Phosphates, Algae Blooms & Stain Control Products

The pool service industry, pool owners, and consumers are being fooled and ripped off... AND BIG TIME!!

Are you aware that the most popular stain preventative products in the swimming pool industry are phosphonic acid based formulations? Are you aware that in the presence of chlorine and sunlight they decompose into orthophosphates?

So, here's where the term "sucker" came from...

• You add stain preventative products one week (see examples below).... and during the week it decomposes into orthophosphates.
• The next week the orthophosphate levels are off the chart, the pool is covered with algae, so you add a phosphate remover.
  

To muddy the water even more & to confuse consumers further, some of these very chemical manufacturer's have started packaging & selling formulations of orthophosphate removers combined with their phosphate based stain preventatives!

That's about as intelligent as adding chlorine on one side of the pool, then adding sodium thiosulfate on the other side of the pool!

HEY Service Industry - it's time to raise your voice and let these manufacturer's know that you are not a sucker, and that you're tired of being played for a fool!

You are actually the cause of the high levels of phosphates and the algae blooms!

What products contain phosphates?
Jack's Magic Products (even the ones with phosphate removers!)
Bio-Guard Scale Inhibitor
Blue Wave Super Rust Scale Remover (Suncoast Chemicals, FL & other private labels)
Omni Scale Control
... and many others!

Read the ingredients on the products you are using & recommending. If they are not listed, then go to the manufacturer's website & download their MSDS sheets! The are required by law to provide them.

Look for the word (or parts thereof): "phosphate." It might be hidden in a string of long scientific words - but if it is, set the bottle down & buy something else (e.g. phosphono-, polyphosphate, diphosphonic, etc.).

Some have concentrations below the reportable concentrations (2%), so the ingredients may not be listed or they may list them as "proprietary." BUT be sure to read the entire MSDS, and you'll see somewhere that their products decompose into phosphates (e.g. OMNI, Suncoast) - there's your clue!

Paolo Benedetti - Aquatic Artist
"Creating water as art."™
Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa
©www.aquatictechnology.com

Ionization - is really Heavy Metal Poisoning of the swimming pool water!

Pool Ionizers, Chemical free pool, chemical free spa, Ecosmarte, Ecosmart, Nature 2, Frog, Pool Rx,

40-50 years ago, swimming pools were plumbed with copper plumbing. The chemicals eventually decayed the plumbing, as did the velocity of the water. This put traces of copper into the water. The copper would eventually cause a blue staining of the plaster. It also reacted with the blond hair of some bathers, to cause that "green hair" effect - that is oftentimes blamed on the chlorine (remember: yellow + blue = green)!

The only positive benefit from the copper in the water, was a virtually algae free pool. Why, do you ask?? The copper (and actually all heavy metals) is an algaecide. It interrupts the plants ability to photosynthesize, thereby killing it.

As pools were eventually plumbed with plastic pipe, pool chemical companies started to manufacture liquid algaecides that contained heavy metals (primarily copper, nickle, and silver). Also in the solution, was a sequestering agent, sometimes also called a chelating agent. The purpose of this additive, was to keep the metals in solution in the presence of variations of high & low pH. Without these additives, in the presence of pH extremes, these metals would precipitate out of solution, staining the pool plaster. These metals do not evaporate out of the pool, and therefore become concentrated in the pool water. Another disadvantage of liquid algaecides, is that these additives eventually wear out.

Because of concerns over the environment, plaster staining, and green hair, these heavy metal algaecides lost favor - though they are still available.

When the industry shifted away from adding metallic algaecides to the water, along comes a different delivery system.... Ionizers (active & passive) which are nothing more than a twist - high-tech dispensers of the outdated & environmentally unsound metallic algaecides.

So along comes some P.T. Barnum types with a "NEW & IMPROVED" whizz-bang device that offers a "CHEMICAL FREE POOL!" In reality it was nothing more than a different method of delivering the same heavy metals into the pool - an erosion feeder. Instead of pouring the liquid algaecide into the pool, they micro-dose it over a longer period of time - with the same results! These are merely a small tank or module plumbed in the piping at the equipment pad. There is a replaceable cartridge within the tank, that emits heavy metals into the water when the pump is on.

They even came up with a fancy new names for these units, "mineralizers," "natural minerals," and "ionizers." And yes, they do put "natural ions" of heavy metals into the water. But cow manure & algae are "natural" too, and people don't want them in their swimming pool either! These cartridge units are collectively known as "passive ionizers." Some tried to hide the fact that they contained heavy metals, and marketed themselves as "natural mineral cartridges." What ever they call themselves, they all put metals into the water. These type of devices are marketed under such trademarked names as: Frog, Nature2, Smart Pure, DuoClear, Pool Rx, Elite Minerals... (the trademarked names belong to their respective owners).

These were marketed to pool owners as a "safe & chemical free way to keep the pool crystal clear with minimal chemicals" (notice that it said minimal - not NO chemicals!). To the pool industry, it was marketed as a re-occurring profit center. Why? Because the pool owner would have to come back to you for replacement cartridges every 3 months!

