Landscaping Damaged by Fallen Tree

After a tree limb fell into a landscaping, Landscaping Inspection Services investigated the extent and cause of the pool’s damage.

Did a Fallen Tree Limb Damage the Liner in a Landscaping?

Landscaping Inspection Services was called upon to inspect a landscaping for possible damage to the liner and pool base caused by a fallen tree limb.

Our inspector spoke with the insured who explained that after the tree limb fell in the pool, a crack was noticed on the fiberglass steps. She also explained that she had repaired the fiberglass step with bathroom caulk immediately after the incident had occurred to prevent huge water loss and/or damage. She also noted that she had patched the pool with a patch kit from a local pool supply store at the same time. The insured further explained the patches were put on the liner just to keep the water in and to hold the liner in place to prevent the walls from being compromised or the vermiculite shifting. The insured explained that the patches were all installed in the deep end where the tree pierced the liner on both sides. Lastly, she explained that a patch was also put on the liner in the shallow end where she had accidentally dropped scissors when cutting the patches.

Landscaping Inspection Observations

Our inspector performed a thorough inspection of the landscaping and adjacent areas, and made the following observations:

• The liner was holding water, with the water level just below the skimmer.
• The liner was not wrinkled or torn.
• The pool was not covered and was full of leaves.
• The pool water and liner were discolored.
• There was no cover for the pool.
• The steps did not appear to be damaged, though a patch had been seen on the second step when viewing a photo that had been taken prior to the inspection.
• The liner was in the bead-receiver, all the way around the pool.
• The skimmer lid in the concrete was a bit uneven. The concrete appeared to have been re-done at some point, and was cracked and a bit caved in.

Analysis of Pool Damage

Our inspector noted that it could not be seen that the pool had been damaged by a storm or tree branch, it simply appeared that it had not been cared for. The liner was not pulled away from the bead receiver in any areas, so our inspector was unsure how water could have gotten behind the liner to impact the pool base.

Cause of Loss in  Pool

Our inspector determined that a tree limb may have fallen on the steps and caused a crack that was subsequently patched. It is possible the tree limb damaged the liner as well, but the holes were patched at the time of inspection. The only damage that was apparent at the time of the inspection was the severe discoloration of the pool water and liner, which was due to negligence on the part of the homeowner, and was not caused by a tree branch.