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—Leaks and diagnostics

Testing a pool shell after renovation

The time to confirm a renovated shell is watertight is before it is refilled, while a fault is still reachable.

After a pool renovation, the shell should be checked for watertightness before the pool is refilled. A leak found after the refill means draining the pool again and redoing finished work; a leak found before the refill is a repair on an empty, reachable shell.

Diagnostic guides describe what an owner can observe safely. They do not locate a fault; testing on site does that.

The check is a test of the waterproofing and a careful look over the joints, penetrations and the areas that were worked on. Settling after the work is allowed for, and the shell is confirmed sound before the water goes back in.

01Summary

What matters most here

  • Before the refill

    A leak is far cheaper to fix on an empty, reachable shell.

  • The waterproofing test

    The shell is tested so a fault shows before the water covers it.

  • Joints and penetrations

    The worked areas and through-wall points are looked over carefully.

02Detail

What the check covers

  • The waterproofing

    Tested so a failure shows while the shell is still empty and reachable.

  • Joints and penetrations

    Skimmers, returns and lights checked where the work was done.

  • Settling

    Time is allowed for the work to settle before the test is read.

03Before you start

Before refilling

  • Walk the shell

    Look over the worked areas, joints and penetrations before the water covers them.

  • Run the test

    Whether the waterproofing has been tested and the result recorded.

  • Confirm it is dry

    That the shell is sound before the refill begins.

—In practice

How to use this

Test the shell before the refill, while a fault is still reachable. Walk the worked areas, joints and penetrations, run the waterproofing test and record the result, and allow time for the work to settle before reading the test. Confirm the shell is sound before the water goes back in.

Mistakes worth avoiding

Refilling before the test
A leak found after the refill means draining the pool and redoing finished work. Test before the water covers the shell.
Rushing the test
Reading the test before the work has settled hides a fault that appears later. Allow the settling time.

04FAQ

Common questions about this

Why test before refilling?
A leak found before the refill is a repair on an empty, reachable shell. After the refill, the same fault means draining the pool and redoing finished work.
What does the test involve?
The waterproofing is tested so a failure shows while the shell is still empty, and the worked areas are looked over before the water covers them.
How long should the pool settle first?
Long enough for the new work to settle before the test is read. Rushing the test hides a fault that appears later.

05Read next

More pool guides on this

Filed under technical diagnostics & leak detection. Every pool guide is listed on the pool guides page.

—NEXT

Refilling after a renovation?

Tell us what was renovated. We will check the shell is watertight before the water goes back in.

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