My experience with pool leak detection company...word of warning.

[Alwayshad1]

I developed a noticeable leak back in January ( right after our first cold snap ), and was losing about an inch overnight. Tried the dye test around skimmer, returns, etc. with no leak found. Did not feel comfortable getting in the pool to test light, main drain, etc. so I contacted a pool leak company who are nationwide, I won’t mention the name. Came out one month after I called and said the leak was in the light, said he fixed it, should be good to go. After they emailed me my receipt, I noticed they have a series of boxes checked off for what they did. According to the receipt, they did a pressure test and it tested within the correct pressure range. I was there when he came and no pressure test was performed...dye only. Next day, same amount of water leak. Came back out three weeks later and admitted to me that he “might not” have done the pressure test and said piece of putty had fallen out, but fixed it and should be good to go. Next day...same amount of water leak. I called their corporate office and when I told them what happened their reply was “We are going to refund you your money and you need to find another company to fix your leak”. Which I did. Found an old pool guy in the area, he came out to the house, put the putty in the light, LEFT the light out for a couple of days, then came back and put it back in. Problem fixed. Main point here is watch these guys if you can...they have a standard “check list” that they mark even if no work was performed, let alone the fact that he either did not know he should have left the light out so putty would harden or he just did not want to come back out a couple days later. Buyer beware.

 

[Texas Splash]

That's a shame, but we see it in just about any industry (pools, automobile, electrical, plumbing, etc). Some people (or companies) simply have a better set of values and integrity. That's one reason TFP is so popular because at the very least, you can test your own water and you know what to do unlike those who rely on someone else to do it once a week. Again, not all pool care techs or companies are bad, but obviously there are some who just don't deserve our attention or money. Glad you finally got the leak fixed.

 

[BowserB]

Why not mention the name of the company and the specific area they serve? The home office refunded your money, and that's a plus for them and could give confidence to someone needing help somewhere else, but if I lived in your area, I would appreciate knowing someone to avoid.

 

[cowboycasey]

They did wrong and people should know..

 

[Saturn94]

I developed a noticeable leak back in January ( right after our first cold snap ), and was losing about an inch overnight. Tried the dye test around skimmer, returns, etc. with no leak found. Did not feel comfortable getting in the pool to test light, main drain, etc. so I contacted a pool leak company who are nationwide, I won’t mention the name. Came out one month after I called and said the leak was in the light, said he fixed it, should be good to go. After they emailed me my receipt, I noticed they have a series of boxes checked off for what they did. According to the receipt, they did a pressure test and it tested within the correct pressure range. I was there when he came and no pressure test was performed...dye only. Next day, same amount of water leak. Came back out three weeks later and admitted to me that he “might not” have done the pressure test and said piece of putty had fallen out, but fixed it and should be good to go. Next day...same amount of water leak. I called their corporate office and when I told them what happened their reply was “We are going to refund you your money and you need to find another company to fix your leak”. Which I did. Found an old pool guy in the area, he came out to the house, put the putty in the light, LEFT the light out for a couple of days, then came back and put it back in. Problem fixed. Main point here is watch these guys if you can...they have a standard “check list” that they mark even if no work was performed, let alone the fact that he either did not know he should have left the light out so putty would harden or he just did not want to come back out a couple days later. Buyer beware.

Would you please send me a PM with the name of the company? I’d certainly like to avoid them should I need such services. Thank you.

 

[Texas Splash]

PM'ing is the way to go. Per TFP rules, we have to be careful about starting a thread which would appear to be for the sole purpose of slamming a company. But for those in your area, certainly PM.

 

[ajw22]

It sounds like this "Nationwide Leak Detection company" has a poor employee in North Central Florida.

I would not infer from that experience that they have poor employees nationwide.

In many services business the fact that a company is Nationwide means little. The quality of the service you get depends on the individual who shows up. Some companies of all sizes are better at employee quality then others.

It is a credit to the company that they refunded your money and maybe realized that was the only employee they had in the area and there was no point in sending him out again. They did the best they could.

Maybe this employee will no longer be there and they will provide good service in North Central Florida in the future.

 

[Alwayshad1]

Thank you for everyone’s responses. The last poster though hit it on the head. Everyone recommended this nationwide company, including the older gentleman who fixed the leak himself. He could not figure out why that happened and I have heard no bad complaints against them from where I get my chemicals either. Also their revues are excellent so that it why I do not feel it would be fair naming the company as I am sure that not all their employees are the same. Actually the guy who did my pool was very courteous and nice...I just did not like the fact that I paid for a service that supposedly included a pressure test and it was not done. Not to mention the leak not being fixed properly. These “checklists” ask standard questions and I guess some tech’s just click yes..yes..etc. on them. One of the other questions was whether my pool has a overflow, and it was checked yes. It does not. When I asked him about that he just said, “oh I must have checked it by mistake”. Basically I would just recommend if someone is coming to do work on your pool or anything for that matter...if at all possible just have someone there to verify you are getting what you are paying for.

 

[Lanzz]

I had a local and well-regarded pool leak company tell me I had a leak in a return line and the concrete deck needed to be broken up to fix it. When the contractor came to fix it, he redid the pressure test and said that there was no leak in the return and that the liner / stairs joint was leaking based on his listening equipment. Thank goodness he was honest and did not break up the deck and "fix" a leak that we did not have. The leak stopped when a new liner was put in - as planned. Alwayshad1, I think leak detection companies vary widely in their capability, honestly and effectiveness. Seems like you were lucky the national company refunded your money so you can find a competent person to find and fix your leak.

 

[Alwayshad1]

I had a local and well-regarded pool leak company tell me I had a leak in a return line and the concrete deck needed to be broken up to fix it. When the contractor came to fix it, he redid the pressure test and said that there was no leak in the return and that the liner / stairs joint was leaking based on his listening equipment. Thank goodness he was honest and did not break up the deck and "fix" a leak that we did not have. The leak stopped when a new liner was put in - as planned. Alwayshad1, I think leak detection companies vary widely in their capability, honestly and effectiveness. Seems like you were lucky the national company refunded your money so you can find a competent person to find and fix your leak.

Yes, and it’s no different from any other business...there’s good and bad in all of them.