So, along comes the Ringling Brothers who join the P.T. Barnum Circus & say, "I can offer you all the benefits of the mineral cartridges, without the constant need to replace the expensive modules." and what pray tell, kind of snake oil do they have in their jar??? It is an "active ionizer," wherein electricity is used to cause the erosion of heavy metal plates within a cylinder plumbed into the piping - emitting heavy metal particles into the water.

Again, they are advertising their products as being "chemical free." This may work on the algae present in the pool, but they do nothing to provide a residual sanitizer that will kill the biological hazards or oxidize the bather waste in the pool. Some systems utilize what they call "active oxygen" or what smart people call ozone to kill the bio-hazards & oxidize the waste. However, once the pumps shut off there is NO RESIDUAL SANITIZER/OXIDIZER present in the water! These are marketed under the trademarked names of: EcoSmarte, Eco-Smart, Thompson Tec, Ionizer, Floatron, P-50... (the trademarked names belong to their respective owners).

I do not know how any of these modern systems can purport to provide any residual sanitizer to oxidize bather waste (urea), decompose hydrocarbons (suntan lotions, oils, shampoos, soaps, make-up, cream rinse, etc.), or how they kill viruses or pathogens (that are not plants).

Since the pool water will contain "heavy metals," the pool water absolutely cannot be discharged into ANY street, gutter, storm drain, or waterway (creek, stream, lake, etc.), as it will kill the ecosystem there. Many municipalities will not even let this water containing heavy metals be introduced into their SANITARY SEWER systems. It is just too difficult for them to remove these heavy metals at the sewer treatment facility, before discharging the waste water into the environment. And unlike chlorine, these heavy metals cannot be neutralized.

With all of the old issues of metallic staining & current issues of electrolysis occurring in swimming pools, personally I steer clear of these units or ANYTHING that introduced more metals or electricity into the water. Why in the world would I want to add more metals to the water? They do not evaporate & only build up, creating a concentrated soup of goup.

Over the years, environmentalist and the spread of mis-information about chlorine, have given chlorine a bad rap...

The facts are plain & simple: it is not the chlorine that causes bather discomfort. It is almost always from other water chemistry issues, and almost always due to the lack of proper chemical maintenance, testing, and incorrect dosing of chemicals.

Among the most common complaints: itchy skin (too little chlorine), burning eyes (bad pH or too little chlorine - ammonia compounds), green hair (excess copper), are all attributed to other factors... but ignorant people immediately point their finger at the chlorine - because they "smell" what to them must be chlorine (but are actually chloramines).

These same people sense the strong "chlorine" smell around a commercial or an indoor pool- and immediately assume that there is too much chlorine in the pool.... when what they are smelling is actually resulting from the LACK OF CHLORINE! What they are smelling are the chloramines (ammonia compounds that are formed when chlorine combines with bather waste) off gassing.

This is why you "smell chlorine" on your skin after swimming - but in reality, you are actually smelling your perspiration that has combined with the pool's chlorine that formed chloramines (ammonia compounds) on your skin!

The only real "new"technology is ozone (though it has been around for 30+ years). Done properly with sufficient contact time before re-entering the pool or spa - it has awesome effects on the water quality. Ozone works synergistically with the chlorine, taking over the business of oxidizing bather waste. Since ozone is a thousands times better oxidizer than halogens (such as chlorine, bromine, hydrogen peroxide), it takes over those responsibilities, allowing the halogens to work as sanitizers. The ozone will also kill biological pathogens & viruses, which ionizers will not.

I have personally been toying with ozone for over 18 years. I have 2 separate systems on my personal pool, plumbed into the filtration & vanishing edge systems. I have tweaked my own contact chambers & ozone destruct units to provide additional contact time & to be more effective.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH USING LIQUID CHLORINE. To be politically correct & environmentally sensitive, we call it "bleach." Chlorine has been used as a pool sanitizer for over 100+ years. It is used to treat drinking water in almost every city in the world. It is used in almost every commercial swimming pool in the world to maintain clear, safe, and sanitary water.

People who do not understand how chlorine reacts with contaminants, heavy metals, and other chemicals, continue to spread myths about what chlorine does & does not do. For example, it does not turn hair green, but copper does! You cannot smell it around a pool, even at 3-5X the normal dosages, but you can smell chloramines (which are a result of too little chlorine). At the correct levels (1-3 ppm) it does not burn the eyes, but incorrect pH or chloramines will! When water containing chlorine must be dumped into a storm drain or sanitary sewer, the chlorine can be neutralized!

