Common Reasons Your Pool Water Drops in Summer Heat
Summer is the perfect time for swimming. When the weather gets hot, there is nothing better than jumping into a cool pool. You grab your towel, put on your swimmers, and head out to the backyard. But as you walk up to the water, you notice something strange. The water level looks lower than it did a few days ago. The plastic tiles that are usually underwater are now showing in the sun.
You might ask yourself: Where did all my pool water go? Is my pool broken? Am I losing money on my water bill?
Do not panic. Seeing your pool water drop during the summer heat is a very common issue for homeowners. At Epic Watershapes, we build and care for custom pools every single day. We know how much you love your backyard oasis, and we know how frustrating it is to see your water disappear.
In this helpful guide, we will look at the main reasons your pool water drops in the summer heat. We will also share easy tips to help you figure out if your pool is just hot or if it actually has a hidden problem. Let us dive in.
1. The Power of Natural Evaporation
The number one reason for dropping pool water in the summer is natural evaporation. Evaporation happens when the sun turns liquid water into gas.
Think about a puddle on the sidewalk after a hard rain. When the sun comes out and heats the ground, the puddle disappears. The exact same thing happens to your swimming pool, just on a much larger scale.
During the hottest months of the summer, a normal pool can lose about one-quarter of an inch to one-half of an inch of water every single day. Over a whole week, that can add up to two or three inches of lost water.
Why Does Evaporation Get Worse in Summer?
Several weather conditions make evaporation speed up during the hot months:
- High Temperatures: The hotter the air and the water get, the faster the water turns into vapour.
- Low Humidity: If the air around your house is dry, it acts like a giant sponge. It sucks up moisture from your pool very quickly.
- Direct Sunlight: Pools that sit in the direct sun with no shade will lose water much faster than pools that get shade from trees or walls.
2. Hot Days and Cold Nights
Did you know that the night weather matters just as much as the day weather? In many places, summer days are burning hot, but the air cools down quickly once the sun goes down. This creates a big temperature difference between the warm pool water and the chilly night air.
Have you ever seen steam rising off your pool early in the morning? It looks cool, but that steam is actually your pool water escaping into the sky.
When warm water meets cold air, evaporation goes into overdrive. If your summer nights are windy and cool, your pool will lose a lot of water while you are asleep.
3. High Winds and Breezy Backyard Weather
Wind is another major cause of water loss that many homeowners forget about. When wind blows across the top of your pool, it carries away the warm, moist layer of air that sits right above the water.
Once that moist air is gone, dry air takes its place. This dry air causes the pool water to evaporate even faster.
If your backyard has very few trees, or if your pool is built on a high hill where the wind blows constantly, you will notice your water levels dropping faster than your neighbour’s pool. A windy day can easily double the amount of water your pool loses to evaporation.
4. Heavy Pool Use and Splashing Around
Summer means pool parties, cannonballs, and family fun. While swimming is the best part of owning a pool, it also carries water out of the pool.
Every time someone jumps into the pool, water splashes over the edge onto the deck. When kids play games or splash each other, gallons of water leave the pool area.
Even just getting out of the pool removes water. Think about how much water stays on your body and your swimmers when you walk away to grab a towel. If you have five or six people swimming every day, that water loss adds up quickly. This is not evaporation or a leak; it is just the price of having a great summer day!
- High-Volume Splashing: Activities like pool parties and cannonballs physically displace water, forcing gallons over the edge and onto the deck.
- Active Water Play: Kids playing games and splashing each other constantly carries water out of the pool area.
- Bather Drag-Out: Significant amounts of water leave the pool simply by clinging to swimmers’ bodies and swimmers as they exit to grab towels.
5. Backwashing Your Filter System
To keep your pool safe and clear, your filtration system has to work hard. In the summer, your pool gets dirty faster because of sunscreen, body oils, dust, and leaves. This means you have to clean your pool filter more often.
