Question about freezing damage to underground lines

[artellan]

Hi there! Here is the interesting scenario that happened:

• In the fall (due to other repairs going on), all my lines were pressure tested and passed, all good.
• The pool company closed the pool and blew out the lines.
• In the spring, there was a leak in one of my return lines (stair jets). Water could be seen and pressure test confirmed it.

The pool company said they would repair the leak at no cost if it turned out to be freezing damage. They just repaired it today and the guy said that a fitting had "popped off" (exact words). I believe the repair was just to re-secure the fitting. (99% of the work was digging and locating the line!)

Question: do you think a fitting coming off like that could be due to freezing damage (lines not blown out properly)?

I guessing they will say no, and I will have to cover the repair -- and I'm okay with that if it was due to something else (ground movement etc.). Where it gets tricky is if it MIGHT have been freezing damage but no way to be sure; maybe then I can bargain for a small discount or something.

Thanks for any advice! I appreciate it.

Mike

 

[1poolman1]

Hi there! Here is the interesting scenario that happened:

• In the fall (due to other repairs going on), all my lines were pressure tested and passed, all good.
• The pool company closed the pool and blew out the lines.
• In the spring, there was a leak in one of my return lines (stair jets). Water could be seen and pressure test confirmed it.

The pool company said they would repair the leak at no cost if it turned out to be freezing damage. They just repaired it today and the guy said that a fitting had "popped off" (exact words). I believe the repair was just to re-secure the fitting. (99% of the work was digging and locating the line!)

Question: do you think a fitting coming off like that could be due to freezing damage (lines not blown out properly)?

I guessing they will say no, and I will have to cover the repair -- and I'm okay with that if it was due to something else (ground movement etc.). Where it gets tricky is if it MIGHT have been freezing damage but no way to be sure; maybe then I can bargain for a small discount or something.

Thanks for any advice! I appreciate it.

Mike

Glued fittings do not "pop off" unless they actually weren't glued in the first place, or were poorly glued and ice could expand enough to push it off a pipe. Properly glued and the fitting or pipe will break.

 

[artellan]

Glued fittings do not "pop off" unless they actually weren't glued in the first place, or were poorly glued and ice could expand enough to push it off a pipe. Properly glued and the fitting or pipe will break.

Okay, thanks very much for your response, that makes sense.

I am wondering if it could have been caused by ground movement putting stress on the lines, as there was a huge amount of rain & wet snow prior to the freeze. I'll ask the pool guys if they have any more details, but in any case I'm just glad they finished the repair and everything seems good now (knock on wood)!