Step 2 – Pool Leak Location

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This phase of leak detection is the most difficult, because the leak is typically underground and out of sight.  The key to our success is having a lot of different tools in our arsenal.  Most leak detectors rely on one tool – the deck microphone, but many times that tool is not enough to help pinpoint the location of the leak.

Here are some of the tools that we use in locating your leak.

Deck Microphone

We inject air and water pressure together into the line and as the water and air escapes from the line underground, it makes a distinct gurgling noise that we can hear with our equipment.

There are three main drawbacks to this method:

First, sometimes the sound reverberates through the piping under the deck or echoes under the deck and this makes exact location difficult.

Second, sometimes ambient noise or electrical interference makes it impossible to hear the noise

Third, if the leak is really small, it may be impossible to hear.

Push Microphone/Flash Stick

Normally, you would not think of a small leak as being noisy, but under high levels of amplification, it sounds like a jet engine.

This microphone transmits a signal so that after we have found the leak, we can use a flash stick above the deck to pinpoint the exact location within a few inches.

We got this device because we had a leak that eluded us and also eluded another leak detection company and we were not willing to give up.

We literally found the leak in 10-15 minutes using this pipe microphone

Tracer Gas

A deck microphone can often give you a general location of the leak, but there are times when it is inconclusive.  We want to be absolutely certain before we cut into a deck, so we have developed the use of tracer gas to pinpoint the leak.

We inject tracer gas into the line and use a sniffer to look for traces of the gas above the deck.  

We only use this process as needed, as there is an additional charge due to the cost of the materials and equipment, but we have had 100% success rate in finding hard-to-find leaks.

This also works with other untestable items such as sheer descents and waterfalls.

Ground Probe

The ground probe is designed to listen to leaks in the ground.  

We use it in conjunction with the tracer gas detection and with the pipe pulser if we are not certain of the location of the pipe run.

We have also found it to be very useful as a deck plate or when listening to sounds in the side walls of spas.  

This connects to the LT1000 amplifier, just line the push mic, the dome mic, the deck plate and the dome microphones.  

Pipe Microphone

The pipe microphone is also used to listen to find leaks in the pipes. It is pulled through the line while the pipes are under low pressure.  

The microphone is attached to a listening device which amplifies the sound greatly so it can be heard.  When the leak is heard, a signal generator is attached to the microphone and the location can be pinpointed using the flash stick.

There is additional cost attached to this process, but it is available as needed when other options are not sucessful in locating the leak.

Dome Microphone

The dome microphone is useful for listening for leaks in the pool light niche or conduit and the drain sumps.

This is not a stand-alone tool for us but simply helps us to quickly get an indication if we need to look at that spot for a leak.

There is no single tool that is a magic wand.  Our success comes from having a wide variety of tools to use in every situation as the need arises.

Pipe Pulser

We only have to use the pipe pulser once in a while, but when we need it, we need it.  

This puts a water pulse through a line so we can listen with the soil probe and get an idea of where the pipes are running.  This gets us to the exact location of the leak a lot faster.

Back in the day, I remember searching for a pipe run with a shovel like a human woodchuck.  Those days are over. 

Having problems with your pool or equipment?  Call or text us at 469-651-9449 or click here for an appointment

Leak detection is by far the most difficult discipline in this industry.

We are committed to doing it to the highest standards.