Leaks in swimming pools can be caused by many factors, the most fundamental being errors during the foundation construction process or during the coating process. For example, during the construction of the pool's base foundation, the soil/sand that forms the base is not compact, leading to the shifting of the soil/sand. This causes cracks and leaks/water seeping out due to pressure.
To overcome these problems, you can address them in several ways:
1. Replace damaged ceramic grout
You can use this method if the swimming pool leak is not too severe. This method is considered efficient because it only replaces the damaged grout. But with one caveat, it carries the risk of not lasting long because it only relies on new grout with old ceramics.
The method is quite easy; you must first drain the water from the pool, then strip the old grout by scrubbing it with a wire brush or a small grinding machine for better results.
Grout selection must also be considered; grout containing waterproofing will be excellent to use to extend the period before the next leak.
2. Injection method
This method is more efficiently used to repair swimming pools; usually, this method is applied to swimming pools located on upper floors or rooftops of buildings.
It can be called “more efficient” because there's no need to drain the pool water; the application of this method is very simple, by inserting or injecting paste into the leaking pool wall.
3. Dismantle and replace half of the concrete, ceramics, and waterproof
This method is used if the pool leak is severe or if the leak point cannot even be found. This method requires almost the same materials as building a new swimming pool, but the results will be excellent because the pool will look new.
This method requires several stages, namely:
Half concrete demolition process
This process is one of the determinants of how strong the construction is in swimming pool building. The strength of the concrete greatly influences the strength of the rebar; good rebar will become the backbone of the new concrete.
Formwork process
This is the manufacturing process to form a surface on the concrete to be applied; the calculation of concrete thickness is determined in this process. It would be better if the floor concrete thickness is 25 cm and the wall concrete thickness is 20 cm, also ensure that the plumbing has been checked for leaks to avoid re-demolition.
Concreting process
The last stage is the concreting stage, where careful selection of materials is needed. In addition, the concreting application must also be good to maintain concrete density; if the concrete quality is good, it will further extend the period before the next leak.
When removing the formwork, careful attention is needed; timing is crucial in determining the strength of the concrete construction. The drying time for concrete varies, all depending on the weather and ambient temperature.
After that, waterproofing is applied to the swimming pool surface; the selection of waterproofing is very important in this leakage problem. Use NoDOP 107, which is a two-component waterproof coating, consisting of an acrylic emulsion-based liquid and a cement-based powder, additives, and fillers.
Next is the finishing process, which is the final stage after the formwork removal process; this stage determines the final appearance of a swimming pool. This process includes several stages, such as waterproofing, plastering, ceramic installation, and grouting.
These are some ways that can be used to deal with leaks in swimming pools. Hopefully, it will be useful!
