At the vanishing edge
Finding a leak in a pool that is built to spill
Infinity Edge Pools & Spas lose water over the weir by design, so a real leak hides inside normal operation. We separate the two.
Chapter 01
A pool that spills on purpose can hide its own leak
In a standard pool, water leaving the basin is the problem. In Infinity Edge Pools, water leaving the basin is the design. It slides over the weir, drops into a catch basin or surge tank, and the pump sends it back. That is beautiful to look at and awkward to test, because normal operation already looks a lot like loss.
So a level that keeps falling has more suspects than a plain pool does. The vanishing edge wall itself, the weir lip, the catch basin and the lines that carry water back to the pump all have to be cleared one at a time. Any of them can leak without a single wet spot showing on the deck above.
Then there is the auto-fill. When a fill valve quietly tops off the catch basin, the pool can look fine for weeks while it is taking on make-up water to cover a loss. Constant refilling, a wet or soft patch in the yard below the edge, or air showing up in the pump are the signs worth acting on.
Infinity edge pool and raised spa on a paver deck above a lake, the vanishing edge and catch basin side of the pool in view
Off, then on, then under the surface
Chris Sears starts by confirming the loss is real. Water loss is measured against the day's evaporation index, and on an infinity edge he measures with the system off and again with it running, so the weir spilling is separated from water actually leaving the structure. That comparison tells him which half of the system to chase.
Next comes the reservoir inspection of the pool and spa basin, then pressure testing of the filtration and the entire plumbing system, which takes in the catch basin return lines. If a line is losing pressure, an audible survey follows: water, air and specialized listening devices used to locate plumbing under the pavers and decking without lifting any of it.
The vanishing edge wall is hard to judge from the deck, so Chris takes it from the water. As a NAUI-certified diver, he does the SCUBA underwater inspection and photographs what he finds, along with dye testing and electronic basin and structure testing where the evidence points. You see the picture of the fault, not just a verdict.
Chapter 03
What you get after the inspection, and what is promised
You get a digital findings report by email, so you can hand the facts to your pool builder or whoever will do the repair. Simple epoxy and vinyl repairs are included at no additional charge with the service fee. For anything major, Aquatrace recommends the most cost effective fix and, usually, the original pool contractor, since the company does not offer major repair work.
The Aquatrace Promise is No Find, Full Refund. If the pool is losing half an inch or more of water daily without a heater running, and the team fails to locate the source, the service is refunded. Aquatrace also reserves the right to a no cost revisit, such as more evaporation tests, if the pool keeps leaking after the first assessment.
Rates vary by pool type, and an infinity edge is quoted on a phone consultation before anyone is scheduled. To get the day to go smoothly, covers should be off, the pool and spa clean and balanced, water at its normal operating level, and the areas to be inspected clear of obstructions.
Aquatrace — NAUI-certified SCUBA inspection on every shell that needs it. Call (864) 710-8636.