Evaporation vs. an Actual Leak
In Phoenix's dry heat, pools commonly lose a quarter to half an inch of water per day to evaporation alone, especially in summer. That makes it genuinely hard to tell normal water loss from an actual leak just by eyeballing the water line — you need a way to compare the two side by side. If a situation like this is happening right now, you can request emergency service and we'll get moving. It's worth browsing our full list of restoration services to see which one matches what you're dealing with.
The Bucket Test
Fill a bucket with pool water and set it on a pool step so the water levels inside and outside the bucket match. Mark both levels, wait 24 hours, then compare. If the pool's water level dropped noticeably more than the bucket's, that difference points to a leak rather than ordinary evaporation. If you want to go deeper on this, our guide on Water Damage History: What Phoenix Home Buyers Need to Know covers it well. We also break this down further in School & Daycare Water Extraction: Fast Response to Minimize Class Disruption in Phoenix.
Common Places Pools Leak
Pool leaks typically show up at skimmer housings, light fixtures, plumbing connections at the equipment pad, or cracks in the shell itself. Ground movement from Phoenix's expansive caliche soil can also stress underground plumbing lines running to and from the pool over time. For background from an independent source, see the IICRC S500 restoration standard. the Insurance Information Institute's claims overview has useful guidance on this if you want to read further.
Why Pool Leaks Matter Beyond the Water Bill
A leaking pool doesn't just waste water — it can saturate the soil around a home's foundation or crawl space, and in severe cases contribute to structural moisture issues near the house. If you notice unexplained dampness near your foundation along with pool water loss, it's worth having both the pool and the surrounding structure checked. Our moisture detection services can assess whether pool leakage has affected nearby structural areas. You can also review FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program for an outside perspective on this.