People who claim that they are "allergic" to chlorine, in almost every case are really experiencing reactions to the chloramines - which can cause itching & rashes. Someone experiencing "allergic reactions to chlorine" (actually the ammonia compounds/chloramines), could additionally be experiencing an allergic reaction(s) to any of the countless biological contaminants that accumulate in a pool (or worse yet, a spa) when the chlorine levels drop too low:

• Molluscipox virus.
• Mycobacterium spp.
• Verrucas.
• Staphylococius aureus.
• Cryptosporidium.
• Leptospira interrogans.
• Trichophyton spp.
• E. Coli
  
• Pseudonomas
• Human pathogens: blood, saliva, feces, urine, perspiration, mucus
  
• Epidmerophyton.
• Acanthamoeba spp.
• Human papilloma virus.
• Legionella pneumophila

In asthmatics the inhalation of chloramines can aggravate asthmatic symptoms. But because chlormaines "smell like chlorine," patients report that the chlorine caused the asthmatic attack.

Additionally, alternative treatment manufacturer's and environmentalists point to the fact that chlorine is a carcinogen. Yes it is, but if the studies are investigated, one will note that the prolonged exposure, dosage quantities, and chemical concentrations of chlorine are way beyond what any normal human being will ever ingest over many lifetimes. Again, it is the "chicken little syndrome" - "the sky is falling, the sky is falling..." Did you know that ingesting too much water, too quickly, can kill you??? Does that mean that we should outlaw the drinking of water??? Of course not, but in moderation, the exposure is more than acceptable.

Depending on the scope of the project & chlorine needs, we use barrels to store liquid bleach that is delivered. Where large quantities are needed, say for example on Olympic sized swimming pools, we'll install an on-site electrolytic production. The electrolytic production also creates sodium hydroxide, which is collected for use in buffering the pH.

On site production doesn't always generate enough sodium hydroxide, so pH buffering is augmented with either C02 gas (it forms carbonic acid when injected to the pool water) or a 4:1 muriatic acid solution (4 parts water:1 part acid). At this ratio, the "boiling point" (vapor point) of the acid is reduced, so that you do not get fumes. As an added precaution, the chlorine & acid barrel bung openings are kept sealed & barrels are vented to the outdoors with a 1/4" vent tube.

For water chemistry management and to provide an automatic & instantaneous responses to the demands for additional (or fewer) chemicals (due to 30 kids in the pool, a 100ºF+ heat spell, or a cool weather front), my preference is an automatic ORP/pH controller (CAT Controllers & Acutrol are my 2 brands of preference). It monitors the water, responding to the additional demands placed upon the pool by the environment or bathers, by controlling 2 fixed rate peristaltic pumps (Stenner is my brand of preference)- delivering chlorine & the 4:1 acid solution. Coupled with an over sized 24/7 ozone system, you have as close to a trouble free chemical system as is humanly possible.

Chlorine has been the subject of a lot of false information, much of it spread by these P.T. Barnum's, so they can sell their snake oils. But once their products are actually dissected, they are found to be nothing more than high-tech delivery system of an old, dis-proven, and environmentally hazardous methods of delivering heavy metals into the water & environment.

Ecosmarte, Ecosmart, Nature 2, Frog, Pool Rx, Stenner, CAT, Acutrol, are all trademarked names & are owned by their respective owners. Theirs names are used here merely for reference.

Paolo Benedetti - Aquatic Artist
"Creating water as art."™
Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa
©www.aquatictechnology.com

Perimeter Overflow Pool, Flooded Deck Pool, Slot Overflow Pool... or who forgot to turn off the fill line?

Whether you call them waveless pools, overflow pools, perimeter overflow pools, slot overflow pools, knife edge pools, flooded deck pools, wet edge pools, flooded coping pools, or wet deck pools, they all provide essentially the same appearance... that someone forgot to turn off the fill line.

While these pools appear simple, they are actually quite complex. It is what you can't see that makes them complex. To make their design even more difficult, their hydraulic systems are a hybrid of pressurized returns and gravity drain lines.

Adding further to their complexity, they must have remote holding tanks, called surge tanks. The size of these tanks must be carefully calculated to provide enough water to raise the pool (to flood level) and continue the flooding process until that water returns to the surge tank. This quantity of water must be held in storage, plus a quantity necessary to prevent the tank from being pumped dry (a common mistake).

The capacity of the gravity drain lines must be carefully calculated, so that the amount of water held in reserve can be calculated. The time it takes for the water to begin to return to the holding tank is another critical calculation. The pitch (slope) of the gravity drain lines also determines the velocity that the water travels. Too slow, and the water cannot scour the debris in the lines. Too steep, and the entry point of these lines within the tank, drops significantly below grade. The further away from the pool the tank is located, the larger (or deeper underground) the tank must be placed - as the descending slope of the drain line gets lower & lower the further from the pool it travels. These gravity drain lines also cannot be calculated at their maximum capacity, as they must maintain some "freeboard." That is air in the top of the pipe. This prevents the formation of suction & a really annoying sucking sound!

The tank must have additional storage capacity to allow for displacement from the pool. Displacement comes primarily from wind and from bathers. Now there's a novel idea - people actually swimming in the pool! I cannot tell you how many of these tanks I have seen that were undersized. Every time someone went swimming, a few hundred to a thousand gallons of water was forced out of the tank's overflow line, only to have to be replaced when the fill line turned on.

