Pool maintenance company damaged pumps

[pixelpool]

I have a pool/hot tub combination. It's all on the same filter system, but you can configure the valves to and from the pumps to connect to only the pool, only the hot tub, or both.
I pay a company to open and close my pool at the beginning and end of the season. They've maintained this pool since before I moved here. This year, when they came to open the pool, they did it completely incorrectly. They ended up setting it up so that it was pumping water only out of the hot tub through a floor drain and into the pool, which very quickly drained the hot tub and left two pumps running dry. They left the pump running all night (well over 12 hours), and I only caught the issue this morning.

When I caught it this morning, I obviously turned everything off. The main pool pump was boiling hot and when I opened it steam came pouring out.

I'm at a loss for what to do. I reconfigured the valves correctly and had it run long enough to refill the hot tub. It doesn't seem to be running as well as last year. It's slow to prime and doesn't seem to completely fill with water. I haven't checked the pumps for leaks and they're off now. The main pool pump was almost brand new.
The hot tub heater (gas) was also powered on, but I'm not sure if it was running. There's also now a strange leak in the intake to the heater that definitely wasn't there last year.

What can I tell them to do to make this right?

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Have you notified the Pool Service of what happened?

They should repair or replace the pumps and fix any leaks.

Running dry probably ruined the seals in thepump and may have warped the impeller or shroud from the heat. Even of the pump works it will likley leak water into the motor and fail prematurely.

 

[pixelpool]

Have you notified the Pool Service of what happened?

Yes, I called them and told them what happened. They said they'd call me back, but they haven't yet. I tried to call them at the end of the day and they didn't pick up

Even of the pump works it will likley leak water into the motor and fail prematurely.

Yeah that's what I'm worried about. I don't want them to just "repair" the pumps so they work for another year or two and then have them fail. One of them was practically new. Ideally, I would like for them to replace both pumps. I can't imagine there wasn't any internal damage after running dry for over 12 hours

Thanks for your input

 

[oldprophet]

Yes, I called them and told them what happened. They said they'd call me back, but they haven't yet. I tried to call them at the end of the day and they didn't pick up

Yeah that's what I'm worried about. I don't want them to just "repair" the pumps so they work for another year or two and then have them fail. One of them was practically new. Ideally, I would like for them to replace both pumps. I can't imagine there wasn't any internal damage after running dry for over 12 hours

Thanks for your input

Here in California I would contact the State Licensing Board; then an attorney

 

[cfherrman]

Keep calling

 

[oldprophet]

Keep calling

You could pray