Callers to the Backyard Bay Radio Show frequently ask about leaks. The water in your swimming pool is dropping all the time. How much is too much?

Normally, your swimming pool will lose about one inch of water per week to evaporation, wind, sun and normal splashing from people getting in and out of the pool.

Don't be concerned unless you lose more than an inch or find yourself adding water to the pool more than once per week.

If you think you might have a leak, try the bucket test first. Place a bucket full of water on the first step of your pool and mark the level on the side. If the bucket and the pool lose the same amount of water, it's normal evaporation. If the pool loses more water than the bucket, you may have a leak.

Make a visual inspection of the equipment looking for water. Check the backwash line for escaping water. Also, look for wet spots in the grass even though it's rare for a leak to show up there.

If your leak is equipment related, call a service technician for a repair.

If your leak is structure related, call a leak detection company. Leak detectors can locate structural leaks quickly and can repair them on the spot or advise on how to correct whatever problems may exist.