On the opposite side, the lack of understanding of the hydraulic complexities of these pools, oftentimes results in the surge tank being WAY over sized. While there is nothing wrong with an over sized tank, it is a waste of money, labor, materials, and energy to build them over sized. Having to filter & chemically treat a few thousand gallons of extra water adds up over time.

The lack of proper planning, oftentimes leads to the neglect of maintenance of these tanks. This is where all of the large debris from the pool settles. If the builder designed the tank improperly, this debris is never drawn into the suction line, and therefore the pump strainer basket or filter.
These tanks should be outfitted with main drains, inlets to direct the flow towards these drains, auto-fill lines to also assist in the debris management, ladder rungs for personnel access, vacuum ports for cleaning, personnel access hatch over the ladder rungs, lighting (when fiber optic or low voltage is used on the project), and most importantly, a strainer. The strainer sifts out the large debris before it is deposited onto the floor. I have my own design for a SS basket placed in the path of the incoming line. A smaller lid is placed over this strainer basket to facilitate inspection and servicing of the basket.

By failing to make servicing these tanks easy, the service personnel will simply fail or neglect to service these tanks. At least 2X each year, they need to be drained, rinsed out, and vacuumed with a shop vacuum. An alternate approach, is to drain them to within 12" of the floor, and if one was installed, utilize the internal vacuum port in the floor with a pool vacuum to collect the debris into the pool filter system. This is best performed immediately before the filters are serviced 2X annually (cartridge or DE).

This brings us to filter selection... DE filters are not the wisest choice. They are simply too difficult to recharge after they are back washed or serviced, without the installation of a slurry line or tank.

The detail that is used on the edge of the pool where it meets the water, is one of personal preference. The current rage and most difficult to execute, is the knife edge. I will discuss this technique in detail in another blog.


Paolo Benedetti - Aquatic Artist
"Creating water as art."™
Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa
©www.aquatictechnology.com

Fountain Forced Perspective Optical Illusion Catherine de Medici Fountain

Vanishing edge pools, negative edge pools, infinity edge pools, perimeter overflow pools, hillside pools, slot overflow pools, knife edge pools, flooded deck pools, wet deck pools, spa, and fountain expert witness Paolo (Paul) Benedetti, discusses one of his favorite fountains - La Fontaine de Médicis (Fountain of Medicis) in the Jardines de Luxembourg, Paris, France (in Paris' Luxembourg Quarters) and design innovation.

Marie di Medici was married to Henry IV, the King of France. Homesick for her native Florence, she nagged her husband until he built her a palatial mansion & grounds. The results were a palace and gardens that would remind her of the childhood palace, where she grew up as a young monarch in Florence. I hope that it cured her homesickness!

On a recent trip to Paris, I stumbled upon a fountain in the Jardines de Luxembourg. The gardens surround the Palais de Luxembourg, which have been converted into a public park. The palace building now houses the French Senate.

The baroque fountain was built in 1625, and was designed by engineer Florentin Thomas Francine. It is comprised of three niches with a pediment ordained with the coats of arms of France and the Médici family. In the 1860's the fountain was relocated & retrofitted. Alphonse de Gisors restored the coat of arms and created a 50 meter water lane, lining the lane with trees. The centerpiece sculpture from the original fountain was placed at the end of the lane.

However, the most unique feature of this fountain is never discussed in any of the descriptions or narratives about it's design... the appearance that it is out of level! Even in the mid-1800's designers were pushing the extremes of design!

It is apparent by looking at the fountain, that the water alley in front of it, pitches towards the back, being out of level almost 3 of feet over it's length! We all know that water always seeks it's own level, so the fountain must be out of whack! (Click on the image to enlarge it & get a better view of the illusion)

I spent the better part of an hour in the rain, measuring the urns, pedestals, railings while trying to determine exactly what they did to executed this optical illusion. I knew that they had altered the scene, but I wanted to understand EXACTLY how they pulled it off. It wasn't until a few months later that it dawned on me... they altered the horizon to trick the viewers' peripheral vision, thereby fooling the mind's eye.

The adjustment of our perceived reality in this manner, is called "forced perspective." This fountain, is by far the best public example that I have ever witnessed.

There are a dozen world class aquatic designers plying my trade in the world today. But, I can guarantee you that there only 2 or 3 of them (I am one of them) who have an understanding of the subtle techniques to "fool the minds eye." To me, being able to force the mind into believing something that is not reality, is the ultimate sense of design - the ultimate understanding of your art, physics, the environment & human body. A designer who is able to execute these techniques with swimming pools, spas, fountains & water shapes is at the pinnacle of the watershape design industry.

I have developed a number of design elements, that I occasionally incorporate into projects, when the client or project warrants such illusions.

I have played with the refraction of light through water, creating illusions that curved surfaces flatten out, or that flat surfaces curve. This is an excellent illusion to use when creating bowls of water. The outside edges can appear to be flat, which our mind tells us should not be able to hold water, yet it does. It is because the viewer's eye sees the refracted image of the underwater structure as being flat.

