Gauteng · Vetted local plumbers
Pool leak detection in Johannesburg and across Gauteng
Every pool loses some water to sun and wind. When yours drops faster than that, a bucket test tells you whether it is a leak before anybody is paid to look, and where the leak is decides who should fix it.
Get a plumber's quote
A plumber near you phones you and quotes before any work starts. Nothing to pay to be put in touch.
What this usually involves
The bucket test: switch off any auto-fill, fill a bucket with pool water to about two or three centimetres from the top, and stand it on the pool step so most of it is under water. Mark the water level inside the bucket and on the outside of it. Come back exactly 24 hours later. If the pool has dropped more than the water in the bucket, you most likely have a leak. Rain spoils the test, so start again if it rains.
If the test says leak, look at the equipment first. Wet ground around the pump, a pump room that is always damp, or a filter that drips at the valve are all plumbing, and so are the pipes between the pool and the pump.
A crack in the pool shell or tiles coming away is a pool builder's job rather than a plumber's. A good plumber will tell you when that is what it is instead of quoting you for pipework.
Topping up a leaking pool goes through your water meter, so it shows on the bill. When you do the meter test on the high water bill page, keep the pool's filling switched off so the two do not get mixed up.
Also: Leak detection · High water bill · Water tanks and pressure pumps
How it works
- 01
Tell us what is wrong
WhatsApp us what is wrong, with a photo if you can, or use the form. No account, no sign-up.
- 02
We put it to a local plumber
We pass your job to a plumber near you, and we speak to them before we do. They phone you themselves.
- 03
You get a price first
They work out what is actually needed and quote before anything gets opened up. You pay them directly.
What we mean by vetted
- We speak to them firstEvery plumber we refer you to has had a real conversation with us before a single enquiry goes their way. That is a different thing from the IOPSA register on this site, which is a public list of accredited companies and most of the companies on it have never heard of us.
- We check their public recordTheir existing reviews, their trading history and whether the business is who it says it is. If we cannot find any of it, we do not refer to them.
- We stop referring to anyone who lets you downTell us what happened. If they let you down, we stop sending them work.
That is the whole list. We are not going to show you a badge for something we have not done, and we are not going to call a company vetted because it appears on somebody else's register.
- Reala person reads your message
- Locala plumber near your suburb
- Pricedquoted before work starts
- Freenothing to pay to be put in touch
Plumbers24 is not a plumbing company. We are a Gauteng referral service that puts you onto a vetted local plumber and stays out of the way. You deal with them directly and pay them directly.
What decides the price
Nobody can price a plumbing job off a phone call, and anyone who gives you a firm number before seeing it is guessing. What they can do is tell you what moves it. This is what actually decides the figure on your quote.
| Geyser | Which part failed. A dead element, thermostat or pressure valve is a repair; only a cylinder that has rusted through is a replacement, and the difference between those two is most of the price. After that: the size, whether it is in the roof or a cupboard, and whether the tray, vacuum breakers and pipework have to be brought up to SANS 10254 while they are in there. |
|---|---|
| Blocked drains | Whether it clears with rods or a drain machine, or whether it needs a camera down the line and something dug up. Those are different jobs at different prices, and a good plumber will tell you which one he is on before he starts the second. |
| Burst and leaking pipes | Where the pipe runs. An accessible joint is quick; a pipe in a wall or under a slab means opening something up and making it good again, and the making-good is often the larger half. |
| Leak detection | Whether it is found acoustically or with a pressure test, or whether flooring has to come up. Ask for the finding and the fixing to be priced separately, so you are not agreeing to the second before anyone knows what it is. |
| Pressure pumps | Which part failed. A pressure switch or recharging the pressure vessel is a small job; a new pump is not. Ask which part it is before agreeing to a replacement. |
| Anything after hours | A Sunday night call-out costs more than a Tuesday morning one, everywhere, always. If it can wait until the morning, say so and ask what that saves. |
Worth asking, before you say yes
- Is the call-out charged separately, and does it come off the bill if I go ahead?
- Is that including VAT?
- Is this a fixed quote or an estimate that can move once you open it up? If it can move, by how much?
- Are you supplying the parts, and what is the guarantee on them?
- Will I get a Certificate of Compliance, and is it in the price?
Rather fill in a form than WhatsApp? Get a plumber's quote at the top of this page.
Questions people ask
Is my pool leaking or is it just evaporation?
Do the bucket test. Stand a bucket of pool water on the step, mark the level inside and outside it, switch off any auto-fill and check again after 24 hours. If the pool dropped more than the bucket, it is most likely a leak.
Can a plumber fix a pool leak?
A leak in the pipework, the pump or the filter, yes, that is plumbing. A crack in the shell or tiling is a pool builder's job, and the plumber should tell you so.
Are you actually a plumbing company?
No, and we would rather say so upfront. Plumbers24 is a referral service. We take your details, pass the job to a vetted plumber near you, and they contact you directly. You deal with them and pay them, not us.
What does it cost me?
Nothing to be put in touch. You pay the plumber for the work, at the price they quote you before they start. We are paid by the plumber, not by you.
How fast can somebody get to me?
Honestly, it depends who is free. For an emergency like a burst pipe or a geyser coming through the ceiling we start looking the moment you message, and we tell you what we actually find, including when the real answer is first thing tomorrow. We do not put a time on this page that somebody else has to keep.
Why are other plumbers listed on this site?
Because IOPSA's register is public and useful: it lets you check a company before you let it into your house. We show the registered companies near you. It is not a list of who we recommend, and most of them have never heard of us. We do not show their phone numbers. If you want a plumber, WhatsApp us and we look for one near you who is free. Any company on the register can have its entry taken off this site for free by sending one message.
Do you cover my area?
All of Gauteng: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekurhuleni and the East Rand, the West Rand, the Vaal and the areas in between. We look for a plumber near you, and if nobody is close enough to be worth your time, we tell you so. Outside Gauteng? Send a message anyway and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
What happens to my details?
They go to the plumber who is going to phone you, and nowhere else. We do not sell contact details on to marketing lists. If you want your details removed, message us and they are gone.