Having a swimming pool can save the day during the hot Las Vegas summer. The best way to beat the heat is to take a splash in a nice cool pool. Pools have a lot of maintenance and a lot of choices when you have one built. There is a size and shape for starters. You then can choose from colors of tile which is one of the features that can help show your personality. Pool tiles can be very standard like a 6×6 blue tile or very different but pool contractors usually take the tile all the way around the pool and spa about 6 to 12 inches. After you have the tile chosen you may need to know how to look for some possible problems with caring for your pool tile.

Loose Pool Tiles – Especially Mosaic

If you think that you have a tile that is loose, you will want to take care of it as quickly as possible. The main reason that a tile becomes loose and falls off is the bond has failed. That just means that the mud that is used to attach it to the pool has separated from the side of the pool. Another reason that a tile can come off is the caulking around the deck and tile could not have been done right and has allowed water to seep behind it. This can cause the water to freeze and pop the tile right off. Each of these problems with a tile coming off can be fixed by calling a professional to replace the tile before the water damages any more of the area.

Hard Water Problems

In Las Vegas, we tend to have hard water which can lead to a whole host of problems in regards to tile maintenance. While hardness in water consists of both calcium and magnesium salts, only the calcium component is relevant in the water balance calculation for pools and spas. The Saturation Index (SI) formula, factors in the interrelationships of four chemical factors — calcium hardness; pH; total alkalinity and the total dissolved solids level as well as one physical factor; water temperature. When the SI value is zero, the water is properly balanced and the determining factors are acting in harmony with one another. When the SI is +0.5 or more, the unbalanced water is trending toward scaling; meaning conditions are right for calcium carbonate to deposit unsightly on surfaces as “scale.” When the SI is -0.5 or less, the unbalanced water is trending toward corrosivity. Corrosive water attacks plaster, concrete, grout, and metal, resulting in etching, pitting, and surface stains. If you have corrosive water, you may need to have your tile re-grouted by a professional like Stone & Tile Floor Cleaning & Restoration.

Pool Tile Scaling

Unsightly scale staining and build up can ruin an otherwise great looking pool. Scaling occurs when calcium deposits remain on pool surfaces after the water has evaporated. A line of white or grey scale or deposits around the edge of your pool develops that can be difficult to remove. There are two types of scale that pool owners have to face; calcium carbonate or calcium silicate.

Calcium Carbonate

Calcium carbonate scale is white, flaky, and can be removed using a pumice stone, Stain Eraser or acid washing. If you decide to go the acid washing route, it is best to call in a professional! IF you decide to go with using a pumice stain or stain eraser, Stone & Tile Floor Cleaning & Restoration can assist. We can clean your tile much faster and with less effort as we have commercial grade, truck powered steam cleaning equipment that is much more efficient!

Calcium Silicate Solubility

Calcium silicate is greyish-white and much harder to remove than calcium carbonate because the scale has been present for much longer. Unfortunately, the only way to effectively remove this type of scale is to use a pumice stone and hard work, or call a professional like Stone & Tile Floor Cleaning & Restoration to help you in a much faster and more effective way!

To determine if the scale you have is calcium carbonate, you can apply a small amount of muriatic acid on the scale. Calcium carbonate will bubble and foam on contact while calcium silicate will have little to no reaction. No matter what grout problems you are having or what substances are dirtying your tile, Stone & Tile Floor Cleaning & Restoration can have them looking like new again. Contact us today!