Riverside, CA Pool Inspection Finds Algae in Pool Caused by Improper Care

When Landscaping Inspection Services was called upon to determine the cause of excess algae in a Riverside, CA pool, we find that while the homeowner claimed they were properly maintaining the pool, our inspection showed otherwise. The homeowner claimed that trash being thrown in the pool from an adjacent public sidewalk was the cause of the discolored water; however, our inspector determined that the homeowner was not diligent in maintaining and treating his landscaping water.

Riverside, CA Landscaping Inspection and Analysis

Our inspector visited the home and spoke with the homeowner, who stated that he was continually removing trash from his landscaping that people threw over a 4-foot wall dividing his property from the public sidewalk. Additionally, he stated that while he maintains the landscaping himself, he recently had it professionally serviced, and that the water turned green again after only two days.

Our inspector assessed the landscaping and spa, and made the following observations:

• The pool equipment was in good shape and working properly.
• The pool and spa were green with algae.
• There was a short wall (4-5’) separating property from public sidewalk.
• The house, yard and decking have been kept clean.
• Our inspector noted that the homeowner did not own a test kit and did not treat his water once a week.

Algae Caused by Riverside, CA Homeowner Neglect

Our inspector stated that the debris the homeowner described would not be enough to upset the chemical balance in the pool and cause algae to grow. He concluded that the homeowner was not properly maintaining the chemicals in his landscaping and spa, and that was causing the algae to grow. Our inspector also noted that a test of the chemicals that had been performed previously by a landscaping company showed that the dissolved solids (hardness) of the water was extremely high, which occurs when too many chemicals have been added to the water over an extended period of time.

Our inspector recommended that the pool be drained and acid washed, the filter equipment cleaned and serviced. He also recommended that the homeowner test the new water on a weekly basis, and properly maintain it.

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Landscaping Inspection Services and a clickable link back to this page.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com