One of thing that any above ground pool owner wants to face is a leak in the pool. Not only are leaks messy and can cause unwanted puddles and soggy grass, finding a leak is a time consuming process. Fortunately, once you discover the location of the leak, the repair process is usually quick and easy. However, you must put in the time finding the source of the leak first before you can repair it.
1 Rule out normal evaporation. Fill a 5-gallon bucket full of water and place it next to the aboveground pool. The water in the pool and the water in the bucket should evaporate at the same rate. Spend the next few days measuring the water level in each to see if the pool level is dropping at a quicker rate. If it is, you definitely have a leak in your pool.
2 Walk around the outside of the aboveground pool to look for puddles. Finding water puddles on the outside of the pool is a good indicator as to the general area of the leak. Blow air into the line connecting to the main train and plug it off. When you run your filter at night use the skimmer only. If you notice that the water level is remaining constant, then that means the leak is occurring somewhere in the main drain.
3 Refrain from refilling the aboveground pool. Allow the water level to drop naturally. Once the water reaches the level of the tear or hole, it will stop leaking. By allowing the water level to drop you know the vertical location of the hole, which allows you to zero in on the horizontal location. This method may not work if you suspect a hole to be at the bottom of the pool.
4 Spray a weak dye solution. This method takes a lot of patience and can only be done with one person in the aboveground pool. Go to the location where you suspect the hole to be and spray the solution in the water and the general area. The solution will naturally gravitate toward the leak the hole in the pool. This method is time-consuming and you must remain perfectly still so that you won't disturb the water flow.
5 Put on goggles and visually look at the lining. In conjunction with looking at the lining, slowly run your hands along the entire lining to feel for a rip or tear. It's best to take one section at a time. Break it down into several sessions as your eyes will become tired and strained from spending too much time staring intently at the aboveground pool lining.
6 Purchase a leak detection kit or hire a professional. If all else fails and you are unable to locate the leak, then it's time to escalate the search either purchasing a leak detection kit or hiring a professional.