If you have a sand filter or a DE (diatomaceous earth) filter, you clean it by backwashing. Backwashing reverses the flow of water to flush out dirt.
Where does that dirty water go? It shoots straight out of a waste hose and onto your grass or down a drain. A single backwash cycle can use 100 to 300 gallons of water! If you backwash your pool multiple times a month during the summer, you will definitely see the water level drop.
6. Hidden Water Leaks
While evaporation and splashing are normal, sometimes a dropping water level means you have a real pool leak. Structural leaks or plumbing leaks can happen at any time, but they are especially annoying during the summer when you want to use your pool.
Leaks can happen in a few different places:
- Pool Equipment: Check your pump, filter, and heater. Look for puddles of water on the ground near the equipment pad or dripping pipes.
- The Pool Shell: If you have a concrete or plaster pool, small cracks can develop over time. Water can slowly seep out of these cracks into the dirt below.
- The Pool Liner or Tiles: Tile lines and plastic fittings can crack due to shifting ground or old age.
- Underground Pipes: The pipes that run from your skimmer to your pump are buried deep underground. If one of these pipes cracks, you won’t see a puddle, but your water will drop fast.
How to Compare the Results
To make it easy to understand your test results, use this simple reference table:
| Test Result | What It Means | What You Should Do |
|---|---|---|
| Both water levels dropped by the exact same amount. | Normal Evaporation: The summer heat is just doing its job. | Put a cover on the pool and keep enjoying your summer! |
| The pool water dropped much lower than the bucket water. | Pool Leak: Water is escaping through a hole, crack, or pipe. | Call a professional pool company to find and fix the leak. |
Easy Ways to Stop Your Pool Water From Dropping
You cannot stop the summer sun from shining, but you can take smart steps to save your pool water. Here are the best ways to keep your water where it belongs: inside your pool!
- Use a Pool Cover or Solar Blanket: A pool cover is the most effective weapon against evaporation. When you are not using the pool, put a cover over the top. A good solar blanket can block up to 95% of water evaporation. As a bonus, it also traps heat, keeping your water warm for night swims, and keeps leaves out of the water.
- Turn Off Water Features When Not In Use: Waterfalls, deck jets, and fountains look beautiful and make relaxing sounds. However, they shoot water high into the dry summer air. This breaks the water up into tiny droplets, making it incredibly easy for the sun and wind to steal. Turn off your water features when you are not outside enjoying them.
- Plant Windbreaks Around Your Backyard: If wind is stealing your water, create a barrier. Planting tall bushes, thick hedges, or installing a beautiful privacy fence can slow down the wind before it reaches your pool deck. This keeps the air above your pool calm and reduces evaporation.
- Swim Safely and Keep Water Inside: Encourage kids to avoid huge splashing games near the edges of the pool. Try to shake off excess water while still standing on the top steps of the pool before walking onto the hot concrete deck.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a dropping pool water level during the summer is usually nothing to worry about. Most of the time, it is caused by completely normal things like the hot sun, cool night air, windy days, and fun splashing with family and friends. By using a pool cover and turning off your waterfalls when you are indoors, you can easily save hundreds of gallons of water.
However, if your water is dropping by more than half an inch every day, or if your bucket test proves that you have a leak, you should not wait to get help. Ignoring a pool leak can lead to major structural damage. Escaping water can wash away the dirt under your pool deck, causing the concrete to crack, sink, or tilt. It can also ruin your pool pump if the water level drops below the skimmer opening, causing the motor to run dry and burn out.
At Epic Watershapes, we do more than just build beautiful, luxury custom pools; we help you protect your investment. If your pool needs resurfacing, tile repair, leak inspection, or if you want to update your pool equipment to save water, our expert team is ready to help homeowners across South Florida. Don’t let water loss ruin your summer fun. Keep an eye on your water levels, protect your backyard oasis, and enjoy a cool, refreshing swim all season long. Contact Epic Watershapes today to keep your pool looking and running its best.