It took many mock-ups and a series of trial and error experiments, to find the right combination of angles, finishes, proportions and depths to create this illusion. Yet it is satisfying to see a person's reaction the first time they witness the execution of this detail.

Another illusion that I employ is the blending of color. A true watershape designer understands that water filters out certain spectrums of light. Using the science of physics and color theory (the blending of primary & secondary colors), that are always constant, a designer can alter the perceived colors. Colors in the shallow end of the vessel appear to be one color, while in the deeper water (where the greater amount of water filters out more of the affected spectrums of light) the colors appear different. This is because the human eye blends the remaining colors of the light spectrum (that are not filtered out) that are reflected back at the viewer along with the color of the bottom of the vessel. The brain perceives these blended colors as the "true" color of the bottom, when in fact that is not true. This is why there appears to be a gradient shading of the colors as the water gets deeper.

Using artificially colored lighting in & around the pool can also alter the perceived colors. Again the ability to predict the outcome, through the use of color theory, is what puts the leading artists in the watershape industry at the top of their game.

Understanding and using these principals allows a designer to deliver a body of water that exhibits deep hues of a desired shade of color. My clients who want a green pool, never receive a pool with a green finish. I use physics, color theory & the blending of colors to create the shades and hues that I desire, based upon the depth of the pool. I can even create an intensified gradient that is natural and predictable.

Another illusion that I use is water's ability to transmit light. I have been able to light thin sheets of water spilling over a weir, and give the illusion that the water is lit by a horizontal ribbon of light - though there is no light source visible.

I have been able to create absolutely perfect columns of water rising 6-8 feet out of the floor of a fountain... a virtual vertical laminar. I have been able to eliminate the water falling back on itself, disrupting the laminar effect. Impossible you say? You can't turn off gravity! You're correct, but we're talking about illusions here... it has the illusion of being a vertical laminar (virtual laminar). At night the effect it astounding, as I have lit these columns of water from underneath - they appear to be 4-6" diameter vertical columns of water 6-8 feet high. Viewed from a distance of 20 feet, it is absolutely amazing.

I have suspended spilling vessels in mid-air, giving them the illusion that they are levitating with no attached pipes or wires, but they are still able to spill water. Our brain says "I see it, but don't believe it." The response is always, "how did they do that?" Being able to identify things that one observes in their daily life & travels, modifying & innovating them for use as a watershape is an innate ability, again not an ability that many individuals in the watershape industry possess.

The ability to observe the world around you, dissect the illusions and forced perceptions that you experience, and incorporate them in new and innovate ways is the mark of a watershape designer who is at the top of the mountain. One who can constantly deliver something new, surprising, and creative - and not a simple rehash of something that has already been done.

This is the designer - an artist, inventor, & innovator - that you deserve on your next project.

Paolo Benedetti - Aquatic Artist
"Creating water as art."™
Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa
©www.aquatictechnology.com

Failure of Glass Mosaic Tile - Cracks, Fractures, Fissures & Spalling

Paolo Benedetti - Designer & internationally renown expert consultant for hillside pools, vanishing edge pools, infinity edge pools, negative edge pools, disappearing edge pools, slot overflow pools, perimeter overflow pools, knife edge pools, wet edge pools and spas, and founder of Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa, discusses recent glass tile mosaic failures, namely fracturing & fissures, and all contained some recycled glass!

Though glass mosaic tiles have been around for centuries, their use in swimming pools & construction projects has exploded exponentially in the last decade. Many new players have joined the ranks of glass tile manufacturers. However, as the use of the material has grown, so have the problems.

Do not get me wrong, glass mosaic tile swimming pools, spas, and fountains are the top of the line! They are the pinnacle of pool finishes, and installed correctly should last for decades. I have glass mosaic tiles in my own backyard! And they are performing wonderfully, I might add!

The primary issue is the lack of a minimum industry performance standard for glass tile. The most important factor missing is a standard for their performance against thermal shock. Adding to the problem, is the current trend to be "green." This has led a number of manufacturers, both domestic & foreign, to utilize recycled glass for a portion of their production. Many Asian factories have no concern for the quality of the raw materials - glass is glass! The images shown here are from various projects from around the country - and all involve manufacturers who use some recycled glass in their tiles.

The use of recycled glass in the making of mosaic tiles, especially those that may be subject to any temperature differentials, will result in internal fractures/fissures within the tiles. While this will not lead to the glass tiles crumbling or decaying, it will cause unsightly fissures within the tiles - like those found within an ice cube. If these "cracked" tiles are subject to any subsequent impact or external stresses, they may crack or come loose - resulting in sharp pieces of glass tile on the floor. In a swimming pool, spa, steam bath, or shower application, this will definitely result in lacerations.

Over the past 5-10 years, a number of manufacturers that utilize recycled components have been experiencing performance issues with their materials. In most instances, they have been able to keep these cases isolated. In every instance that I am aware of, the property owner & installer have been led to believe that they are alone in their troubles. (click on the image for an enlarged image and a closer look) The "factory experts" have always blamed the installer for a faulty installation, leaving the installer to defend themselves against the homeowner. They will cite the use of "unapproved setting materials," failure to exactly follow their installation instructions, or the failure to follow proper curing procedures as the leading causes.

