Pool Leak Detection
FAQ

Carlito's Way charges flat-rate pricing from $325–$600 for standard residential pools in Miami-Dade and Broward County. The exact price depends on pool size, complexity, and whether you have a spa or water features. Text a photo of your pool and equipment pad to (786) 382-3367 for an exact price before scheduling — no surprises on arrival. Standard patches (epoxy, butyl tape, threaded plugs) are always included in the flat rate. Use code SAVE25 for $25 off this week.

All standard patches are included in the flat-rate detection price — at no extra charge. This includes 5-minute hardener, epoxy overlay, butyl tape, and threaded plugs or caps for broken lines. Most pool leak detection companies charge separately for patches. At Carlito's Way, there are no add-ons, no line items, and no surprises. The price quoted is the price you pay.

If a full detection is performed and no active leak is found — meaning the Leakalyzer® confirms normal evaporation and all pressure tests hold — the service fee still applies for Carlito's time, equipment, and documentation. However, the report will confirm your pool is structurally sound and explain the actual cause of water loss (typically evaporation in South Florida's heat). This documentation alone has significant value for homeowners, buyers, and real estate transactions.

Most standard homeowners policies do not cover pool leak detection as a service cost. However, if a leak was caused by sudden and accidental damage (a broken pipe from a storm, for example), the cost of repairing the damage may be covered — not the detection itself. Wear-and-tear leaks, aging plumbing, and deteriorated seals are almost never covered. Carlito provides full written documentation of findings that can be submitted to insurance carriers if you choose to file a claim for covered damage.

A pool losing ¼ inch per day beyond normal evaporation wastes approximately 120 gallons daily — that's roughly 3,600 gallons per month. At Miami-Dade Water & Sewer rates, that's $25–$50/month in water alone, not counting chemical replacement costs. A pool losing ½ inch per day wastes 240+ gallons daily — over $100/month in combined water and chemical costs. Use the free Water Loss Calculator → to calculate your specific loss and annual cost.

In South Florida, normal pool evaporation is up to ¼ inch per day in summer heat. Losing more than that consistently — especially overnight when temperatures drop — strongly suggests a structural leak. The simplest home test: fill a bucket with pool water, place it on a pool step, and mark the water levels inside and outside the bucket. After 24 hours, if the pool lost more water than the bucket did, you have a leak beyond evaporation. For a more accurate test, use the Evaporation vs Leak tool → or call Carlito for Leakalyzer® verification.

No. Losing 1 inch per day is not normal evaporation — even in South Florida's heat. Normal evaporation is up to ¼ inch per day. Losing an inch or more per day means your pool is almost certainly leaking and the source needs to be identified immediately. At that rate you're wasting 450–500 gallons daily, which translates to several hundred dollars per month in water costs alone before even calculating chemical replacement.

This is one of the most reliable self-diagnostic signs in pool leak detection. When a pool drops to a specific level and then stops — especially when that level corresponds to the bottom of the skimmer opening — it almost always means the leak is at or near the skimmer throat/shell joint. Once the water level drops below the skimmer, hydrostatic pressure at that point equalizes and the loss stops. This narrows the diagnostic significantly and is exactly where Carlito will start dye testing on arrival.

Signs you can check without professional equipment: (1) Water level dropping more than ¼ inch per day. (2) Water bill higher than the same month last year. (3) Auto-fill valve running more frequently than normal. (4) Soggy or unusually wet ground near the equipment pad or along the pool plumbing path. (5) Pool chemistry constantly off balance despite regular treatment. (6) Visible cracks at the tile line, coping, or around fittings. (7) Unusually lush green grass in a strip near the pool or equipment — water is feeding roots underground.

Underground leaks are harder to spot visually but leave specific clues: soggy ground or soft spots near plumbing lines, wet soil around the equipment pad even without rain, unusually lush grass in a specific strip across the yard (pool water feeding roots), and a water bill increase with no visible pool surface loss (the auto-fill keeps the pool topped off while water drains underground). Professional detection uses pressure testing to isolate the failing line and an XLT-30 hydrophone to pinpoint the exact location before any excavation.

