Is Your Pool Light Leaking? 5 Signs and Fixes for Arlington Pools

A pool light leak happens when water escapes through the light niche, the metal or plastic housing set into the pool wall, or through the conduit that carries the light cord to the deck box. The clearest sign is a pool that loses water until the level reaches the light, then stops. Cracked sealant around the cord, a gap behind the niche, or a broken conduit are the usual causes. Call (817) 285-5426 for a test.

Our leak detection Arlington TX techs test pool lights, skimmers, returns and plumbing lines on every pool visit.

How does a pool light leak?

The light fixture sits in a niche, a bowl-shaped housing in the pool wall. A cord runs from the back of the niche through a conduit to a junction box on the deck. The conduit is filled with sealant where it enters the niche. Over time, that sealant cracks or pulls away. Water then flows into the conduit and out into the soil. The niche itself can also crack or separate from the shell.

Arlington's clay soil moves with wet springs and dry summers. That movement can crack the bond between the niche and the gunite or shotcrete around it, a common reason pools in older neighborhoods lose water at the light.

What are 5 signs your pool light is leaking?

1. The water level stops at the light. Turn off the pump and let the pool drop. If it stops right at the middle of the light, the niche is the leak.
2. Dye pulls toward the niche. A few drops of leak dye near the cord hole or the edge of the niche get sucked in.
3. Cracked or missing sealant around the cord where it enters the back of the niche.
4. The light fogs, flickers or trips the GFCI. Water inside the fixture is both a leak and a safety problem.
5. Wet ground near the junction box or along the line between the pool and the box.

How can you test it yourself?

First rule out evaporation with a bucket test, since Texas summers can evaporate a quarter inch a day or more. Then turn off the pump and mark the water level with tape every day. If the level stops at the light, the light is the likely leak. Our pool leak arlington tx guide shows the bucket test step by step.

• Turn off the pool light breaker before you get close to the fixture.
• Use leak dye only on a calm day with the pump off.
• Do not pull the light out of the niche yourself. The fixture and cord carry line voltage.

How is a pool light leak fixed?

Most pool light leaks are fixed by cleaning out the old sealant in the conduit and sealing it with pool putty or a conduit plug. A gap between the niche and the shell is sealed with underwater epoxy or a crack repair. A cracked niche or broken conduit needs more work. A licensed electrician should handle the fixture, cord and GFCI.

A pool tech often finds more than one leak point. Skimmers are the other top source. See our guide to a pool skimmer leak.

What does pool leak detection cost in Arlington?

Pool and spa leak detection in Arlington usually costs about $250 to $550. That covers pressure testing the lines, dye testing the light, skimmer and returns, and listening for leaks in buried plumbing. You get the price before the visit and a list of every leak found.

General estimates for Arlington, TX in 2026. Your exact price is confirmed before any work begins.

For a pool-only breakdown, see our pool leak detection cost guide. When the leak is hard to find, book pool leak detection services arlington tx homeowners use before the water bill climbs.