A pool in South Florida typically loses up to a quarter inch per day to evaporation. More than that, consistently, almost always indicates a leak. Here is how to tell the difference.
Call (954) 290-5177, Free Estimate →In South Florida, a pool typically loses between 0 and a quarter inch of water per day to normal evaporation. On hot, low-humidity, windy days, common during South Florida's dry season, evaporation can reach a quarter inch. Losing more than a quarter inch per day consistently, or losing a half inch to an inch or more per day, almost always indicates a leak rather than evaporation. The bucket test is the simplest way to confirm whether your pool's loss exceeds what the climate accounts for.
Even accounting for all these factors, consistent daily loss above half an inch warrants a professional visit. Evaporation is weather-driven and variable. A leak is consistent regardless of weather conditions.
The Evaporation Calculator from Leak Business Academy lets you input your pool size and local conditions to get an expected daily loss range, so you know whether your actual loss is above normal.
Evaporation Calculator → Leak Analyzer →The most common thing I hear is "we thought it was just evaporation." A quarter inch per day is evaporation. An inch a day is not. The climate in South Florida is humid and warm but it is not so extreme that a pool should drop an inch every 24 hours without a leak behind it.
When a homeowner tells me the pool drops an inch a day, I already know there is something wrong before I even get in the water. The only question is where.
Leak and Subsurface Locators serves South Florida for pool leak detection. Licensed CPC1457277. Free estimate before scheduling.
(954) 290-5177 (561) 325-2678 (561) 325-2678Yes. A pool cover, even a basic solar cover, can reduce overnight evaporation by 50 to 70 percent. If you consistently cover the pool but are still losing significant water, the loss is almost certainly a leak rather than evaporation.
Splashout from heavy swimming activity can add a small amount to daily water loss, but we are talking about fractions of an inch under normal family use. Splashout does not account for an inch or more of daily loss. If you are losing that much water on days when nobody is in the pool, it is not splashout.
If your pool is on a dedicated water meter, yes. If the pool autofill is on the same meter as the house, the reading reflects combined use and makes it harder to isolate. Turning the autofill off and marking the waterline directly is the simplest measurement method for most homeowners.