Yes — and this is extremely common in South Florida. An auto-fill valve continuously tops off your pool as water drops, so the water level always looks normal even with a significant active leak. The first and often only sign is a water bill that went up — sometimes months before the homeowner connects it to the pool. Carlito always disables the auto-fill valve before running the Leakalyzer® on any pool that has one, because accurate baseline measurement is impossible with the auto-fill active.

Professional pool leak detection uses a systematic combination of methods: Leakalyzer® (digital water-loss sensor that confirms active loss to 1/10,000th of an inch), pressure testing (each plumbing line isolated and pressurized to find failures), dye testing (precision dye applied around fittings, lights, and tile lines to visually confirm suction at crack points), XLT-30 hydrophone (acoustic listening device that detects underground pipe failures by sound), and the Big Foot line locator (maps buried plumbing routes beneath decks and yards). The complete methodology ensures nothing is missed.

The Leakalyzer® is a professional digital water-loss measurement sensor that floats in the pool and detects changes in water level to 1/10,000th of an inch per hour — far more sensitive than any visual measurement. It generates a data graph showing whether water is dropping (confirming an active leak) and at what rate. This serves two critical functions: before detection — it confirms you actually have a leak and establishes the loss rate baseline; and after patching — it re-verifies the pool is holding water before Carlito leaves the property. Many companies skip this exit verification step. Carlito does it on every job.

No — and draining is actually risky in South Florida. All professional detection methods work with the pool full. Draining a South Florida pool is dangerous because the shallow limestone water table and porous substrate can create hydrostatic pressure that pushes against an empty shell — potentially cracking or lifting it. Never drain your pool for leak detection. If a company asks you to drain before they arrive, that's a red flag. Carlito performs the entire detection process with the pool at normal water level.

A standard residential pool detection typically takes 2–4 hours depending on pool size and complexity. A pool with a spa, water features, or a screen enclosure may take longer. Pools in Coral Gables or older Hialeah homes with complex plumbing configurations typically run 3–4 hours. Carlito does not rush the process — every circuit is tested systematically because a missed leak point means a return visit. You receive the full documented report before he leaves the property.

Based on South Florida detections specifically, the most common leak locations in order of frequency are: (1) Skimmer throat/shell joint separation — especially in pools 20+ years old where the plastic skimmer has separated slightly from the gunite shell; (2) Return line wall fittings — wall penetrations that crack from soil movement or screen enclosure settlement; (3) Light niche conduit seals — original conduit seals deteriorate over 15–25 years; (4) Underground plumbing joint failures — especially vacuum and return lines in sandy fill soil or near tree root systems; (5) Main drain O-ring failures in pools 25+ years old.

A clean pressure test means the plumbing lines themselves are intact — but it does not test the fitting/shell interface at the point where lines penetrate the pool wall. A crack at the face of a return or vacuum fitting where it meets the pool wall doesn't register on a line pressure test because the line is intact; the failure is at the fitting face. This is found only with targeted dye testing at each fitting. It's also the most commonly missed finding when detection companies skip dye testing after a clean pressure test. If you had a "clean" test elsewhere and still lose water, call Carlito — this is exactly the scenario he specializes in finding.

Yes — the majority of pool leak patches are applied with the pool full. Carlito's standard patch materials all work underwater: 5-minute hardener instantly stabilizes the leak point under water pressure, epoxy overlay is applied over the hardener for a reinforced seal, and butyl tape seals around fittings and light niches with the pool full. Underground line failures are isolated with threaded plugs (the pool stays full; the failed line is simply capped until a plumber can excavate). The only scenario requiring a full drain is a major structural resurfacing project — not a standard leak detection and patch.

5-Minute Hardener: Applied first to instantly stabilize an active leak under water pressure — creates a pressure-stable base that stops the suction immediately. Epoxy Overlay: Applied over the hardener for a reinforced, sealed finish — more durable than epoxy alone. Butyl Tape: Flexible sealant used around light niches, fittings, and skimmers where material movement requires flexibility — doesn't crack under thermal expansion. Threaded Plugs/Caps: Isolate broken underground lines by capping them at the pool wall — immediately stops water loss until a plumber can perform excavation repair. All four are included at no extra charge.

