The technical term is Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) and if the pool has it, the remedy is almost always demolition. It’s been found in Austin from 2017-2023 and the most common cause that I have heard so far has been a lack of fly ash in the mixture. The stories I’ve heard about and read about sound like nightmares and it happened to a friend who spent $70k on the pool, only to have it completely demolished less than a year later.
The only way to definitively diagnose it is with a core sample but symptoms include cracking, bubbling concrete, rust and a few others. I found a website with magnified slides of a core sample but there is not a lot of information out there about it. If you have knowledge on this issue please share it, as I have searched the forum and haven’t found a single thread. Since there is not much out there, I decided to post it, partly as a PSA for my fellow home inspectors, though I think that most pool inspection companies are aware.
Not every pool built in Austin from that time period has it and sometimes it can take a while to surface, so I have added an ASR disclaimer in the report if the pool was built from 2017-2023. I haven’t seen a trailer yet but one of the local TV stations is working on a story now that should run in the next week or so, which might raise the profile on this issue, so you might get a call from a consumer with questions.
How about sharing the information you discovered. It may entice others to jump into a conversation with you. It takes more than one persons basic post to create a meaningful thread.
Just sayin’.
That condition has been around for ages, FWIW.
Here’s a primer for those who want to learn a little:
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I thought I remembered reading about that years ago.
In order to improve the post, I’m including a link to what I feel was the best technical article I found. I hope this better helps to explain the condition. This is from the Waterscapes website and thanks for the information.
As for solutions, it’s a mixed bag. This is essentially a waterproofing issue and there are companies that claim to fix that with an epoxy type resurfacing. There is also a contingent that feels like it’s a lost cause and the best fix is to start over. Personally, I stay aware from offering specific solutions and advise my clients to have the issue evaluated by a specialist.
My intention with the post was to let my home inspector brothers and sisters know that this is an expensive issue that is not easy to spot and that is not known to that many people outside of the pool community and the victims.
Thanks for the information Anthony!