How to Pressure Test a Swimming Pool

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How to Pressure Test a Swimming Pool
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• When the plumbing system of a swimming pool is
  leaking one of
• the first diagnostic tests that a professional
  will perform is a pressure
• test. During this process the plumbing lines of
  the pool are isolated
• and independently tested to determine their
  ability to hold pressure
• without leaking. Swimming pool plumbing system
  pressure testing is
• only as accurate as the person performing the
  testing.
• A swimming pool will run between 5 and 30 PSI on
  average. Ideally
• the plumbing lines will be tested at a level
  above the maximum
• operating pressures to ensure that there is no
  leaks in the system.
• The concern with this is that pressure testing
  any system over a few
• PSI can be dangerous so many testers prefer to
  test at lower
• pressures such as 5, 10 or 20 PSI. In theory a
  plumbing leak will be
• apparent under all pressurized situations but
  this is not always the
• case with elusive leaking problems. It is
  recommended to test at a
• higher pressure that the normal operating values
  of the plumbing
• system.

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• The potential for danger exists with pressure
  testing so it should only
• be attempted by professionals or competent
  individuals using
• proper equipment and safety techniques. In theory
  the process of
• isolating each plumbing line is easy. Open one
  end of the pipe in the
• mechanical / pump room and plug the end in the
  pool. You then
• induce either water or air that is regulated with
  a valve and an known
• accurate pressure gauge.
• In practice the process of pressure testing a
  pool is much more
• complicated. Basic swimming pool systems can
  involve as little as
• two or three pipes however more robust pools can
  have thirty, forty
• or fifty individual pipes that require testing.
  In addition to being able
• to identify where each pipe goes, which can be a
  difficult task in
• some situations, most pools have pipes that are
  very difficult to
• isolate and test.

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• Some pipes do not connect from the pump room to
  the pool making it very
• difficult to access both ends of the pipe which
  is required in order to
• perform any accurate pressure testing. A prime
  example of this is the main
• drain at the bottom of the pool. Some pools can
  not be emptied so a diver
• can be required in order to inspect and plug the
  main drain for testing.
• Water features, hot tubs, return jets and stairs
  will sometimes have pipes
• which are difficult to pressure test further
  complicating the process.
• A well versed professional will use a combination
  of plumbing system
• knowledge, testing and process of elimination to
  identify the pool leak. More
• often than not the leak can be identified by
  examining closely the
• characteristics of the leak itself. The more
  invasive pressure testing process
• is used to prove what is speculated by examining
  the leak characteristics.
• The better that you understand your pool plumbing
  system the more readily
• you will be able to find and repair the leak -
  with or without a pressure test.
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