Short answer: pool leak detection in Jacksonville usually costs an estimated $250–$600, and most leaks turn out to be at a fitting, the light niche or the equipment pad rather than under the deck. We test every line and the shell, show you where the water is going, then quote the repair in writing.
Start with the bucket test
Before anyone pressure-tests anything, check that the pool really is leaking. Fill a bucket with pool water and stand it on the first or second step so the water inside the bucket sits level with the pool. Mark both levels with tape, turn off any auto-fill, and leave the pump on its normal schedule. Come back in 24 hours. If the pool has dropped noticeably more than the bucket, water is leaving through something other than evaporation. If the pool drops faster with the pump running than with it off, the leak is probably in the pressure-side plumbing; if it drops more with the pump off, look at the suction side and the shell.
Two other clues are worth a note when you call: a JEA water bill that has crept up without explanation, and soft or wet ground near the pool or along the route the pipes take to the equipment.
How we track a leak down
- Look first. Equipment pad, skimmers, returns, light, steps and the tile line, because a third of leaks show themselves to anyone who knows where to look.
- Pressure-test the plumbing. Each suction and return line is plugged at the pool end and pressurised from the pad. A line that will not hold pressure has a break somewhere along it.
- Dye-test the shell. With the water still, a drop of dye beside a suspected crack or fitting shows whether water is being drawn out through it.
- Listen where needed. Under a deck, a listening device narrows a pipe leak to a spot small enough to open up.
- Report and price. You get the location, the cause and the repair price before any digging or cutting.
Where Jacksonville pools usually leak
The light niche is the most common culprit we see, because the cord seal at the back of it dries out and cracks. Skimmers come next: the joint where the plastic skimmer body meets the concrete shell moves a little every time the deck heats and cools, and over the years it opens up. Sandy Northeast Florida soil settles unevenly too, which can pull at underground plumbing on older pools, especially where a deck was poured or extended after the pool went in. Equipment-pad leaks at unions, valves and pump lids are the cheapest of the lot, and they are the reason we always start at the pad.
What a leak repair costs
Finding the leak and fixing it are priced separately, because the fix can be a fifteen-minute o-ring or a section of pipe under the patio. These are the ranges we work from:
| Job | Estimate | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Leak detection: pressure and dye testing | $250–$600 | Every line pressure-tested, shell and fittings dye-tested |
| Equipment-pad leak: o-ring, union or valve | $150–$450 | Above-ground plumbing at the pump and filter |
| Skimmer or return fitting resealed | $200–$600 | Where the fitting meets the shell; more if the skimmer throat is cracked |
| Light niche resealed | $250–$700 | Conduit and cord seal behind the light |
| Underground line repair | $500–$2,800 | Dig, cut in a new section, re-test; deck work adds to it |
These figures are estimates drawn from Florida contractors' published prices, not a quote for your pool. Your price depends on where the leak is and what has to be moved to reach it, and you have it in writing before work starts. Full figures for every repair are on the Jacksonville repair price guide.
Do not leave a leak running
A slow leak is easy to live with for a month, which is exactly why it costs more later. Water escaping through the shell or a buried line washes out the sand beneath the deck and the pool, and that is how a leak turns into a cracked deck or a sunken patio. It also keeps adding fresh water and chemicals you are paying for. If you are topping up more than once a week, call (904) 890-0717 and we will come and look.
Common questions
How much water loss is normal for a Jacksonville pool?
In a hot, windy stretch of summer a pool can lose around a quarter of an inch a day to evaporation, and more if it has a waterfall or spillover spa. Steady loss beyond that, or loss that carries on through cool, still weather, points to a leak.
Can you find a leak without draining the pool?
Almost always. Pressure testing happens at the equipment and the skimmers, and dye testing is done with the pool full. Draining is only needed for some shell repairs, and we tell you before it comes to that.
Is the leak detection fee separate from the repair?
Yes. The first visit and the quote are free. Full leak detection, where every line is isolated and pressure-tested, is a priced service because it takes several hours of equipment time. Small leaks found during it are often fixed the same visit.
Last updated October 8, 2026