Hard calcium built up in grout tile and grout seeping water

[JB007]

Hi. I have noticed hard calcium built up in 2-3 areas of my pool waterline tile grout. I keep on removing it but 4-5 month later it shows up again.

This morning I drained the pool a couple inches below tiles (both sides pool and spa) and scraped the calcium off. I also thought it might be a good idea to re-grout the tiles around the area. When i removed the grout, it came out almost like liquid, like very wet concrete, but only in the grout lines around the tiles where the calcium built up was. it was like seeping out of the grout lines as i was removing the old grout.
In most other areas, it was hard, fairly dry grout. Not wet. eventhough it was submerged in pool water too.

The grout patch kit I am using (Pool Patch repair grout) mentioned to wait 2-3h to wait for the grout line to dry put before install. 6h later, the grout was still extremely wet (day was hot 92F and sunny) I then dropped the water level a little more on the spa side; checked back a couple hours later and it was still wet, but maybe to a lesser degree.

any one has any idea if this is a serious issue ? what could be the cause ? is there a crack in the spill over ? how to solve it ? pool was re-plastered/tiled/new coping installed about 2 years ago.

Would it be a better idea to use Epoxy Bond pool putty (Not epoxy grout) instead of regular grout or the Pool Patch kit?

 

[ajw22]

You probably have cracks in the grout lines on the spa interior or spillover letting water into the gunite shell. The water finds its way out the grout lines. The water is also eroding the thinset holding the tiles on.

You need to carefully examine all the grout lines on the spa and fix the leaking into the gunite before you try and regrout those tiles on the exterior wall.

 

[JB007]

Waoh! not expecting that. will look into this.
Thanks!

 

[JB007]

when the pool was re tiled, should they have put red guard behind these tiles on both sides or on the spill over ? could that have prevented the issue ?

 

[ajw22]

when the pool was re tiled, should they have put red guard behind these tiles on both sides or on the spill over ? could that have prevented the issue ?

No, maintaining the integrity of the grout lines and the water proof shell prevents the issue.

Once water gets behind the grout and tiles you will have problems as the water seeks a place to exit.

 

[JB007]

so i checked the entire spillover and the tiles/grout in the spa and pool. I found 1 spot where the gout was gone between the mosaic tiles (probably never was there). I also noticed a couple areas where the small tiles were butt heading (almost no grout). Mostly atop of the spill over and corner edges. Definitively a poor job by the tiler.
I did re-grout with the Pool Patch and this morning i noticed that on the 2 major wet grout lines, the new grout was still wet. I assume there is still water behind the tiles.

I also read thru a lot of the topics on spill over and glass tiles on the forum and noticed that it was not an ideal choice to have mosaic glass tiles around the spill way; not only the issue of proper install, but also the issue about water constantly running along the tile wall.
This remodel is only 2 years old, would you go as far as replacing these mosaic tiles with ceramic tiles ? Would also help with building a lip to avoid having water run down the walls.
any idea of hidden damage this could have created over 2 years and any other suggestions on this issue ?

 

[ajw22]

Water getting behind tiles and in the gunite shell does not create hidden damage other then to the tiles and grout.

On a spa spillover and wall you want to use large format tiles or stone to minimize the grout lines and seams that can leak water in. Flowing water is abrasive. Flowing water is what created the Grand Canyon. A single piece of stone is the best material for the spillover. And large format tiles on the spa wall.

Your existing spa tile design will be an ongoing problem of keeping everything water tight.