Get Wet PoolsPALM BEACHPool skimmer leaks: signs, causes and repairs
The skimmer is one of the most common places for a pool to leak. A crack where the skimmer meets the pool wall, in the skimmer throat or in the pipe below it can let water escape every day.
Signs of a pool skimmer leak
- The water level drops and then stops near the bottom of the skimmer opening.
- A crack or gap shows between the skimmer face and the surrounding tile or plaster.
- The ground near the skimmer stays wet or soft, or the deck there is settling or cracking.
- Bubbles appear in the pump basket or returns, because a cracked skimmer pipe can pull in air while the pump runs.
- The pool loses more water with the pump off, when the skimmer line sits full at pool level.
None of these proves the skimmer is the source on its own. Run a bucket test first, as explained on our pool losing water page, so you know how much water the pool is really losing.
Why pool skimmers crack and leak
Most residential skimmers are plastic bodies set into the concrete beam at the top of the pool wall, with tile, coping and deck around them. Over time several things can open a leak:
- Ground movement and settling can separate the skimmer from the pool wall.
- Sun, heat and age make older plastic brittle.
- Chlorine tablets placed in the skimmer can damage the skimmer and the equipment it feeds.
- Deck work, tree roots and heavy loads near the edge can crack the skimmer body or its pipe.
- The seam where the skimmer meets the plaster or tile can open as sealants age.
- Fittings and pipe below the skimmer can crack, like the cracked skimmer pipe fitting shown on our pool losing water page.
How a skimmer leak is confirmed
A skimmer leak can look like other leaks, so it’s confirmed before any repair is planned. During a leak detection visit we put dye around the skimmer throat, face and seams, pressure-test the skimmer line and compare water-loss measurements with your bucket test. If the skimmer line holds pressure and no dye is drawn in, the leak is somewhere else.
Our pool leak detection visit covers the skimmers, lights, fittings, shell and plumbing, and you get our findings and a repair estimate before any work begins.
Skimmer repair options
- Sealing a crack or seam: small cracks and separations at the skimmer face can often be sealed with materials made for underwater pool repair. It’s a common first repair, but it may not last if the skimmer is still moving.
- Throat repair: some cracked skimmer throats can be repaired with a liner or repair kit made for that skimmer.
- Pipe and fitting repair: a cracked fitting below the skimmer means opening the deck to reach it, replacing the fitting and restoring the surface.
- Full skimmer replacement: when the body is badly cracked or separated, the old skimmer is cut out of the beam and replaced, and the tile, coping and deck around it are restored. Complete skimmer replacements are part of some of our pool renovation projects.
What you can do before the visit
- Measure the loss with a bucket test, once with the pump running and once with it off.
- If you let the level drop, note where it stops.
- Keep the water high enough that the pump doesn’t draw air, and turn off any auto-fill during the test.
- Keep chlorine tablets out of the skimmer.
- Avoid surface patches that cover a crack without stopping the leak underneath.
Pool skimmer leak questions
How do you stop a pool skimmer from leaking?
It depends on where it leaks. A crack at the skimmer face may be sealed with an underwater repair compound, a cracked throat or body may need a repair kit or a new skimmer, and a cracked pipe below it needs digging. Confirm the source first, because sealing the wrong spot won’t stop the loss.
How much does it cost to fix a pool skimmer leak?
It depends on whether the fix is a seal at the face, a pipe repair under the deck or a full skimmer replacement with tile and deck work. Leak detection comes first, and we quote the repair once the source is confirmed.
How long does a pool skimmer last?
Skimmers often last many years, sometimes the life of the pool, but settling, deck work, sun and chemicals can crack them much sooner.
Where is the most common place for a pool leak?
Skimmers, lights and return fittings are among the most common, along with plumbing at the equipment pad. Underground lines and cracks in the shell are less common but take more work to find.
Can a skimmer leak only when the pump is off?
Yes. With the pump off, water in the skimmer and its line sits at pool level and can seep out through a crack. With the pump running, the same crack may pull in air instead, so you may see bubbles rather than water loss.
Related pool leak questions
Let’s find the right next step
Get Wet Pools serves Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Tequesta and nearby communities. Share your bucket test results and photos of the skimmer area, and confirm service availability with the office.