When an underground plumbing failure requires excavation, Carlito isolates the failed line with a threaded plug (stopping the water loss immediately), documents the precise location and depth with his Big Foot line locator, and provides a written repair report with the coordinates the plumber will need. The failed line is capped so your pool is not losing water while you arrange the plumbing repair. Carlito does not perform excavation work himself — but his documentation package means any plumber you hire knows exactly where to dig without guesswork or unnecessary deck destruction.

Every detection includes a 90-day written warranty — 3× longer than the 30-day industry standard. If your pool shows water loss returning from a previously patched location within 90 days, Carlito returns free of charge, re-tests with the Leakalyzer®, and re-patches at no cost. The warranty certificate is included in the documentation package emailed same day as service. No forms to fill out, no claims process — just text or call (786) 382-3367 and Carlito schedules the return visit. Full warranty details →

South Florida's specific environmental conditions require a longer verification window. The limestone substrate shifts with wet and dry cycles, the water table near Everglades-adjacent areas rises for weeks after heavy rain, and tree root systems continue exerting pressure on plumbing. A patch that holds perfectly at day 20 can experience renewed environmental stress at day 45. The 90-day window covers a full South Florida rain cycle — enough real-world conditions to confirm a repair genuinely held. Most companies offer 30 days because it's long enough to sound credible but short enough to minimize callbacks. Carlito offers 90 days because he's confident in the work.

Text or call Carlito at (786) 382-3367 and describe what you're seeing. He confirms your warranty is active and schedules a return visit — typically within 24–48 hours. No paperwork, no customer service queue, no dispute process. The return visit follows the same protocol as the original: Leakalyzer® baseline, re-inspection of the patched areas, re-patching if needed, and Leakalyzer® re-verification before leaving. You receive updated documentation.

Several factors make South Florida a uniquely challenging pool environment: (1) Year-round use accelerates wear on all components 12 months a year instead of 6; (2) Porous limestone and sandy fill soil shifts with wet/dry seasonal cycles, stressing underground plumbing joints; (3) A shallow water table — often within 2–3 feet of the surface in rain season — creates ongoing hydrostatic pressure on pool shells; (4) Mature tree canopies in older communities (Coral Gables, Flagami, Westchester) have had 40–60 years to grow roots alongside pool plumbing; (5) Salt air in coastal areas (Miami Beach, Aventura) accelerates corrosion of metal fittings and equipment connections.

Almost certainly not — but the timing is misleading. A new plaster surface makes the pool look brand new, which makes existing water loss that was always happening more noticeable and frustrating. Most post-resurface leaks in South Florida are old skimmer seals, 25–35-year-old light niche conduit, or aging return line fittings that weren't replaced during the renovation because they weren't visibly broken. The plaster contractor was right that the plaster is perfect — the infrastructure that wasn't touched is what's failing. Detection will tell you exactly which original components need to be addressed.

If your pool consistently loses more water during June–October than the dry season, and you live near a canal, the Everglades, or a waterway, this is almost always canal-proximity water table amplification — not seasonal evaporation difference. Heavy rain raises the water table, which increases hydrostatic pressure on any failing fitting or plumbing joint. The leak was there year-round; the rain amplifies it. This is common in West Kendall, Coral Springs, North Hialeah, and any property within 500 feet of a drainage canal.

In most cases, yes — a leaking pool is generally safe to swim in while you wait for detection. The main concerns are: (1) Water chemistry becomes harder to maintain as you continuously add fresh water, which dilutes chemicals; (2) If the leak is near electrical components (lights, in-floor cleaning), have the equipment inspected for any electrical isolation concerns before swimming; (3) Structural leaks should be monitored — if the water level is dropping dramatically (multiple inches per day), limit use until the cause is identified.

Same-day and next-day appointments are regularly available throughout Miami-Dade and Broward County. Call or text (786) 382-3367 — Carlito answers personally and can usually confirm an appointment time within minutes. Weekend appointments are also available. There is no call center, no scheduling queue, and no voicemail. When you call Carlito, Carlito answers.