Tilted Roofing
Let’s start with a non-proper finish of roofing, as it only rains twice a year and with the help of wind water actually goes under or backwards into non-accessible roof space, this can mean long years of humidity problem, most probably in bedrooms. Painting the walls with plastic paint not letting it dry out doesn’t aid the situation and helps fungus grow. This is very unhealthy for our lungs and it’s necessary to solve the issue as soon as possible.
Flat roofing
Many roofs are flat, and without proper inclination, closed only with a liner, for example, they don’t drain. Also, insulation slabs built on the top of the pool solar heating system can leak for years, water seeps into the house and is very hard to detect. None of these would have happened if the roof had an inclination of 1cm per meter length and no liner would be needed.
Improper drainage
Years of non-proper drainage and constant repairs on the outside caused painful stress to the property. A reasonable inspection would have revealed that the right inclination would have prevented the current situation.
Hollow edges
A classic problem of water stagnation behind the treated surface, which prevents drying because the grout is missing. The capillary effect of water suction as salt enters the water in the air while the water dries in the mortar, the salt crystallizes and the paint disperses and slowly eats away at the walls over the years. Not to mention that the inner wall is hoarse or flaky or in the worst case full of fungi growth. The same happens if the foundations were made in a thin block to make shutters for pouring cement into the interior and re-seepage of water under the walls.
Insulation
Poorly built houses main issues are most often water issues. You can use special paint or waterproof surfaces, use dehumidifiers but that does not solve the core issues.
Ground humidity
This is the all-time classic repair never-ending story done with paint, and it will never give you peace of mind, in many cases, this comes from poor fundamentals and the surface actually needs to breathe, thus sealing it will not help at all. A totally different approach is needed. In this case, the house was tiled with ceramic tiles but with exposed gaps above the tiles’ edge so the house can breathe and stay dry on wet days, and no fungus can grow.
Waterproofing
Another drama solution: waterproofing under the tiles with hollow spaces accumulated water that does not even dry in the summer heat. If the tiles are not filled with grout on the sides and the edges are hollow behind, you can definitely have headaches in the living room with moisture problems for years to come.
Burned pumps
I don’t remember how many hundreds of pumps I’ve dealt with and this picture is classic. Did you know that I have re-used pumps in my garden that are over 20 years old and work smoothly? But in this case, every 2-3 years the pump is replaced and the terraces, which are covered with tiles, are painted with waterproofing solutions and are still damp and the pumps break down because they are not installed properly.
Pool houses
Oh, the pool sheds are a whole another story. I can’t stress how many problems there are in this picture: water leaks, chemicals open to electrical circuits, etc…
Chlorine maintenance
I admit, I never built a pool in my life. Just repaired hundreds in 20 years. Can’t describe all that can possibly go wrong depending on liner, polyester, cemented or tiled pools.
Maintenance gone wrong
Here are most of the classic repairs on burnt chlorine pipes and long-term water loss. Keeping tablets in the skimmer is the most damaging thing we can do. I bet you will be surprised every 5 years by the cost of such maintenance and repairs that follow. We all love pool professionals as they only provide services without liability for the damage caused over the years. This is classic, how many broken connections between vendors, maintenance, and poorly done equipment.
Dirty water solutions
Another completely neglected part of any home is dirty water. Who wants to deal with this? This is a whole new unfamiliar area for many, especially when it gets out of control and becomes ugly. What can happen if exposed electrical wires are flooded by a faulty pump? And why did the pump break down? There can be as many reasons as well as ways how to fix it.
Stains
By the way, have you ever dealt with algae problems? There is just no end to this, constantly staining the walls and floors. This can put many people in a quandary on how to understand what is going on and how to classify and prevent further accidents. I could write books about pools and it’s still each for itself.
Water Loss
Many pools suffer from water loss and can create costly maintenance if not supervised properly.
Especially big pools have a system of auto-fill and owners do not notice the loss of water.
It is normal that due to wind and heat water vapours are creating certain water losses. But they should be no more than “two fingers” or 2-3 cm regardless of the volume of the pool as it goes by the surface of the pool. If the pool is covered most of the time when not in use this can be lessened.