However, when the T's are crossed & the I's dotted, and a project is installed to the EXACT letter of the directions & standards, and there is still a material failure - where do the manufacturer's lay their blame? Again, they blame the installer & the installation.

They will grasp at straws, throwing out every excuse they have ever used - even going so far as to blame the concrete structure. This may have worked on a pool that was sliding down a hillside, but for a project that was supervised by the manufacturer of the setting materials, a site visit from the tile manufacturer, inspections by the structural engineer, inspections & observations by the geotechnical engineering firm, independent laboratory testing of the materials, deputy inspectors inspecting the reinforcing steel & monitoring the shotcrete placement, psi testing of the in-place shotcrete, complete documentation & tracking of all materials & batch numbers, and documented compliance with all TCNA & ANSI standards - they simply look like the fools that they are. And they begin to paint this segment of their industry with a big brush of cow dung.

However, with the advent of the internet, the "victims" of these manufacturers are bound to come together to compare notes. It is starting to happen. Here are some of the findings...

In every instance the cracks are totally random - they go opposite directions and are not in adjacent tiles. As can be seen in the image to the right, the cracking is totally random. (click on the image for an enlarged image and a closer look) The grout is intact and the cracking does not extend through to the setting material, so apparently the thinset is not the cause. These were the tile where we were able to duplicate similar cracks in loose unset tiles, so the setting materials & grout cannot be the cause.

When the manufacturers blame the installation, they will almost always try to hang their hat on something, even the smallest detail. Maybe in the end they will "be a nice guy and provide replacement tile." Whoopdie doo! It is the installation where the money is!

They may blame "unapproved" thinsets & grouts. Almost every commercially available thinset that is approved for submerged applications, meets the appropriate ANSI standards. Some manufacturers claim that some thinsets grab to tightly, preventing the glass from expanding & contracting. However, they are playing on the installer's naivety regarding material science. A 1" square mosaic tile expands to infinitesimally, it is almost unmeasurable. To blame a thinset for this internal cracking is ludicrous. For this to actually occur as they claim, there has to already be an inherent stress present in the tile.

These same manufacturers also blame epoxy grouts, as being too rigid and inflexible, thereby preventing the glass mosaic tiles from expanding. Again this argument is laughable... Here's an experiment your child can do: take a pair of pliers & attempt to crush a equivalent size of tile & epoxy grout. The child will not be able to crush the glass tile, while the grout will explode as it is pulverized. It will be apparent to even a 5 year old, that the glass is much stronger than the epoxy grout. Additionally the expansion of the tile, being sooo microscopically small could not develop such pressures - but if there was a pre-existing stress within the tile...

Some have blamed the use of additional admixes (latex fortifiers), when the thinset manufacturer does not advise to. While this will effect the performance of the thinset & grouts, it will not cause them to become so hard or inflexible, as to crack the tile. Again, they are pretending to be "experts" in the field of material science, and because they are from "the factory" - the property owner believes them. Most "factory experts" are merely businessmen or trades persons who, like myself learned through the "school of hard knocks." I've yet to meet one that possessed a formal degree in material or molecular science [I have a chemical engineer/MBA/JD, a polymer research chemist (this is material sciences up the wazoo), and 2 orthopedic surgeons (biological science) in my immediate family].

To reinforce this point - these same manufacturer's tiles can be made to crack by merely exposing them to the thermal changes in a typical backyard spa. Left loose in a plastic tray (and therefore not subject to any external forces from thinset or grouts) and subject to the normal temperature changes from 60-104º F - these tiles will begin to display the same internal stress cracks that are found in an installed application. So guys, how can it be the thinset, when the tiles crack while loose?

Another case I looked at involved tumbled glass tiles that were installed in a steam shower. The edges of the tiles were spalling. And this was only occurring on the side of the shower opposite the shower & steam heads. As you can see from the image to the right, the edges of the tiles are "chipped." (click on the image for an enlarged image and a closer look) First, the chipping was blamed on rough handling during installation - but I dismissed that notion. Look at the edges of the tiles... if they were "mishandled" the chips would have been filled in (even slightly) during grouting. These are recent, fresh & shiny chips that show no sign of grout in them - proof that they occurred after installation. And it could not be from any impacts - they are from the floor to 6' high! To further reinforce this failure, we were able to recover shards of glass from the floor of the shower using duct tape... guess what we found? ...small chips of glass, exactly the size of what was coming off of the installed tile on the wall. Coincidence? Hardly!! One of the unique characteristics of glass is that it radiates heat quickly. So, glass tile installed on a wall in a room heated to 80˚F, may be 65-70˚F. When an "instant hot" 120-130˚F shower (such as those with recirculating hot water) or a 160˚F steam shower blasts the surface of the tiles with a severe temperature shock - something has to give! And that something is the glass tile - lots of little sharp pieces of it. Then Mr. or Mrs. Zillionaire steps barefooted into a glass shard torture chamber - YOU are going to be the 2nd person that they are going to call (you know that their attorney is going to be the number one!). The cool underlying surface of the glass is still at 65-70˚, while the surface is 130-160˚F! The glass simply cannot change temperature quickly enough throughout it's thickness, so something has to give. Yet, these tiles are marketed for use in showers! But there are no thermal shock standards for this material... these are cases where the government needs to establish standards to protect the consumers. Like the exploding Ford Pinto - bad designs & products need to be made safe! Broken glass is inherently dangerous around showers, bathrooms, swimming pools & spas, and pool decks.

