Location: Venice, Florida

Challenge: The homeowner reported a slow but steady water loss, with wet spots appearing directly on the equipment pad itself. The leak was in one of the return lines exiting the pad — a notoriously difficult spot because the pipes are often buried shallowly or encased near concrete footings, making standard listening methods less effective. Many companies would have needed to break concrete or dig extensively, risking damage to the pad and surrounding landscaping.

How We Solved It: We started with targeted Leaktronics acoustic hydrophone listening directly on the pad and exposed pipe sections, combined with multi-zone pressure decay testing to isolate the exact segment. High-definition in-line camera inspection confirmed a small crack in the PVC return pipe right at the equipment pad junction — a classic “hidden in plain sight” leak that acoustic tools alone sometimes miss.

We carefully excavated just enough to access the damaged section (minimal disruption to the pad), cut out the cracked portion, replaced it with new schedule 40 PVC, applied structural epoxy reinforcement at the joints, and performed a final pressure test to verify zero leakage. The pad was restored to original condition with proper backfill and compaction.

Result:

• Leak completely eliminated — water level stabilized

• No further damage to equipment pad or landscaping

• Equipment pad fully functional and dry

• Pool back to normal operation same day