presented in the kit. Jump to the detailed review |
Anderson Refill Leak Tester Winner in the category The most economical use | Characteristics Amazon rating: ⭐️ 4.2 Volume: 8 oz bottle (43 refills of a syringe) Kit: refill bottle Color: fluorescent-blue What makes it the best The most economical use – one refill bottle is enough to fill the syringe up to 43 times, which is on 3 tests more than the similar leak finder has; The best for finding skimmer leaks – blue fluorescent dye is easy to spot even in a dark skimmer due to its glowing; The best for finding slow leaks – the concentrated blue dye that can linger for a long time; Universal use – allows you to find small leaks in the vinyl coating due to its fluidity; Safe for the skin – can be easily washed off with plain water. Jump to the detailed review |
| Pool Leak Patching Kits | |
Marlig Pool Leak Sealer Winner in the category The best leak patching | Characteristics Amazon rating: ⭐️ 4.1 Volume: 32 oz bottle Type: Sealer Hardening rate: 48 hours What makes it the best The best leak patching – allows fixing leaks in all types of materials and surfaces due to the liquid sealant can penetrate cracks of any size; The most enduring result – users point out that they have no leaks for a minimum of 4 weeks; The largest amount of sealant – allows fixing leaks in a 22,000-gallon pool; Detailed instructions – step-by-step instructions are provided on the official website of the manufacturer; Safe sealant – does not harm salt chlorine generators, heaters, pumps, or filters. Jump to the detailed review |
Epoxybond Pool Putty Winner in the category The most universal | Characteristics Amazon rating: ⭐️ 4.6 Volume: 14.1 oz Type: Sealer Hardening rate: 1.5 hour What makes it the best The most versatile – pool putty is designed specifically to fix cracks under and above water, as it is waterproof; The easiest to use – the resin and hardener are presented in one kit; The fastest hardening – the mixture hardens in 1.5 hours; Easy to mix – you can easily mix the resin and hardener due to their clay-like consistency; Temperature-resistant – can withstand temperatures up to 200°F. Jump to the detailed review |
Every problem has its harbingers. Pool leakage also has some signs. You should check them once a week to ensure your pool is not losing water.
Have you identified one of the signs of a pool leak? Now it’s time to find this problem! Next, we have collected four of the best pool leak detectors that will allow you to easily find a leak. Moreover, each of them has distinctive features that will help you choose a detector more accurately.
The highest efficiency
| Characteristics | Amazon rating: 4.2 ⭐️ Volume: 8 oz bottle (40 refills of a syringe) Kit: refill bottle and syringe with a 6″ needle Color: blue |
Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection is the DYE tester with the highest efficiency. Five out of eight users (62.5%) report that this product helped them detect a leak in a pool. It is 12.5% more than the Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection Kit.
This pool leakage detector is a highly concentrated dye. Thus, after you spray it in water, it stays in the form of a cloud and does not dissolve. Moreover, even highly chlorinated water will not interfere with leak detection. The dye is resistant to chemicals.
However, you don’t have to worry about sediment or slime in the water. This product is biodegradable. Therefore, after a while, there will be no trace of dye in your pool.
Also, the Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection comes with a syringe and a 6″ needle that will allow you to apply the dye directly to the suspected leak and control its loss. The good news is that the 8 oz refill bottle will bring up to 40 syringe refills. Therefore, users note that the dye is enough for several years of use.
The best in finding small holes
| Characteristics | Amazon rating: 4.4 ⭐️ Volume: 0.2 oz Kit: syringe with a 6″ needle Color: fluorescent-yellow |
The Anderson Dye Tester Pre-Filled is the best for finding small holes. Three out of five surveyed users (60%) noted it, which is three times more than the Anderson Refill Leak Tester. It is because this tester is easy to use:
The most extensive kit
| Characteristics | Amazon rating: 4.1 ⭐️ Volume: 8 oz bottle (40 refills of a syringe) and 4.6 oz putty Kit: refill bottle, syringe with a 6″ needle, pool putty, and instructional step-by-step DIY videos for mixing & applying epoxy Color: fluorescent-yellow |
Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection Kit is a unique product that offers you the most comprehensive kit that consists of a refill bottle, syringe, and pool putty. You can find a lot of leaks (up to 40 syringe refills) and fix them with putty.
The Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection Kit contains the same dye as the Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection but a yellow fluorescent instead of blue. Some users note that this color is more noticeable in water than a blue. However, many factors like pool liner or tile color influence it. If you have light – blue is better for you, if dark – yellow.
Also, we should mention pool putty benefits. Unlike Epoxybond Pool Putty, it has pre-mixed resin and hardener. Therefore, you can just apply it to the leak you detect and let it dry for 30-60 minutes.
The most economical use
| Characteristics | Amazon rating: 4.2 ⭐️ Volume: 8 oz bottle (43 refills of a syringe) Kit: refill bottle Color: fluorescent-blue |
Anderson Refill Leak Tester is the most economical DYE that will allow you to perform many tests. This bottle can fill up to 43 syringes, three more than Leakmaster Pool Leak Detection.
