So you think you may have a Pond Leak?
Leak vs. Evaporation
Before fixing the leak, make sure there really is a leak! Every water feature has splatters and evaporation. Evaporation happens when atoms or molecules escape from the liquid and turn into vapor. Hot weather and wind are two factors that affect the evaporation rate of a pond or water feature.
Evaporation is inevitable and can be misleading. It’ s normal for a pond to lose anywhere from 1-3 inches a week in the Philadelphia area during summer.
Of course this varies from pond to pond. Water features that have a lot of surface area, big streams and multiple waterfalls tend to lose water faster due to evaporation and splatter out too. It is important to understand that some water loss is normal, but excessive water loss can mean problems!
Troubleshooting a Leak
Always start troubleshooting a Philadelphia Pond Leak by narrowing down the causes. You start by noting how much water loss there is when the system is up and running and then how much loss there is when the system has been off for 24 hours.
Turn off or unplug the pump. Next, let the area sit for 24 hours (without rain) If it’s hot and you have any fish, add an aerator to the pond to provide oxygen. After the 24 hours mark off the water level if the level has dropped and then let sit another 24 hours. Repeat this until the water has stopped draining. If the pond continues to drain to dangerous levels for the fish they will need to be relocated to a separate holding tub. If the water never dropped at all, or dropped just a very small amount during the first 24 hour time period then the pond / basin is holding can be eliminated from the search.
You Have a Leak in Your Pond– Now What?
When the water level has stopped dropping check along that level for the source of the Philadelphia Pond Leak (low edge, liner tear, concrete crack, failed skimmer seal, etc.). Always check first for the obvious: large rocks that may settle and weight down liner, wet mulch areas, wet gravel, even the skimmer to liner connection.
Low edges can be adjusted by the homeowner, but often anything like a tear, crack or failed seal most often needs to be serviced by a trained professional Note that your water feature could be leaking in multiple areas. So just because one Philadelphia Pond Leak is fixed doesn’t necessarily mean the problem is fixed. Check the streams, waterfalls and all the hardware to be sure.
In a lot of cases water loss is simply a low edge or water diversions from leaves, debris, or overgrown plants.
In situations that aren’t so obvious it may be time to call a professional to have it looked at or fixed.
Contact a Professional
AquaReale is a professional pond company servicing the Greater Philadelphia County, including Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Contact us with a photo to see how we can help you!
