Pool leak detection: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering pool leak detection

Pool leak detection is diagnostic work that pays off when the customer gets a clear answer. Win the job with a written test plan and a report that shows the leak, the proof and the repair options.

What customers ask

  • Where is my pool leaking?
  • How much water am I losing each day?
  • Do I need to drain the pool for the test?
  • Can you find it without digging?
  • What do I get at the end of the test?
  • Is the leak going to get worse?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask for the pool age and surface, how fast the level drops, what changed recently, and whether the equipment runs with the water loss.
  • Start with a bucket test on site, and show the customer the results so the evaporation question is settled first.
  • Run the dye, pressure and listening tests in order, and record each result with a photo or a note.
  • Quote the test as its own job, and say what it covers, including the report and any follow-up visit.
  • Give the customer a written report with the leak location, the proof and the repair options, kept separate from any repair quote.
  • Refer buried-line digging to a licensed trade when it falls outside your scope, and say so in the report.

What to put on your profile

  • Post photos of dye tests and pressure gauges with the leak location marked
  • List the leak detection methods you use, including bucket, dye, pressure and listening tests
  • State the pool types and surfaces you test, such as plaster, pebble, fiberglass and vinyl
  • Show a sample leak report with the details blurred

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a repair appointment with a clear scope once the leak is confirmed
  • Suggest a water level log for the owner to keep after the repair, so any new loss shows up early
  • Recommend a follow-up test after the repair to confirm the fix holds

Licenses and permits

Leak detection often involves pressure testing lines and equipment, and any repair that involves excavation or electrical work may require a contractor license or a permit. Confirm your scope with your state or local licensing agency and refer any work outside your license.

Questions

Can I charge a fee for the test if the leak is not found?

Put the test fee in the quote with what it covers, and agree on it in writing before you start. Owners accept a test fee more readily when the report shows every test you ran.

What if the leak is in a line I am not licensed to dig?

Report the location and the proof, then refer the digging to a licensed trade. Do not dig or cut a line outside your license, even if the customer asks you to.

What should I keep from a leak test?

Keep the photos, the test notes and the written report in the job file, since they are the proof of what you found and when you found it.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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