Crack in pool need advice.

[blackhawksq]

So people are finally showing up to quote me on my pool. There is a crack in the pool and tile has fallen off (this was known when we bought the house as a foreclosure.) The pool inspector originally said it was no big deal a surface crack and fixing the tile would take care of the crack. Two of the companies that have been out to quote me have said. "No, to fix the crack we have pull up the coping, seal the crack, put new coping down, retile, then replaster. If we don't fix the crack the tile will just fall off and thus we can't warranty the tile."

One has said "No need to fix the crack we'll just retile, replaster. I'll warranty the tile for two years no matter what."

So now I have two people saying we have to pull the coping to fix the crack and two people telling we don't. I'm hoping someone here can give me some advice.

I'm not overly concerned with the difference in cost but want to make sure the pool is treated properly.

 

[tucsontico]

While I'm not a pool structural expert, I had a similar pool crack in a previously owned house. If you could post a close-up picture that shows the crack in better detail a forum expert maybe able to help.

From the photo above, I suspect it would be best to remove the coping, repair the crack, then re-tile. The crack appears to extend behind the next coping block to the right in the picture. The crack also is at, or slightly below, your normal water line. This means you could be leaking water out through that crack. IMHO, I'd get the crack repaired.

Other things to consider: What is the age of your pool? Does the plaster/tile look good in the rest of your pool? It may be a good time to repair/replaster.

 

[JasonLion]

That crack looks like a crack between the pool wall and the mortar holding the coping in place. If I am correct, that would be a result of a leak in the tile grout letting water into the joint which then deteriorated over time. However, there could be other things going on, which can't be distinguished with just a photo.

From the mis-match in the title pattern on the left vs the right, it looks like this may have been a problem for some time and has been fixed before.

It seems likely that putting on new title will work for a while, potentially several years, but a true fix that can last a very long time will require much more through work, including removing all existing tile and coping. Even with a lot of work, it is going to be tricky to get a really permanent fix, given how close the water line is to the coping.

 

[blackhawksq]

That crack looks like a crack between the pool wall and the mortar holding the coping in place. If I am correct, that would be a result of a leak in the tile grout letting water into the joint which then deteriorated over time. However, there could be other things going on, which can't be distinguished with just a photo.

Thanks Jason this is pretty much what both of the two places who suggested removing the coping told me. Their quotes includes removing the coping, fixing a broken joint, inject some sort of concrete into the crack and then replacing the coping.

this is all part of a bigger project to of course repair, retile, and replaster.

 

[Erin Carpenter]

I am in the same situation. Except the crack that I am dealing with is just under my skimmer which means I cannot use the skimmer as intended (currently have pool sweep plugged into skimmer port as to not suck in air). Early next spring we are having all cracks repaired, coping fixed and whole pool re-tiled. It will look so much better when we can get this done.