Central Florida’s Pool Leak Expert Explains How Evaporation Affects Your Pool: Understanding Your Pool’s Evaporation

Have you ever looked at your pool and wondered, “Am I really losing that much water?” You’re not alone. Every day, pool owners across Florida ask themselves the same question: Is it just evaporation, or do I have a leak?

At Aaron’s Leak Detection, we’ve helped thousands of homeowners solve this very mystery. In this post, we’ll dive into the science behind pool evaporation, how much water loss is considered normal, and when it’s time to call in the experts.

What Is Pool Evaporation?

Evaporation is a natural process where water turns into vapor and escapes into the air. It happens in every pool—but how much is too much?

Here are the four main factors that influence how quickly your pool water evaporates:

1. Low Humidity

The drier the air, the more water your pool loses. That’s because dry air “pulls” moisture from your pool more effectively than humid air.

2. Wind

Wind carries humid air away and replaces it with dry air, speeding up the evaporation process.

3. Exposure

Pools that are open to sun and wind, especially unscreened pools with little landscaping, tend to evaporate faster.

4. Water Temperature

Warm water evaporates faster than cool water. If your pool is heated or gets direct sun all day, expect more evaporation.

How Much Evaporation Is Normal?

Here’s a good rule of thumb:
👍 Up to 1/4 inch of water loss per day is normal for a non-heated pool with minimal water features.
That’s about 2 inches per week.

Because that’s such a small amount, accurate measurements are key. We created a helpful video called “Is Your Pool Level Dropping?” that shows you exactly how to measure your pool’s water level. You can find it on our website or YouTube channel.

When Is Evaporation the Highest?

This might surprise you, but in Central Florida, your pool actually evaporates more during the dry season (October–March) than in our hot, humid summers.

That’s because two major evaporation factors—low humidity and higher wind speeds—are more common in those dry months.

Other factors that drive evaporation include:

• Pool exposure: A screened-in pool close to your home and landscaping will lose less water than one that’s fully exposed.
  
  
• Water features: Waterfalls, spray jets, and especially infinity edges expose large amounts of water to air, greatly increasing evaporation.
  
  
• Pool heating: Whether it’s solar, gas, or electric, heating your pool will raise water temperature and lead to faster evaporation.
  
  

How to Reduce Pool Evaporation

Here are a few ways to slow down the evaporation process:

• Only run water features or your pool heater when needed
  
  
• Use a solar blanket to keep heat in, debris out, and evaporation down
  
  
• Add landscaping or wind barriers to reduce direct airflow over the water
  
  

Is It Evaporation or a Leak?

Here’s our general rule:

• If you’re losing 1/4 inch per day or less, and you’re not running water features or a heater, that’s normal evaporation.
  
  
• If you’re losing multiple inches per week, especially with no features running, you likely have a leak.
  
  

Still not sure? We have some great resources to help you.

Grab a ruler and follow the simple process outlined in our video “Is your pool level dropping?”.   In 48 hours you’ll be much closer to knowing if you’re seeing simple evaporation or a troublesome leak.

Best Pool Leak Detection in Orlando, FL

Understanding what’s normal can give you peace of mind—and help you spot issues before they get worse. If you’re seeing unusual water loss or need help with accurate measurements, don’t hesitate to reach out. Contact us with your questions—we’re always happy to help.

At Aaron’s Leak Detection, we’re here to make sure your pool only loses water for the right reasons.

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