Public print packet
Bucket Test Sheet
Use this one-page sheet to compare pool loss against bucket loss before you assume the water is leaving through buried plumbing.
Safety warnings
- Do not start with excavation or pressure testing.
- Do not drain the pool while you are trying to prove whether the loss is real.
- Do not treat this sheet as a leak diagnosis by itself.
Setup
Date / time
Weather / wind / temperature
Autofill state
Pump schedule / runtime
Measurements
Pool start waterline
Pool end waterline
Bucket start waterline
Bucket end waterline
Interpretation
- If the pool loses more than the bucket, treat the loss as real and move to leak detection.
- If the numbers are similar, evaporation, splash-out, or operating behavior is more likely.
- If autofill is masking the drop, disable the mask before you call the water level stable.
- Save photos and notes so the next page has evidence instead of guesses.
Next Steps
Use the next page that matches the result instead of forcing the same answer on every water-loss problem.
Educational guidance only. Verify labels, manuals, local code, and site conditions before acting. Stop for electrical, gas, structural, drain, drowning, injury, emergency, or chemical-mixing risk.