Does my pool need to be drained in order to have the tile cleaned? - No, we put the pool into service mode and then simply drop the water level 6 to 8 inches to expose the tile for cleaning.
Will the blasting process affect my pool's PH levels?- Our unique blasting process may make the pool water a bit more alkaline temporarily, however the PH levels can be easily and quickly balanced again.
Why should I have my pool tile cleaned?- All pools are plagued with calcium buildup on the tile and stone, if these deposits are not removed they just gets worse and the mineral buildup becomes even harder to remove. Think of it as plaque on your teeth, if you keep your pool tiles clean and smooth it is harder for new calcium to form on the slick surface.
Does the pool tile get sealed after it has been blasted clean?- Yes, we seal the tile and grout with a environmentally safe and non toxic sealer to ensure that the calcium has a harder time building up again on the tiles surface.
What if some tile has fallen off already on my pool or falls off during cleaning?- Castle Rock Tile & Stone can easily handle the repair of any tiles that need to be re attached to the pool.
What is pool mastic and why do I need it replaced?- Pool mastic is an expansion joint between the pool deck and the shell of the pool. It exists to allow expansion during normal ground movement that happens during hot and cold months. If this gap were just grouted it would crack immediately as grout is ridgid. Mastic is a rubberized material that allows for a bit of movment. It is made of high strength Urethane and has a sanded top finish to make it more pleasing to the eye. Colors come in tan (most popular) and grey.
Why do tiles keep falling off of my pool?- The number one reason is freeze thaw damage that happens when we get ice storms in the North Texas area. Water behind the tile expands as it turns to ice and can pop the tiles right off. This problem can be made worse if the original installation was not done well. Glass tiles should only be installed with an extremely high grade tile thinset approved for glass such as Laticrete 254 Platinum. Unfortunately, a lot of pool tile installers dont use the correct type of thinset thus causing problems down the road. Castle Rock Tile & Stone always uses the absolute best thinsets for glass pool tile.
Will my pool pop out of the ground if we drain it for remodeling purposes?- No, pools are built with a hydrostatic relief plug that is designed to be removed upon draining. As long as this is done by a professional any hydrostatic pressure being put upon the pools shell can be relieved thus keeping it from popping out of the ground.
Why does it cost so much to have leuder stone coping repaired?- Leuder stone as commonly found on pools in the North Texas area is custom cut from larger slabs of stone sold by the stone yards. Even repairing a small piece can be hundreds of dollars due to the man power that goes into the time exhausting fabrication of even a small piece.
Why does pool tile cleaning cost what it does?- Professional pool tile cleaning with professional results is done with specialized media blasting equipment. This equipment is very costly to aquire and maintain and requires expensive insurance . There is a lot of overhead for the business owner to be able to provide this service.
Why should I have my flagstone or travertine pool coping sealed?- Natural stone can absorb a huge amount of water... if it is not sealed, that water once inside the stone can freeze and crack the stone particularly in the winter. Sealing the stone keeps it waterproofed thus reducing freeze thaw damage in the cold months. Sealing with saltwater ressistant sealer also keeps stone errosion down if your pool is a saltwater system. Castle Rock Tile & Stone uses only the best sealers in the industry for sealing stone.
How long do pool mastic expansion joints last? - This depends, sun exposure can dry out the mastic and as it dries out over the years it starts to shrink and crack. In the North Texas brutal summers this cycle seems to speed up. Mastic in this area has a life span of generally 5-10 years but it depends on how much sunlight your pool gets. In some cases it can last much longer. In other cases it does not unfortunately. Castle Rock Tile & Stone will give you the best possible installation of your mastic to ensure as long of life as possible.
Why is my swimming pool tile starting to get a black line where the water sits?- The black line you see on your swimming pool tile is the result of years of sunscreen coming off our bodies and being deposited in the pool water. These oils are easily removed during the tile cleaning process that uses highly pressurized blast media to completely remove it and restore your pool tile to a new looking condition.
Should I get my plaster acid washed?- Acid washing pool plaster removes a fine layer of the plaster and that is how it is able to appear clean again. It is generally done on older plaster that is already at the end of its life cycle. The best results are on standard white marble plaster. Acid washing plasters that have pigment added can produce varied results. On newer plasters, a chlorine wash is a better option as it is less harsh. If you have white marble plaster that is older and want it to appear bright white again, acid washing is a great way to acheive this result and Castle Rock Tile & Stone acid washes lots of pools in the DFW metroplex.
If I hire Castle Rock Tile & Stone LLC will they just send over subcontractors to do the work?- No, owner Ryan M. is on every job making sure that your pools remodeling or tile cleaning is done to the highest standard possible. Ryan treats every customers pool as if it were his own. Castle Rock Tile & Stone does not use sub contractors ever for any reason!
Why should I hire Castle Rock Tile & Stone? - Experience! You cant buy it! Owner Ryan M. has lot's of it and Is considered one of the most knowledgable persons in the Dallas Texas area in regard to the proper installation & repair of swimming pool tile and stone pool coping. Ryan also has vast experience with mastic expansion joint installation on swimming pools as well as the sealing of natural stone found in and around pools. Ryan is also a go to expert for pool tile scale removal by means of high pressure media blasting. But more importantly Ryan has personally tiled thousands of swimming pools in his career and treats every single one as if it were his own!
How long does it take to have my swimming pool tile cleaned with high pressure media blasting?- Typically this process only takes a single day however, some larger pools could require more time to remove all the calcium buildup depending on how long it has been since it was last removed.
When can the swimming pool start to be used again after all the pool tile scale has been blasted off?- The pool will need to run on its normal cycle for a day or so after the cleaning has finished...the water will again become crystal clear after the pool filter is back in operation.
We are in a drought in North Texas, can I even remove some of my pool water to have the tile cleaned?- Yes, only a few inches of water need to be removed to effectively blast the waterline on the swimming pools tile for cleaning...usually taking the water down 6 - 8 inches below the tile gets the job done.
Why is the calcium scale buildup worse on my spa's spillway tile?- Wet and dry cycles (spa on...spa off) speed up the mineralization growth process...to reduce this cycle leave the spa spillway running as much as possible.
