Is a Plaster Job Justified for Stains in a Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Pool and Spa?

CASE STUDY: When a homeowner claimed there were rust stains in his Rancho Santa Margarita, CA pool, an expert landscaping inspector determined that the homeowner’s own negligence in caring for his pool was the real cause.

Landscaping Inspection Services was called upon to perform an inspection of an inground landscaping and spa that contained staining in the form of small brown spots throughout. While the homeowner claimed the spots were caused by rust from having a fence installed, our landscaping inspector determined the spots to be algae, the result of improperly balanced chemicals in the water, which could be easily fixed by an acid wash and sanding.

Initial Claim on Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Pool

The homeowner claimed that the spots appeared after having a wrought iron fence installed near the pool, and was seeking damages from the fence installation company. The homeowner was angling to have his pool re-plastered due to these “rust stains,” a huge expense that would fall on the fence company’s insurance to cover.

Inspection and Analysis of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Pool and Spa

One of our experienced landscaping inspectors examined the pool and spa and observed the following:

• The pool and spa appeared to be in good working order
• The plaster was white and therefore easily stained
• There were brown stains in the pool and spa ranging from 1/16 to 1/8 inch in diameter
• Vegetation had settled in the pool and spa, remained in place for several weeks, and had decomposed

Landscaping and Spa Stained from Vegetation and Algae, Not Rust

Our inspector determined that it was highly unlikely that rust spots from the fence caused the staining, and certainly not to the extent present, and that the main cause of the spots was the vegetation that had been allowed to decompose in the pool. Algae grows when the chemicals in the landscaping are not properly balanced. Managing these chemicals is the sole responsibility of the homeowner. The algae that had remained in the pool caused spots over the bottom of the pool.

To address the staining, the inspector suggested a simple acid wash of the pool and spa, and a light sanding of the more heavily stained areas. He estimated that an acid wash and sanding would cost about $800, as opposed to replacing the plaster in the pool, which would cost over $5,000. In addition, he determined that the fence installation company was in no way responsible for the staining, thereby saving the insurance company the cost of an unjustified re-plaster job from a trumped up claim.

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