It’s advisable to observe the pool twice a year without cleaning it and see where you stand. If the drop is significant, a pressure test of installation or inspection of the pool is necessary.
Possible issues include leaks that could be under the fittings of the rail that leads into the pool, there could be an issue with the liner.
Many repairs have to and can be done underwater. This is good news to the owner as no costly repairs are needed and time to drain/repair/fill/test the pool can be a weekly process that affects the rental of property….
Toilet Leaks
Do you know, how many properties are creating bills due to unnoticed leaks in toilets? And how difficult is it to detect such issues? In my 30 years long career of sorting homes for clients, this is the most common to villas with more bathrooms. And since water bills are generally just accepted, not many notice tiny leaks that are ongoing. My careful eye and ears are quick to find the leaks and what’s causing them: reasons vary from just rubber that got rigid after years of use and especially here in canaries as water contains chlorine, other reasons could be closing valve issues. Simple paper test inside toilet will tell you if toilet holds water, rest can be a bit technical to sort…
Irrigation system
Many gardens are equipped with irrigation systems which are especially important for not losing the plants especially in the early years of planting them. As the climate here in the Canaries, especially in Fuerteventura, is dry and windy, most plants need extra watering (provided by an irrigation system). Many lose their gardens, after setting up the irrigation system and just leaving them to automatic timers and forget about it. This can cause some suffering to plants, as does not matter what kind of system it is, it needs maintenance and good inspection every few months to not have a blockage in delivering water. If the water is “clean”, it will not get the garden far in a few years because of the chlorine that is added and if it is “dirty” water it will cause certain blocs that simply need cleaning. But many do not wish to do it as they don’t want sewage smells and so on… this is one of these jobs that no one loves to do … well it is s a choice either to get it done or see your garden dying….
Calcium buildup
The most common issue with poor water flow in faucets is calcium buildup and that can cause many problems. Often this is found on the hot water side and just behind the water heater… many think that pumps are not working well, sometimes even the valve can get stuck and can not be fully open or even closed. It is a good idea to check if the water flow in all of the faucets is the same, then move and examine the valves. And afterwards, also check the pump….
Solar Pool Heating
The solar system was set, but nevertheless, it isn’t functioning properly. It is very clear to all that concrete is a very cold material, it does not make sense to mount solar systems directly fixed to the ground without insulation. In this case, we look for the best material to place between concrete and the solar system, so that the user can enjoy the money spent on heating the pool.
Ceramics
A big problem for most ceramics is the poorly made edge. All that is required is that the grout is done behind where the tile meets the existing wall and between the horizontal and vertical tile area. If not done correctly, you can be sure that water will pool behind it, and since ceramic does not allow it to dry out, it will enter the walls and make them damp. This is a classic builder mistake, as it requires additional hidden effort to get it right and avoid future headaches.
Trimming Trees
When trees need to be trimmed, it is my passion to personally do it. Some might be overgrown and bothering the neighbours or they just get too big and create shade. I make sure we do minimal damage to trees and use it all for compost.
Water Leaks
If you notice that your water meter is leaking water, the first thing is to look in the direction of water flow marked by arrow pointing. If the arrow is showing towards the meter and the water leak is before the meter then you need to contact CAAF to come and sort it out and they do it for free. If it is behind the meter meaning arrow direction pointing away from it, then you need to call the plumber or let me know and I will come and sort it out for you. In this case is your cost and loss.
Pool Filter Leak
Very nice job on saving costs. Unfortunately, this creates much more damage than the use of running a pool like this. If any leaks are visible on the pool operating filtering system – will always create more problems and the cost of repair is always much better and cheaper than all humidity to an electric pump and air sucking creating a pool pump to not function properly. Filters have both ways of use: pressure flow and sucking flow. Then when cleaning the pool, here is where the air gets sucked in and causing a low vacuum and difficult time to clean your pool.
Pool grouting
Every pool is very special and tiled pools are the most durable if done correctly. In most cases they are done too quickly and not properly supervised. This can be a huge mistake in the long run as it can be super difficult to spot the leak and constant falling of the tiles. Even the choice of grout can affect longevity and use. Make sure if you build a pool, to get someone who has seen many of them and don’t just let it be done without supervision.