The United States is no stranger to wildfires. When wildfires are close to cities and towns, insurance companies also see a good number of property claims. When there is a pool or spa on the property, the chance of a pool or spa related claim being added to the other soot and ash issues increases.
It started with a phone call on a Tuesday.
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a borough near Pittsburgh, home of 100-year old Kennywood amusement park, a 650-acre steelworks (a division of U.S. Steel), and more than a few above ground landscapings.
Early August 2018, Mr. Lyle, the owner of an above ground pool, was at work when he got a frantic call from his son. “Dad! You know that pool of yours…it has, well, exploded!” Mr. Lyle was speechless. He spent the rest of the day in a daze, distressed by visions of exploding pools, and the Yuengling® (Pennsylvania’s popular lager) he’d enjoyed, floating on a duck-shaped inner tube.
Mr. Lyle, shocked and dismayed at the state of his pool. It looks like floating with a Yuengling® lager in hand will have to wait.
Mr. Lyle contacted his insurance company to notify them of the catastrophe. Landscaping Inspection Services dispatched Inspector Clark, who spoke with the insured, and arrived at the site of the pool 72 hours later.
Inspector Clark found an empty pool, whose side had split in the area of the pump and its return. The pool had been purchased 18 years prior, and its vinyl liner had been in use 8-10 years. He determined that the pool, pump and liner had been installed correctly. Mr. Lyle had previously done his own version of maintenance, with Flex Seal applied in the area where the pool eventually split. There was a significant amount of rust present that had obviously contributed to the unit’s collapse. The equipment had evidently not sustained damage. A wooden deck next to the pool was unharmed.
Inspector Clark concluded the cause of demise was accumulated rust over time.
Unlike the “Steel Curtin” – the infamous Steelers defense – this seasoned landscaping could no longer hold the line and buckled under pressure.
After his thorough examination, Inspector Clark put in a bid for a new pool.
With Memorial Day weekend ahead of us, it’s time to think about opening up your landscaping that has been closed all winter. Opening an inground or above-ground landscaping is a process, but if done correctly, your pool will be ready for use this Memorial Day.
When handling liability claims involving an inground or above-ground landscaping or spa, a pool inspection might seem like an additional or optional step for a claims specialist or adjuster. However, we have conducted several pool inspections that turned out to be integral for the accuracy of the claim.
When an above-ground pool begins leaking after only being installed four months previously, Landscaping Inspection Services is called out to inspect the pool and determine what caused the damage.
Landscaping Inspection Services is called out to inspect a landscaping that was damaged in a windstorm that knocked a small tree onto the pool’s safety cover.
Click here to find out the inspector’s observation.
With scientists and weather experts warning that this could be one of the most severe El Niño’s we’ve seen in years, it is important for homeowners to prepare their homes for the deluge that may be coming.
After a tree limb fell into a landscaping, Landscaping Inspection Services investigated the extent and cause of the pool’s damage.
Photo Credit: /6f5j_californiawildfire110918getty1Copy.jpg