How To Fix A Pond Leak And What Can Cause Them

Keep Your Water Feature In Tip-Top Shape For Your Nashville Home

Pond leaks cost you money and enjoyment time. You can watch a video and read about how to fix a pond leak so you can enjoy your water feature again.

The how-to and causes are in the post below:

It’s Not Evaporation!

“How can you be so sure?”

April sighs in exasperation. She keeps telling Jeremy their pond is leaking but he’s refusing to believe it. It’s because he built it himself and doesn’t want to admit it isn’t perfect.

“It’s losing way too much water to just be evaporation. Here, just watch this video on how to fix a pond leak.”

“Hold on a second, please. Ok, so it might be leaking and I might need to learn how to fix the pond. Can I read about it instead of watching a video?”

April scrolls down so he can read the post. Maybe he’ll watch the video afterward to make sure he got everything.

Here is what Jeremy reads on fixing pond leaks.

What Can Cause A Pond Leak

A pond leak can be caused by an area with low liner, roots or animals piercing the liner, leaves or algae damming up an area, or having a stream bed that’s too shallow.

“It also says sometimes the main waterfall can get shifted and water will go where it shouldn’t,” Amy points out.

She scrolls down to find out how to find a pond leak.

Finding The Leak

Start by turning off the pond pump. Fill up your pond to the normal level and leave it off for 24 hours. If it goes down the leak is in the pond and if it doesn’t the leak is in the waterfall area.

“The pond guy in the video says that 95% of the time the pond leak is in the waterfall,” April tells Jeremy.

Keep a close eye on the water level and your fish. You don’t want the water level to get too low or keep them in still water for too long. Putting in or turning on an aerator will help them breathe easier.

Once you know the general area of the leak it’s time to get a little dirty.

How To Fix A Pond Leak

If it’s a low liner you’ll need to get on your hands and knees to find it. Once you do, all you need to do is pull it up so it doesn’t leak anymore. Shore it up with some dirt if you need to that should fix it.

“Ok, but what if the problem is a hole in the liner?” Jeremy asks. Fixing holes in your liner is a whole other story.

There are different methods depending on the size of the hole. Use:

• Pond liner sealant for 1-2 inch holes
• Liner repair kit for 2-by-2 inch holes to 30-by-30 inch holes
• Pond liner joining tape for if you need more liner
• Replace the whole liner for HUGE holes

“It’s good to know we’re covered no matter what size the hole or tear is,” Jeremy says afterward. 

Algae and leaf dams can also cause pond leaks, especially during the fall. All you need to do is remove the dam so the water can flow as normal. One of the steps for fall pond maintenance can help prevent leaves from damming up your stream.

Plants can also overgrow and block off or divert the water. You’ll need to cut them back or move them to a different part of your water feature.

“Especially that water lettuce, it grows so fast,” Jeremy mutters.

Now, To Find The Leak!

“I could look for it on my own, but that sounds like a lot of work I don’t really want to put in. Especially because I’ll need to crouch and get on my hands and knees to find this leak,” Jeremy sighs.

“Let’s hire a contractor to maintain our pond for us then,” April suggests.