Also, Anderson Refill Leak Tester is a highly concentrated dye that lingers in the water for a long time. What’s more, the blue fluorescent color allows for performing pool leak detection even in the darkest pool areas (for example, corners or skimmers). This dye is easy to see if you spread it in water and use a flashlight. Then it will glow.
However, despite the highly concentrated composition, the dye will not harm you if it comes into contact with the skin. It can be easily washed off under running water because it doesn’t get absorbed but stays on the surface.
Did you manage to find the leakage? Great, now it’s time to choose a pool patching product that will eliminate the problem once and forever. Next, you can see sealer and putty, each of which has a different principle of leak patching.
We have compared these two pool leakage patchers and pointed out their features, pros, and cons, so you can choose the one that suits you best.
The best leak patching
| Characteristics | Amazon rating: 4.1 ⭐️ Volume: 32 oz bottle Type: Sealer Hardening rate: 48 hours |
Marlig Pool Leak Sealer is the best pool patching product. 50% of users point out that it helped stop pool leaks, which is 10% more than Epoxybond Pool Putty. Since Marlig is a sealant, you should pour it into the pool, follow the instructions, and wait for the result. It will be able to eliminate even unchecked leaks.
Speaking of instructions, you can find a detailed guide on how to apply the pool sealer on the manufacturer’s website. It describes what steps to take not to harm the equipment and get the maximum effect. Also, if you don’t know which size you should choose (8 oz or 32 oz), you can find an explanation of which product’s volume is best for each situation.
Also, Marlig Pool Leak Sealer has a very high enduring result. Users note that the effect lasts more than four weeks, which is twice as long as other products.
The most universal
| Characteristics | Amazon rating: 4.6 ⭐️ Volume: 14.1 oz Type: Sealer Hardening rate: 1.5 hour |
Epoxybond Pool Putty is the most versatile patching product available. You can apply this both above and underwater. Also, the curing rate of putty is 32 times faster than that of Marlig Pool Leak Sealer and is only 1.5 hours.
Putty contains the resin and hardener, which you need to use 1 to 1. They are easy to mix because they have a consistency similar to soft clay. However, despite the soft composition, putty can withstand high loads (even hit with a hammer) because it contains a hardener. What’s more, this component also allows you to stay in shape even at temperatures up to 200°F.
Also, you can use Epoxybond Pool Putty to repair broken tiles. You won’t need to replace it all because it’s enough to add putty and paint it to match the tile.
Your pool can lose up to 1/4″ of water in usual weather and up to 1/2″ in a dry one per day. Of course, it is impossible to give accurate indicators since several factors influence this: air temperature, climate, pool surface area, and so on.
However, it’s worth saying that 1/4″ and 1/2″ is about 78 gallons of water for a 49′ square pool. Thus, it costs you $0.3-0.75 per day. It’s about $9-22.5 per month. Now imagine your pool losing twice as much water. It will cost $18-45. To this amount should be added the cost of balancing the levels. It is caused by the constant addition of water with inappropriate levels. You will get a bill for about $150.
Therefore, if you notice any deviations from the expected amount of water loss, immediately consider purchasing a DYE tester and pool putty, which will cost you about $39. It is 3.8 times less than paying for leaking water and a permanent balance of levels.
Leaks in the pool can appear in different places. However, the three most popular ones should be checked regularly.
Pool skimmer | Pool liner | Pool pump |
| It is perhaps the most popular place to leak. The skimmer is responsible for collecting debris so that it does not settle on the pool bottom and does not cause bacteria to grow. Usually, the skimmer is plastic and attached to the concrete pool walls. At this point, it may fall off, so leaks will appear. | Its service life is 8-20 years. However, punctures may occur during pool maintenance. So if it has a pool liner and a leak, check that part first. | It is the system that circulates the water in the pool. It has PVC tubes that wear out and can leak water. |
Leaking pool water is a problem that can cost hundreds of extra dollars a month. Moreover, it can damage the pool structure or cause the ground to collapse. Of course, you do not want a huge problem to arise because of one crack.
So in this article, we have gone over the top six signs of a leak, calculated potential costs, and listed the top four DYE testers and the top two pool patching kits.
Yes, DYE testers are suitable for underwater use because they don’t dissolve quickly.
A pool leak can be covered by insurance if it is caused by something listed on the insurance policy (such as a hurricane, flood, etc.).
You need to look for wet spots around the pool and next to them (in the pool itself) use the DYE testers to determine where the leak is.
You need to apply the DYE testers near the suspected leak. If the dye rushes to the bottom, there is a leak in this place.
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Great advice on how you should fix a leaking pool immediately since this can significantly increase your monthly water usage if left unattended. My uncle mentioned that he wants to invest in a pool around his backyard. I should let him know about how important pool leak detection is when we meet again.