Tile issue after pool opening, how bad is this?

[manthemike12]

We opened our pool today and I found some watrerline tile and grout pieces on the bottom. The tile is from the corner of my skimmer and the grout is from that side also. I'm in the Greater Boston area so it has to be ice issues.

Background:
This pool came with the house we purchased about a year ago. Upon moving in I noticed that the expansion joint wasn't sealed and in places the joint was wider than others. This indicated to me that ice had gotten down there and pushed on the pool. I also noticed that some of the grout on the waterline tiles had also fallen out. Im guessing that the ice expansion caused this grout to fail. This fall I remedied the expansion joint with Deck-O-Seal and it appears to have survived the winter. I cannot find any holes in the expansion joint.

I have attached pictures of the damage. How bad is this and how immediate does this need to be remedied? Does this spot only need to be replaced? Can I wait until later in the summer?

 

[ajw22]

That is a common problem in freezing areas when water gets behind tiles and breaks them and pops them off.

I would keep the water level below the broken area so you don;t lose water through the break. As long as you can keep the water level down then there is no rush to repair the tile.

However you should repair all the grout and places where water can get in before next winter or you will lose more tiles.

 

[manthemike12]

That is a common problem in freezing areas when water gets behind tiles and breaks them and pops them off.

I would keep the water level below the broken area so you don;t lose water through the break. As long as you can keep the water level down then there is no rush to repair the tile.

However you should repair all the grout and places where water can get in before next winter or you will lose more tiles.

Thank you for the response! There aren't many pool builders around me so it might take some months to get someone out here. I'll keep an eye on the water level.

 

[ajw22]

The repair has little to do with pool building. The repair takes someone who can handle tiling, thinset, and grout. And proper prep of the surface. A mason or someone who does kitchen or baths tiles can do it.

 

[Noreaster]

Do you have spare tiles? You may need to find a match to replace the broken one(s)