In fact, these same tile can be made to crack & fissure, by merely laying the sheets of tiles out in the sun... now, how can an installer cause that????

Still, these manufacturers blame the installation procedures. Okay, for just a minute, let's assume that it is the installation. Then, why do I possess multiple factory assembled sample boards, that exhibit the same internal stress cracking that the installed product is exhibiting in the field? These are 1 foot square sheets of tile thinset to a 3/4" thick piece of plywood & grouted with a polymer fortified thinset - all assembled by the manufacturer in their factory controlled conditions. And guess what? They still cracked!

I know of a project in Southern California where the tiles had been installed, and were in the "thinset curing stage," when random tiles started to crack. And guess what? The factory blamed a faulty structure.... (click on the image for an enlarged image and a closer look) But the commercial hotel developer, general contractor, swimming pool contractor, structural engineer, soils engineer, and materials testing laboratory hit back right between the eyes. And the factory took back the balance of almost 30,000 square feet of unmounted tile. Hmmm, do you think that the factory destroyed the returned tile...??? This is probably the very tile that you're going to receive in your next shipment! And then you're going to be blamed for your faulty installation!

Where am I going with this...

There needs to be a standard established for the manufacturing of glass mosaic tiles. Currently there is an ANSI Standards committee formulating these standards. But guess who is sitting on these committees? You guessed it - representatives from these very same manufacturers! Do you think that there is going to be any substantial thermal shock standard established that is going to protect the public from cracking glass tiles? Very doubtful. The fox is in charge of the hen house.

If they are not willing to subject themselves to this higher standard, then they need to disclose to the public, what extremes a particular product can safely handle. Maybe they need to establish a tiered rating system with temperature extremes based upon maximum rates of rise X a time variable. A consumer friendly A-B-C system would be ideal, with A tiles being the most shock resistant (on par with Pyrex) and C being the poorest quality. Every tile sold in the US (even imported tiles) would have to meet these standards. To maintain their thermal shock rating, a manufacturer would be required to submit samples for regular & periodic quality control checks by an independent testing laboratory (UL), to verify that the standards are still being met.

This brings us to the science behind the problems of utilizing recycled glass as a component of the raw materials. Mixing raw & recycled materials, results in a blend of materials (down to the microscopic level) with differential expansion indexes. Glass tile is very dense. The slightest thermal changes results will result in minuscule amounts of expansion. However, if this expansion is occurring at different rates within the matrix of the material (as what occurs with blended recycled materials), a stress crack may result.

Additionally, the manufacturing processes employed by a manufacturer may lend itself to "stressing" the tiles. Most manufacturers utilize a "press" much like a cookie cutter to cut the tiles out of sheets of molten glass. This process seems to render the fewest problems. These tiles are recognizable by their smooth edges, uniform size & thickness. The edges will often be tapered, being wider at the top of the tile. They may also exhibit slight marks on the edges from the press (these are not visible once the tile is set & grouted).

The second procedure is the actual cutting of the individual tiles from a hardened irregular shaped sheet of glass. The cutting procedure actually causes micro-fractures & stresses within the edges of the glass. Removing these stresses requires that the tiles receive an additional firing. These tiles are recognizable by an edge that is perfectly straight & vertical, without any marks from a press. If the tiles were re-fired, the edges will not be sharp like freshly cut glass, but very slightly rounded.

The third process is a hybrid of the press & cutting process, where the press stamps out the shape, but does not sheer the glass into individual tiles. The sheet is later "cracked" along the depressions in the sheet left by the press - resulting in a distinctive irregular edge. This "cracking" process also imparts micro-stresses into the tile. These tiles are readily recognizable by their irregular shape and oftentimes sharp edges. If the tiles were subject to re-firing to relieve the internal stresses, these sharp edges will have softened.

The final major process is the actual pouring of molten glass into molds. These tiles vary in thickness, even within an individual tile. A series of nozzles squirt molten glass in what looks like ice cube trays. The bottom of the mold forms the top of the tile. Some manufacturers follow this with a press, to stamp in a texture or stand offs into the back of the tiles. However, if the mold was not sufficiently filled, or the glass too cool, the glass will have not flowed level within the mold. They tend to be thicker than all of the prior methods, and therefore even more susceptible to exhibiting internal fissures.

