I recently watched a video online where a supposed professional gave a long tailed explanation to repair a crack in a pool step. After little explanation as to why the step cracked, and no real definition of the leaking that occurred due to the crack in the shell, his expert recommendation was that applying a silicone to the visually cracked area would solve the problem. I cannot stress how wrong this is on so many levels. A crack needs actual repair, not an instant solution.
Lets go back to the customer calling about seeing a crack in the pool to begin with. The first question would be, is the crack causing water loss? Maybe the customer noticed a drop in water levels and the first thought was that a visual crack was the problem. Only a proper leak detection is going to diagnose what’s causing water loss, but with that aside, and a focus on the crack itself – is the crack causing a leak? A simple dye test on the crack is going to identify if water is being drawn through the crack.
Now, knowing that the crack is in fact leaking, we want to know why? Is the crack caused by pressure behind the shell? Is the landscape around the pool supporting the shell? Is the Gunite garbage in that spot? Are there other cracks? Does the crack run into the bond beam? Ultimately, is the crack repairable with a Torque Lock Structural Staple, using it’s controlled compression to stabilize the crack and make permanent repairs?
If the answer is yes, then the actual repair is to use Torque Lock Staples and never worry about the crack again. The “Instant Solution” is a temporary fix using silicone, or 2-part epoxy, or play dough or some other product that is going to last for a couple of weeks before the leak returns.
The issue here is that whatever caused the crack still exists, and the pressure causing that crack to open up and let water out is still there. Smearing in some goo isn’t going to stop the pressure from causing the crack to get bigger, and a little goo today fills the crack as it is today, but the pressure is going to make it bigger, and maybe you’ll need some more goo, and the crack gets longer. Then maybe a little more goo and now the bond beam cracks. So some goo on that, and the pool eventually gets dug up and thrown away because it crumbles beyond repair. The time and money spent trying to make those goo repairs … it’s a waste. Stop. Install Torque Lock Staples and stop the pressure from spreading the crack, repair it with actual concrete and enjoy your pool.
There is only one compression staple on the market, it’s the patented Torque Lock Staple and it’s used around the world to stop cracking in pools, foundations, sea walls and more. The reason professionals use it is because to make actual repairs, the crack needs to be stabilized before it’s filled. Any other way of making repairs is guaranteed to fail, cause more damage and cost more money to fix again and again. do it right the first time, use Torque lock.
Find our more at https://torque-lock.com or call 818-426-2953 to order a staple kit for your pool repair today.
