Common signs of a leak
Dropping water level
You're adding water every week or two, with no obvious reason.
Damp spot under the tub
Wet ground or a stained pad beneath the cabinet.
Pump area drips
Moisture around the pump unions, seals or the equipment bay.
Heater keeps cycling oddly
Low water makes the system shut down or behave erratically.
Water loss only when jets run
Often a sign the leak is on the pressure side of the plumbing.
Equipment rust or corrosion
Greenish deposits or rust trails where water has been escaping.
What to do before we arrive
- Mark the water level with painter's tape and note how much it drops in 24 hours.
- Run the jets for a while, then stop them, and see if the loss changes.
- Check obvious spots: the cover, the filter lid, the drain valve cap.
- Do not use stop-leak products. They can clog plumbing and complicate diagnosis.
- Turn off the power if you see water in the equipment compartment.
- Keep the tub filled to its normal level so we have something to test with.
How we find a leak
First we rule out the false alarms. Evaporation, splashing and a dripping cover account for more 'leaks' than people expect, and a quick level test sorts those out.
If the loss is real, we narrow it by zone. We run the tub in different modes, see when the level falls, and watch for the pattern. A leak that only appears with the pump running points at the pressurized side. One that continues with everything off points at the shell or a fitting below the waterline.
Then we get hands-on. We inspect the equipment compartment, check unions and heater fittings, examine pump seals and look at jets and light housings. When the plumbing needs it, we pressure-test sections to confirm exactly where it gives way.
Only once we've confirmed the location do we start repairing. That discipline is the difference between fixing a leak and creating a new one.
What we check
The usual leak points, roughly in order of how often they turn out to be the culprit.
- Pump and heater unions, which loosen with heat cycles.
- Pump wet-end seals, which wear and begin to weep.
- Jet bodies, gaskets and waterfall or light fittings.
- Drain valve and fill-line connections.
- Flexible plumbing runs, especially bends or kinked sections.
- Cracks in rigid pipe, including any freeze damage.
Why quick fixes for leaks backfire
Pour-in leak sealers are tempting at midnight, but they rarely stay where the leak is. They can lodge in jets, foul filters and gum up the pump. Worse, they muddy the diagnosis.
A proper repair replaces or reseals the failed part, so the tub holds water the normal way again.
Freeze damage and repairs versus replacement
Most leaks are small and local: a gasket, a union, a seal. These are straightforward fixes once the source is identified.
Freeze damage is different. When water freezes inside a pump housing or pipe, it expands and splits whatever is holding it. The damage is often hidden until the thaw, and it may involve more than one component. We assess the full picture before recommending a path.
If the leak is in the shell itself, or the damage is widespread, we'll tell you honestly when repair has diminishing returns. Our goal is a fix that holds, not a patch that buys you a month.
Quick questions
How do I tell a leak from evaporation?
Measure the loss over 24 hours with the cover on and jets off. Evaporation is usually small and steady. A leak tends to be faster, and often changes depending on what's running.
Will you need to drain the tub?
Sometimes. Many leaks can be found and fixed with the tub full or partly lowered. We only drain when the repair requires it.
Can a leak damage the tub?
It can. Water in the cabinet can corrode equipment and rot the frame over time. Dealing with a leak early limits the damage.