The problem: two leaks with the same symptom
A high water bill or a moving meter can come from the house, from the pool or from both. A pool that is losing water has to be topped up, either by hand or by an automatic fill, and every gallon goes through the meter. A leak under the slab also goes through the meter. From the outside, the two look alike.
This matters because the repair is different, and so is the trade that does it. Opening a floor for a leak that is really in the pool is an expensive mistake. Looking at the pool when the leak is under the house wastes weeks while the water keeps running. The aim is to find out which, before anything is opened.
What the technicians do and do not do
We connect you with technicians who find and repair leaks under the slab. If the technician finds that the loss is in the pool, its plumbing or its equipment, they will tell you, and you will need a pool professional for the repair. Pool repair is not offered, and pool structure and equipment are not diagnosed. What we can do is help you rule the house in or out.
That is a useful result in itself. A slab leak technician can pressure test the house supply and drain system. If those hold, the house is not the source, and you can direct your attention to the pool with confidence.
Switch off irrigation first, then check the dial.
Meter Still Moving? Call NowClues that point each way
Some patterns lean one direction. They are clues, not proof.
Pool level drops faster than evaporation would explain. This leans toward the pool or its plumbing. Evaporation is normal in Florida heat, so a pool professional can say how much is expected.
The auto-fill runs often. It suggests the pool is losing water, or the fill is set to top up frequently. Check how it is set.
Warm floor, damp baseboards or a hiss inside the house. These lean toward the house supply lines.
Meter moves with the pool equipment and irrigation off. Water is still going somewhere. It could be either the house or a buried pool line, so a technician needs to isolate the lines.
Bill rose at the same time as a change in the house. A new warm spot or a sound can help separate the two.
What you can safely check
Do the meter check first. Turn off the irrigation timer, switch off any auto-fill if you know how and make sure no taps are running. If the meter still moves, water is going somewhere on the property.
Then note what the pool is doing. Is the level dropping between visits from a pool service? Does the auto-fill cycle often? A pool professional can run their own tests, such as a bucket test, to compare the pool's loss with evaporation. We do not give pool test instructions, since the pool side is not our trade. The point is to tell the dispatcher what you see.
Tell us what the pool and the bill are doing.
Speak With Someone LocalWhy this comes up so often in Florida
The state has a very large number of residential pools, and many sit close to the house, with supply and return lines buried in the same sandy soil. Soil that drains quickly can hide a leak from either source, so neither the pool nor the house always shows a puddle.
Seasonal owners add another layer. A pool that is serviced while the owner is away can have an auto-fill that quietly masks a loss, while a slab leak runs under the empty house. When the bill comes, the owner cannot tell which is responsible. See seasonal home slab leaks.
What not to do
Please do not dig around the pool deck or the slab edge, do not cut into plumbing and do not alter pool equipment you do not know. Do not drain a pool to look for a leak without advice from a pool professional, since that can cause its own problems.
If water is surfacing in the house, close the main if you can reach it safely, keep clear and call. If you smell gas near pool heating equipment, leave and call the gas utility and emergency services from outside.
Seasonal owners are welcome to call.
Water Bill Tripled While You Were Away? Call UsHow a technician separates them
The technician isolates the house supply from everything outside. Pressure testing the house lines shows whether they hold. If they do not, acoustic listening and thermal imaging find the position under the floor. If they do hold, the house supply is cleared, and the technician will say that the leak is outside the house lines.
They will usually also consider the line between the meter and the house, and the drain system, which can leak under the slab too. See how slab leaks are found and irrigation and outdoor leaks versus slab leaks.
If the leak is under the house
The options are the usual ones: a spot repair through the slab, a reroute above the slab, lining where suitable, or wider repiping where several lines are involved. Upfront pricing and no hidden fees apply before work begins.
If the leak is in the pool or its equipment, the technician will say so and you can contact a pool professional. We do not recommend or refer pool trades.
Afterwards
After a house repair, the meter should be still with everything off, including pool equipment. If it still moves, the pool or another outdoor source may be involved as well, and it is worth checking again.
Restoration companies handle drying and cleanup of any wet flooring.
The bucket test in general terms
Pool owners often hear about the bucket test as a way of separating evaporation from loss. These technicians do not repair pools, so the details are left to the pool trade. What matters for us is the house: if the meter moves with the pool and irrigation off and the fixtures all closed, the leak is likely in the house plumbing.
A technician checks that, and tells you plainly if it is not a slab leak.
Pool equipment and the meter
Auto-fill devices, heaters and waterfall features can add water without anyone noticing, and they all pass through the meter. Turn them off for the meter check if you can do so safely, and tell the technician what was running.
If you are unsure, say so. The technician can work out what is on the line.