Preventative Maintenance on Pool Deck Components?

[manthemike12]

I'm through my first season as a pool owner and I noticed a few things that might need to be addressed. I'm learning that preventative maintenance in pool ownership is the key if you want to save a big repair bill down the road.

Pool: 16,000 gal, gunite SWG pool
Location: Boston Area, so there is ice in the winter.

There are three things I am concerned with in my pool. Separating joints between coping blocks, deteriorating expansion joint and deteriorating waterline tile grout.
I suspect the joint coping issue and expansion joint are related. Possibly ice got into the joint pushing on the pool?

1) Is the cracking/separating in the coping blocks a big deal as this time? It isn't everywhere only in a few places. How would this be repaired? Can this wait?

2) The expansion joint is going to be redone by me. Deck-o-seal is in the mail!

3) Finally the grout on top of the waterline tiles seems to be deteriorating. No tiles are coming off at this time and I am not finding pieces of grout in my pool. Can this also wait?

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

In my opinion the movement of the brick and grout, the grout deterioration is all due to the first picture. Water is able to get under your concrete work and the soil is expanding because of the Deck-O-Seal being deteriorate. This is what needs to be repaired as soon as possible to help stop the other two situation.

 

[manthemike12]

In my opinion the movement of the brick and grout, the grout deterioration is all due to the first picture. Water is able to get under your concrete work and the soil is expanding because of the Deck-O-Seal being deteriorate. This is what needs to be repaired as soon as possible to help stop the other two situation.

I agree. the expansion joint is getting fixed asap when the new deck-o-seal gets here.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

When the replacement takes place do not use sand in the bottom of the void between deck and coping, only use foam backer rod. Sand will get hard over time and loose it’s ability to move with the deck.