After a summer of persistent leaks from our mosaic-tiled pool, we have been persuaded that a flexible (or maybe rigid) liner is the permanent solution to this annoying problem. The pool guy has told us that he'll need to remove the tiles before installing the liner which, of course, will add significantly to the cost, dust and noise of the installation. We've had a couple of guests staying this summer, however, who have both had similiar work carried out with flexible liners without removing the tiles, which they say has been successful.
Have any members had similiar experiences with tiled pools (or can push me in the right direction for an opinion)?
Thanks
Jim
Lining a leaking pool.
Jim,
Are you really sure that the cause is the tiling ?
We, too, have a slow leak in our pool and despite obvious visible hairline cracks in the tiles, those "experts" who have been round to investigate are all (well, both) of the opinion that broken tiles are only superficial, and the concrete behind should hold. Their view of problem so far has been unanimous that its in one of the many pipes coming in and going out of the pool. Finding that is another problem.
Maybe pool construction methods vary around the world but I'll be watching this thread with great interest.
Are you really sure that the cause is the tiling ?
We, too, have a slow leak in our pool and despite obvious visible hairline cracks in the tiles, those "experts" who have been round to investigate are all (well, both) of the opinion that broken tiles are only superficial, and the concrete behind should hold. Their view of problem so far has been unanimous that its in one of the many pipes coming in and going out of the pool. Finding that is another problem.
Maybe pool construction methods vary around the world but I'll be watching this thread with great interest.
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Bellywobble
- Posts: 1262
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:40 pm
Before we bought our house the pool had had a leak so the tiles were taken off and it was lined with flexible, fibre glass. The layer of fibre glass aparently was quite thin and three years later there were small patches where it had worn through.
We needed to have the lining taken out and redone which was not going to be cheap.
Many problems later (with the company doing the work) we decided to have tiles put on rather than have it lined again.
When the work was finished we filled the pool and over the next week watched the water slowly leak out again! It turned out to be the grouting in a couple of places that hadn't been done as well as it should have been.
This is a rather long winded way of saying that it may be worth having a re grout before resorting to anything drastic and if you do have it lined, go for the best quality lining that you can get.
I have to say that the pool looks much nicer with tiles!
We needed to have the lining taken out and redone which was not going to be cheap.
Many problems later (with the company doing the work) we decided to have tiles put on rather than have it lined again.
When the work was finished we filled the pool and over the next week watched the water slowly leak out again! It turned out to be the grouting in a couple of places that hadn't been done as well as it should have been.
This is a rather long winded way of saying that it may be worth having a re grout before resorting to anything drastic and if you do have it lined, go for the best quality lining that you can get.
I have to say that the pool looks much nicer with tiles!
I don't know what your area is like, but around here the pool contractors won't do tiled pools. Apparently there is enough seizemic activity to cause problems with leaking in tiled pools.
Here most of the pools are concrete pools with a flat liner which is laid in to fit (don't know what it is made of - some sort of rubbery plastic).
I would imaging that if you left the tiles in place and put the liner on top you would be able to see the form of the tiles once it is pressured by the water. this could also weaken the liner.
I would get a second opinion from another pool contractor, but I would guess that putting the liner over tiles would invalidate the guarentee (I think ours is 10 years).
Good luck.
Ju
Here most of the pools are concrete pools with a flat liner which is laid in to fit (don't know what it is made of - some sort of rubbery plastic).
I would imaging that if you left the tiles in place and put the liner on top you would be able to see the form of the tiles once it is pressured by the water. this could also weaken the liner.
I would get a second opinion from another pool contractor, but I would guess that putting the liner over tiles would invalidate the guarentee (I think ours is 10 years).
Good luck.
Ju
BW, we had extensive repairs to the tiling in the Spring, replacing large patches of anything that looked dodgy. Expensive, time-consuming - and, sadly, it didn't work.
Ju, I think you're right that that ground movement is probably to blame - I've noticed some cracking on the surrounding crazy-paved terrace. From observation, the pool leaked badly during the dry Spring, leaked far less during the sodden June - Aug period and started leaking badly again with the dry September weather. Water equalising the pressure, I wonder, but I'm no engineer?
We've managed (just!) to contain the problem temporarily by using anti-leak compounds - bit like the stuff you put in leaky car radiators.
Jim
Ju, I think you're right that that ground movement is probably to blame - I've noticed some cracking on the surrounding crazy-paved terrace. From observation, the pool leaked badly during the dry Spring, leaked far less during the sodden June - Aug period and started leaking badly again with the dry September weather. Water equalising the pressure, I wonder, but I'm no engineer?
We've managed (just!) to contain the problem temporarily by using anti-leak compounds - bit like the stuff you put in leaky car radiators.
Jim