Cracked fiberglass, coping and styrofoam
Question #1
My wife and I just bought a home in the north end of Valencia area; the older home area.
We’ve got two bathtubs that are fiberglass and pretty beat up.
I stepped into one of them and there’s a big crack which is leaking into the downstairs.
We bought the home in “as is” condition and are on a pretty tight budget.
Can these cracks be repaired; do we use fiberglass for this?
I thought I saw an article you wrote some time ago once where you talked about this, but I’m not sure if it was fiberglass or another material. - Louis M.
Answer #1
Louis, yes, there are a few companies out there that can repair the cracks depending on the severity, and they can redo the surface as well.
It usually takes a couple days of work, and the price will vary depending on the amount of work that is needed, but it is substantially less than a new tub/shower install.
They will provide a bid for you upon inspection of your tub, and once they are finished it really does look like a new tub.
My best advice to you is to follow their instructions for cleaning because this new finish will not tolerate abrasives. And any warranty they offer will not be honored if their cleaning instructions are not followed.
This is a wonderful option for updating and repairing old or damaged tubs and showers, as it is a big savings as well as an aesthetically pleasing choice. Good luck.
Question #2
I have a pool coping separating from adjacent concrete deck paving, along the curved portion of the pool. Apex of curve is greatest separation.
Also, there is at least one loose tile (at the waterline) with some others protruding beyond face of gunite below.
The total length of excess separation is about 14 feet; with cracks in joints at ends of 14-foot section.
When I tap on coping bricks at the separation points it sounds “hollow” whereas just beyond the ends the tapping sounds solid.
Any ideas on how/why the coping is moving inward? I’m concerned that underlying bond beam is failing in some manner; or maybe separating from structural concrete wall below? -Steven Y.
Answer #2
Steven, given that the coping is loose, this might be a sign of the mortar failing.
Typically this is due to water from rains and maybe washing down. Your yard is immaculate, which leads me to believe that you are washing down.
The coping may also have moved due to a lack of expansion joint, and due to the radius of the bricks.
You might consider installing some Deck-O-Seal near the radius about 12 bricks apart rather than using mortar on the grout lines. This will allow some flexing of this area.
My recommendation is to remove the coping, clean the top of the beam and reset the coping, adding some adhesive to the mortar.
This is the time you want to re-do your Dek-O-Seal. You sound very knowledgeable so I won’t bore you with any further details. Thanks for the pictures, they help so much.
Feel free to reach back out if you have further questions. Good luck.
Question #3
Robert, I have a home here in Valencia. About four years ago I had a contractor come out and put Styrofoam and stucco around my windows and re-stucco my whole house.
It looked great up until about a year ago when I notice of the 12 windows, the Styrofoam is peeling off of five of them. This is bad ,Robert, but it isn’t just a little of it lifting as you can see in the photos attached.
What can I do about this? My understanding was that this was something I would not have to address for many, many years.
The contractor is out of business, so I have no recourse that way but want to know what my options are for fixing this. Bob B.
Answer #3
Bob, based on what I’m seeing, I recommend that you tear it all out and start again.
Unless you have a certificate of insurance from the previous contractor (his general liability) - as I always recommend getting proof of prior to hiring a contractor - then you have zero recourse with him and you own this lack of quality work, unfortunately.
Once again for all of the readers, request a COI (certificate of insurance) directly from the contractor’s carrier. Do not accept a copy from the contractor; request that their carrier contact you directly and supply this information.
The insurer is who you would be contacting in a situation like this, where the contractor has gone out of business.
If you do have this cert, then contact that carrier and they will send an adjuster out to make good on this policy.
Back to your repairs: it looks like there was not enough adhesive put down, this is why your Styrofoam is coming off.
With the proper amount and type of adhesive, this stuff should stick for an eternity. In fact, the Styrofoam would start to break away given enough years, before the adhesive would fail.
Contact another contractor if you aren’t able to do this work yourself, and verify all insurances prior to hiring them. Good luck to you.