Southern California evaporation is real. A bucket test still tells evaporation apart from a leak before anyone tears up a deck.
The bucket test
Fill a bucket with pool water. Set it on a step so the water inside and outside start at the same mark. After 48–72 hours, compare. If the pool dropped more than the bucket, you likely have a leak — plumbing, liner, or a fitting under the deck. Wind, spa overflows, and kids splashing can fake a leak; repeat the test on a quiet stretch of days.
Where water usually goes
Common paths: a cracked skimmer throat, a loose pump lid O-ring, a heater bypass, a spa spillway that never quite shuts, or a return line under pavers. Dye testing around fittings is the next step after the bucket. Pressure testing a closed plumbing loop is how we confirm a pipe leak without guessing.
When to call
If you are adding more than an inch or two of water between bi-weekly visits, call. A hidden leak can undermine a deck and raise the water bill. We would rather find it with a gauge than with a jackhammer.