Leak Fix

Review: We contacted American Leak Detection (New Haven, CT serviced through New York) to identify why we were losing approx. ½ inch of water per day in our pool. American Leak detection came out on July ** and evaluated the input and return water lines for leaks (fee paid $250). Upon arrival I informed the technician that we thought the leak was coming from our Skimmer Port (Port 1) because we were getting a lot of air bubbles in the system and we no longer had good suction from the skimmer port when we vacuumed the pool. I also showed the technician the air that was entering the system when I switched the input to full skimmer port. Upon completion of their evaluation, they informed us that they detected a leak in the system and that it would cost approx. $1,250 to fix if they did not have to cut the cement deck and $1,750 if they did. We then contracted with them to do the work and scheduled and appointment for the following week (Thursday July **).

Thursday July ** - While working on the pool one of the service men dropped a metal wrench in the deep end of the pool and was trying to fish it out with the pool brush and net by pulling the wrench up the side of the pool. When I saw this I went out and offered to jump in the pool to retrieve the wrench. At the end of the day the workers said that they had repaired the leaking pipe and that the leak was in Port 2 (not Skimmer Port 1). I mentioned to him that this did not make any since to me given that I never had an issue with air in the port 2 line. I then switched the input valve to full skimmer (port 1) and sure enough the system, once again, started filling with air bubbles. I then asked the technician if he could show me why he claimed there was no issue with the Skimmer port. The technician told me that they can tell if there is a leak in the line by putting pressure in the system and seeing if the pressure held (line OK) or dropped (leak in line). He then hooked up his pressure gauge to the Skimmer (port 1) line and sure enough the pressure gauge dropped (indication of a problem in the line). It was now the end of the day and the workers said that I would need to call with the company regarding next steps.

Friday July ** - The next morning we noticed that the pool water had dropped approx. 3 inches. Upon inspection of the pool, I noticed a 1 inch cut in the corner of the liner where the technician was trying to fish out the wrench they had dropped in the pool the previous day. I contacted American Leak Detection to inform them of both these situations (a. Leak not fixed in Port 1 and b. Cut in the liner caused by the technician). They informed me that they would not be able to come back out until the following Tuesday (July **) to put a patch in the pool liner. When I asked about next steps regarding fixing the leak detected in Port 1, I was informed that they would need to speak with the technicians who did the work but that most likely this would result in additional daily charge. He told me that he would get back to me on Monday July [redacted] regarding plan to address the Port 1 leak. We never received a call back that Monday.

Tuesday July **st - The technician came out and patched the pool liner. When I asked about fixing the skimmer Port 1 leak he informed me that he did not receive any direction on that issue and that I would need to contact the main office again. After the technician left, I put a marker on the current water level and the following day the water had dropped by ½ inch (the same level as before my initial call).

As a result of the lack of contact, damage caused to my liner and what appeared to be an unwillingness to make good on the leak repair, I placed a stop payment on the checks that I wrote for the repair work (total $1,250). I did not place a stop payment on the $250 evaluation fee check. I once again contacted American Leak Detection to discuss the situation and to see if they were willing to make repairs originally contracted for. They informed me at this time that they would need to charge an additional ($1,250-$1,750) per day and would be willing to discount this fee by approx. 25%. I told them that I felt this additional fee was unreasonably high given the situation (misdiagnosis of original leak situation, hole in the liner caused by dropped wrench in the pool, still losing the same amount of water per day than before they worked on the pool) and asked if they could do better on this rate. They informed that they would not be willing to offer any additional discounts to their service fee. At that time I informed them that I had placed a stop payment on the repair checks that I submitted.Desired Settlement: Replacement of pool liner due to liner tear caused by technician dropping a wrench in the pool and leak problem fixed at original quoted price.