An added issue is the cost of energy. It costs a lot of money to run a glass kiln & foundry. Many manufacturers do not follow proper annealing procedures - that is the slow controlled cooling of glass. The glass is transported through a temperature controlled linear kiln (called a Lehr), where the temperature zones within the kiln slowly decrease. Failure to properly anneal glass will result in the glass cracking or shattering when subject to the slightest temperature or mechanical shock - HEY DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR? There is no way by looking at glass tile with the naked eye, to see these inherent stresses. There is also no way to verify that the manufacturer is not "speeding up the annealing process" to save themselves some money. Remember, it's all about the Benjamin's!

So far the manufacturers that utilize virgin raw materials, and forgo the use of recycled glass in their products, have been spared the agony of their products cracking. My personal brands of preference include: www.lightstreamsglasstile.com/, www.bisazza.com/usa/, www.sicis.com, www.interstyle.ca.

While I am not fond of their color renditions and the silica speckles in their tiles, another brand that I have had success with is "Colorines Mosaicios" manufactured in Mexico. They are available exclusively through DalTile, as they were purchased by DalTile a few years ago.

To summarize the characteristics of glass mosaic tiles that tend to exhibit internal stress cracks:

Manufactured using recycled materials - they key commonality.
Manufactured in Asia (most Asian manufactured tiles are crap)
Improper annealing (how can you possibly know?)
Method of manufacture
Size & thickness (thinner & smaller mosaics seem to perform better)

Just because a glass mosaic tile is from a well know company, bears a prominent designer's name, is from a large company, or the product is in every tile showroom you walk into, does not mean that it is a quality glass mosaic. A lot of these glass tiles will perform wonderfully as a kitchen backsplash, but will fail miserably when subject to any climate changes or thermal shock.

Rules to live by:
1. By all means, follow the manufacturers installation instructions to the letter! Do not bootleg anything! Only follow the TCNA standards & recommendations.
2. Only use setting materials recommended by the manufacturer - if they do not specify brands & specific products, make the inquiry in writing! Keep all of your receipts. When you take delivery of the setting materials, note the lot numbers on the receipt.
3. Take lots of pictures. Digital pictures are free! be sure to track the dates specific areas were floated, set, and grouted. Be sure to follow the proper cure times before moving on to the next phase. Documentation is the key! It does not hurt to keep a color coding system, outlining areas with colored tape, so that they are readily identifiable in the photographs.
4. If it is an extremely large project (high risk & high gain), be sure to involve the manufacturers during the planning & installation process. Invite site visits & document the dates & progress on those visits. Follow up with a thank you letter & document any recommendations & comments.
5. Additionally, do not be afraid to send samples of the products to an independent testing lab for analysis and thermal shock testing. A few thousand dollars spent in advanced will save hundreds of thousands of dollars later.
6. Be an informed consumer.
7. Read the manufacturer's warranty before making your purchase.
8. Consider having the manufacturer post a bond or purchase an insurance policy to guarantee the product performance - if the project size warrants it.
9. Read the manufacturers warranty - some are so lame that they provide a warranty until you open the box or install the product! Read this joke from http://www.hakatai.com/Warranty-W9C34.aspx :

"HAKATAI ENTERPRISES, INC., LIMITED WARRANTY

Limited Warranty Terms and Conditions

All products ("Products") sold by Hakatai, Enterprises, Inc., hereafter referred to as the "Company," are subject to this Limited Warranty.

Limited Warranty

The Company warrants that its Products, if properly stored and transported, will be free from defects in materials and workmanship from the date of sale until the date the product is installed ("Warranty Period"). THE PURCHASER SHALL EXAMINE ALL PRODUCTS FULLY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. If a Company Product is found to be defective during the purchaser’s examination, and the purchaser submits the written service request required herein, the Company will, at its option, replace the Product with a Product that is at least functionally equivalent or refund the purchase price..."

"...Warranty Limitations and Exclusions

THE WARRANTY PERIOD ENDS UPON INSTALLATION OF THE PRODUCT, AND THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES ON THE PRODUCT AFTER INSTALLATION...."

WOW, they offer a complete warranty until I install it! And I have to declare any defects prior to installing it.... hmmm, that has "confidence in our product" written all over it doesn't it?! It should say "Warranty Scam"!

I doubt my clients will just let me stack the boxes in their backyard & collect my money. If they are not willing to stand behind their product - then this should set off alarms in your head... Warning! Warning Will Robinson! Warning! Aliens approaching! Run for safety (with your $ in your pocket!). They provide a taillight warranty, when the headlights are still in your eyes! TURN and RUN!

Remember, the manufacturer may have a strong warranty backing their product, but no one can force them to pay out, except you and your lawyer!

They will do everything they can to point the blame at YOU!

NOTE: In the accompanying images, some of the tiles appear to have white cracks across the surface. These are actually casting marks or imperfections that collected grout in them & became highlighted. Look inside the tiles for radial cracks. Click on any image to view a super-sized version.

Paolo Benedetti - Aquatic Artist
"Creating water as art."™
Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa
©www.aquatictechnology.com