![]() Garrett has used Dawn dishwashing detergent or other products containing surfactants, which reduce surface tension. The torch can’t work its magic unless the specialist has created optimal conditions.Īfter draining the pool, clean the surface and treat it with a light acid solution with soap in it. If the weather is too warm, the material could dry rapidly enough to cause cracking, he says. Torching is best performed in colder weather - anywhere from 33 to 69 degrees Fahrenheit, Garrett advises. If water will continue to weep through the hydrostatic relief, then it won’t work. For this reason, pools in high water tables may not make good candidates. ![]() The pool will need to be completely dry during this process - and empty for anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. “You look for a surface that’s in reasonably good shape, other than some extraordinary discoloration.” “There has to be a necessary soundness to the material before you do this technique,” says Greg Garrett, owner of Applied Materials Technologies, based in Phoenix. The integrity of the plaster matrix should be mostly intact and the material up to a few years old. There should be no cracking or delamination. It would not work on old, weathered surfaces. It is not cost-effective for evening out smaller discoloration spots, because you’d have to torch the whole pool to ensure a consistent surface.Ī potential candidate for torching would have a surface that otherwise is in good shape. While the process can work wonders, it does not suit all pools. It also can address a number of other issues. This can include issues from installation, such as poor hydration or calcium chloride problems, or surrounding conditions, such as pooling water, flooding, leaking, broken pipes, drip marks and discoloration from sprinklers or rain puddles. The wicking effect makes torching particularly appropriate for discoloration caused by water. Secondly, it produces carbon dioxide, which reacts with the calcium hydroxide to form calcium carbonate, which gives a white appearance. First, it wicks or draws out moisture that may have been trapped in the matrix from such situations as poor hydration or uneven water-to-cement ratios. Here, experts explain the process and when it is appropriate.Īpplying heat to the surface accomplishes two things. Through this process, the individual applies heat from a flame directly to the surface to simultaneously remove excess water and whiten the surface. When widespread discoloration occurs in an otherwise healthy plaster job, professionals have an intriguing tool at their disposal that can correct the problem under certain conditions: Torching.
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