Tips to Check if Your Pool Might Have a Leak After the Deep Freeze

Why Deep Freezes Are Tough on Pools

When temperatures plunge below freezing, your pool takes a serious beating. Ice expansion, frozen plumbing lines, and stressed pool surfaces can all lead to new leaks that weren’t there before the cold snap. Catching a potential leak early can save you thousands in repairs and help you open your pool on time when warmer weather returns.

Below are practical, homeowner-friendly tips to check whether your pool might have developed a leak after a deep freeze, plus what to do if you spot trouble.

• Deep freezes can cause pipes, fittings, and surfaces to crack.
• Many post-freeze leaks start small but worsen quickly if ignored.
• Simple at-home checks can reveal the most common leak issues.

1. Start With a Simple Visual Inspection

Walk the Pool Area Carefully

Begin with a slow walk around your pool and equipment pad. You’re looking for anything that looks “off” compared to normal conditions before the freeze.

• Check the water line: Note where the water level is today and compare it to where it normally sits on your tile, skimmer, or liner.
• Look for wet spots: Soft, soggy ground or standing water around the pool deck or equipment pad can signal an underground or plumbing leak.
• Inspect the deck: New cracks, lifted sections, or sunken spots in the concrete may indicate soil erosion caused by an underground leak.

If you see obvious water pooling where it never used to, make a mental note or take photos. These details are helpful if you later call a leak detection pro.

Examine the Pool Surface and Tile

The freeze-thaw cycle can cause expansion and contraction that stresses the pool shell, tile, and grout lines.

• Gunite or concrete pools: Look for new cracks, chipped plaster, or missing chunks of material, especially around corners and steps.
• Vinyl liner pools: Check for wrinkles, tears, separations from the coping track, and soft spots behind the liner.
• Fiberglass pools: Look for blistering, spider cracks, or bulges in the wall.
• Tile and grout: Inspect the waterline tile for missing pieces, loose tiles, or crumbling grout that might allow water behind the tile band.

Not every crack automatically means a leak, but visible damage is a strong sign to investigate further.

2. Check Your Water Level With Our Bucket Test

Colin Irons offers a way to test if your pool is leaking.  Follow these steps by completing the 24-hour on/off test:

3. Inspect Equipment for Freeze Damage

Look Closely at the Equipment Pad

The equipment pad is especially vulnerable during hard freezes, particularly if water was left in pipes or the system wasn’t properly winterized.

• Pump and filter: Check for visible cracks or splits in the pump housing, filter tank, lids, and unions.
• Heater and chlorinator: Look for dripping, rust stains, or wet spots underneath or around these units.
• Valves and fittings: Inspect PVC pipes, elbows, and valves for hairline cracks or leaks at glued joints.
• Pressure gauge and drain plugs: Make sure drain plugs are tight and that no water is seeping from lower fittings.

Turn the system on briefly and observe. If you see spraying, seeping, or hear air sucking into the lines, shut it down and address the issue before running the equipment again.

Listen for Unusual Sounds

After a freeze, strange noises from your equipment can hint at leak-related problems.

• Gurgling in the pump: May indicate air entering the system from a suction-side leak.
• Whistling or hissing: Can mean water or air is escaping from a cracked fitting or valve.
• Rapid cycling: If your pump loses prime repeatedly, it could be drawing in air due to a leak on the suction side.

Document what you hear and where it seems to come from. This information is valuable for troubleshooting or for a technician later.

4. Pay Attention to Wet Spots and Sinking Areas

Check the Yard and Surrounding Areas

Underground leaks from frozen or cracked pipes often reveal themselves through changes in the landscape around your pool.

• Unusual soggy patches: Look for areas that remain wet long after the rest of the yard has dried out.
• Extra-green spots: Grass or plants that suddenly thrive in one area may be getting extra water from a leak.
• Soft or spongy ground: Walk carefully around the pool, deck, and equipment lines to feel for soft spots.

If you notice a consistently wet or sunken area along the path of your plumbing lines, an underground leak may be the culprit.

Check Inside Structures Nearby

If your pool equipment is close to your home, garage, or pool house, you may even see signs of moisture indoors.

• Basement or crawlspace: Look for new dampness, puddling, or water stains on walls and floors near the pool side.
• Garage or storage areas: Check for musty smells, bubbling paint, or warping where plumbing may run nearby.

Any new moisture after a hard freeze—especially near the pool line path—shouldn’t be ignored.

5. Perform Simple Dye Checks Around Suspect Areas

Use Food Coloring or Leak Detection Dye

Once you’ve narrowed down a potential area—like around a skimmer, light, or crack—you can do a basic dye test.

• Turn off the pump so the water is as still as possible.
• Fill a syringe, turkey baster, or small dropper bottle with food coloring or pool dye.
• Move in slowly, getting very close to the suspected area without disturbing the water.
• Squeeze a small amount of dye near the crack, fitting, or joint.
• Watch closely: if the dye is pulled directly into the area, it may indicate a leak path.

This test works best for suspected structural leaks and around fittings like returns, lights, and skimmers. It won’t locate underground pipe leaks, but it can confirm problem spots you can see.

6. When to Call Colin Irons Pool Service

Know When DIY Isn’t Enough

Some post-freeze leaks are simple to identify and repair, but others require specialized tools. Contact a Colin Irons if you notice any of the following:

• Water loss greater than 1 inch in 24 hours, even in cool weather.
• Persistent, unexplained wet spots or sinkholes near the pool or deck.
• Visible cracks or structural damage that extend deep into the surface.
• Equipment that won’t hold prime, runs dry, or shows obvious cracking.
• Uncertain leak location even after bucket and dye tests.

Colin Irons Pool Service uses pressure testing, listening devices, and specialized cameras to pinpoint leaks without unnecessary digging or demolition. Early detection after a deep freeze can keep a small issue from becoming a major renovation.

Stay Ahead of Freeze-Related Pool Leaks

Deep freezes are hard on pools, but a careful post-freeze inspection helps you stay ahead of potential leaks. By watching your water level, inspecting equipment and surfaces, checking the surrounding ground, and using simple tests like the bucket and dye methods, you can catch early warning signs before they turn into costly repairs.

If your pool is losing more water than it should or you see damage you’re not comfortable evaluating, schedule a professional leak inspection. A little attention now can protect your investment and ensure your pool is ready to enjoy when warm weather returns.