Leak Detections: Are They Really Necessary?

In talking with insurance adjusters, I have found that when homeowners report that their pool has a leak–and that a landscaping leak detection is needed–the first usual action is to call a leak detection company. This would seem to be an appropriate action.

Leak detection firms are very good at finding leaks. In many cases they can give you an estimate for the cost of repairing the leak. This estimate is usually the quickest and simplest solution.  However, since the field crew doing the detection is not comprised of pool contractors, they cannot provide what the insurance professional needs to know.

What Does the Adjuster Really Need to Know?

The insurance professional has questions such as: “What started the leak?”, “Is the leak from an earthquake or natural disaster?” and, “Was the leak caused by vandalism or normal wear and tear?”  Without this information the claim cannot be approved or denied. I have found that with the limited information received, the insurance professional approves the claim. What else can he or she do?

The better way to resolve a claim involving a pool leak is to have the pool inspected by an expert in pool inspections. They can determine what information is needed by the insurance company to make a fair and proper determination as to the validity of the claim. A licensed pool inspector can usually tell what is causing the problem and whether there is even a leak at all. It usually turns out that there was no actual leak.

If a leak is present, pool inspectors can either detect the leak themselves or call in the leak detection crew.  Regardless of the location of the leak, the main issue still is to determine if the claim is valid. If it is not valid the insurance company needs the expert’s evaluation of the cause of the problem to explain why the claim is being denied.

A Real Example

I received a call about water leaking from the pool through the water line tile. As a result, the water undermined the decking which was collapsing. The adjuster asked if we could do a leak detection. I notified him that we could if needed. Instead of sending the leak detection crew out to the site, I sent out a licensed pool inspector trained in finding what information we really needed.

The report I got back stated that a crack in the skimmer had started the destruction of the tile. This was followed by destruction of the decking. We didn’t need to find the leak; it was right in front of us. After a 10 minute conversation between myself and the pool inspector, he told me what I wanted to know. The crack in the skimmer was caused by a weak spot in the skimmer walls. This weak spot was created by the pool contractor who built the pool many years ago. The homeowner could have had the crack repaired when the damage was small, but didn’t. Water had been leaking out of the pool for years. Over time it undermined the water line tile and then part of the decking.

Summary

Have a pool inspection done first. Find out what is happening and what caused it. Then if necessary, and only if necessary, ask for a landscaping leak detection. Landscaping Inspection Services does inspections and can also do the leak detection if needed.

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