pebbletec fallingout after acid wash and refill

[Xander]

Hello! I am brand new and wasn't sure which area of the forum this was most appropriate for, given that I'm new I figured this was an okay place!

Last year we moved into a house with a pebbletec (or sheen we aren't sure) pool. We the water was about 4 years old so we got it drained and acid washed last week. After they were done we filled it up right away. Threw the stabilizer in and the chlorine in and noticed the pebbles seemed a little lose by the inlet that the water flows back into the pool from.

A week-ish later today I noticed that one of the pool steps has a bunch of pebbles falling out of the surface.

I didn't get the calcium levels up to 200ppm until about 3 days after it was full (I did it incrementally getting it up to 120 on the day after it was filled and 200 the following day)

Is the pebble falling out most likely related to the acid wash, or the calcium levels being low for a couple days?

 

[onBalance]

Welcome to TFP!
A slightly low calcium level would have very little to do with causing pebbles to fall out.
It is most likely cause by the acid wash, if over-done. But could also be partly caused and contributed by the original over-exposure of the pebble during plaster application.

 

[Xander]

Is that something worth raising as a concern with the company that did the acid wash? Or am I just overreacting as a new pool owner?

 

[Dirk]

I should really stop telling this tale, some here must be tired of hearing of it...

My six-year-old plaster pool was completely destroyed by an acid wash performed by one of the biggest pool maintenance companies in town. They blamed the condition of the plaster, and take no responsibility for the damage, even though they admit it was the acid that caused it. (I know!) Unfortunately for them, they had been taking care of the pool since it was built, so I'm not sure how that's going to help them in the pending lawsuit. I digress.

Acid washes are a go-to move for pool guys, for a quick fix and high profit. They can be effective, if done properly. They should be used only as a very last resort, for a surface that is pretty much on its last legs, but when another year or two of life is desired. (That's my opinion, not shared by everyone.) But even the best acid wash will cost you in pool surface longevity (and that is a fact). An acid wash works by removing a layer of plaster, taking stains with it. The acid doesn't just magically attack the stains and leave everything else alone. Because pebble is, in essence, held in place by plaster, an acid "attack" on the plaster could very well loosen the pebbles.

Plaster can also be weakened by a relatively long history of bad water chemistry (years, not days). You didn't do anything to exacerbate your pebble problem after the fill. To be fair to the acid washer's, some of the culpability is likely on the previous owners. And proving who's to blame, in your case, is going to be tough.

You should mention it to the company that did the wash. Maybe they have some liability insurance? (Mine didn't. Nor would my homeowners policy cover it, though you could check that, too.) Though short of replacing the entire surface I don't know of any way to repair loose pebbles, or even stop the damage from continuing. My pool surface continued to degrade for weeks after the initial damage. Which was a non-issue for me, because the initial damage was really bad and a re-surface was the only recourse anyway.

In your case, if you're lucky, the loosening will eventually stop, and hopefully soon enough that you can live with the damage. Worst case, it will continue until the surface becomes too uncomfortable to live with, and/or too unsightly. Either over a long span of time, or right away, or stop for a while then worsen later, with age. Or somewhere in between: bad enough to bug you, not bad enough to warrant a $9K remodel (that's what mine cost me). There's likely no way to know at this point.

I'm very sorry to hear of your experience. It is somewhat rare (which is why pool guys continue to perpetrate acid washes as a cleaning option), but it does happen. The best thing you can do right now is to get the water balanced and keep it that way. At least that will give your now-weakened plaster a fighting chance, and not make it any worse.

Did they make you sign anything that warns of possible damage, and limits their liability?

I hope the damage is minor, and you can live with it. The alternative is not pretty... How old is the surface? Your saving grace might be that the surface was on its last legs anyway, and a resurface was in the cards, and now you can remodel and get a brand new pool. Even reconfigure it a bit if you like. That helped me through my adventure.

Good luck.