BajaNomad

Pila Sealing

Martyman - 6-21-2012 at 08:32 AM

I have a concrete block pila. It leaks and has been leaking. Stucco was applied to seal it but it still leaks. I was told yesterday to apply a coat or two of fiberglass two-part resin (without the fiberglass) after completely drying the pila. If I survive the confined space application... I will use a roller to apply on the inside of the tank
I'm looking for advice. Do you think it will work? Any other ideas?
Thanks
Marty

larryC - 6-21-2012 at 08:37 AM

I don't have a good fix for concrete block pilas, most of the time people finally give up and buy the plastic "rotoplas" pilas and be done with it.
Larry

woody with a view - 6-21-2012 at 08:41 AM

stucco is not water proof. that's why they use the paper underneath it-the paper provides the waterproofing.

this stuff is pretty good:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100318534/h_d2/Produ...

pila sealing

surfhat - 6-21-2012 at 09:48 AM

When I built under the floor pila tanks years ago out of block on the east cape I found a two part epoxy system in 5 gallon buckets that was designed especially for storing drinking water[ my roof collected rain water and drained into the under the floor tanks and held about 18000 gallons when full. I think there was a NSF designation for safely storing water to be used for drinking water which is why I chose this particular product. Over 15 years later and no leaks. Great stuff, a bit of a byatch to paint it all over the floor and side walls but I don't know of another that is recommended for storing water that is to be used for showering and drinking. I would still run it through a filter before drinking in case mice or whatever find their way in there for a swim. I think I got it at Home Depot. Best wishes.

pila sealing

surfhat - 6-21-2012 at 09:53 AM

I forgot to mention this epoxy came in 5 gallon part A and Part B containers. It isn't cheap maybe $400 or so but you pay for what you get if you want the best quality water storage without all the leaching that can occur with other sealing products.

tinaco

weebray - 6-21-2012 at 10:24 AM

Why would you screw around with a concrete tank that will "settle", crack, and leak? You can get a grande tinaco for about a hunnert bucks. When in Rome.........

oladulce - 6-21-2012 at 11:15 AM

Our underground cisterna is made of :

-Block covered with a stucco coat

- Then a layer of Merlex Superblockade - (applies easily with a masonry brush and we also use it on all flat concrete roof surfaces and below grade surfaces of block walls).

- Then Crystal Lok which was rolled on with a paint roller. (excellent concrete waterproofer used for resevoirs, water tanks, etc).

No problems with our cisterna for the past 7 yrs.

Crystal Lok can be ordered and shipped from the manufacturer - comes in 5 gallon buckets and it goes a long way. If you're in Loreto now, you might try contacting ACV Logisticas and inquire about shipping the product(s) to their warehouse in San Diego and arrange for it to come down on one of their trucks which deliver to BCS.

Mula - 6-21-2012 at 02:18 PM

I used a Mexican product called PegaCemento for leak proofing the beberos for m Mules in San Nicolas and Lopez.

Great, cheap, available and easy to appy. Dry 24 hours and presto - fill it!

Just ask at any hardware/cement selling hardware store.

Bob and Susan - 6-21-2012 at 03:23 PM

ive had a couple of rotoplasts split...they aren't as strong as advertised

i would seal your pila it with pool plaster

think of a pila as a BIG pool
and pools dont leak

it goes on just like plaster and seals

whatever you do DONT paint it with a sealing product...that chalks in time

...but remember...
i tell people here this and no one listens

Santiago - 6-21-2012 at 03:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by soulpatch
Works every time and considerably less expensive than doing a proper resin application and without any brain damage.


I'm pretty sure that horse done left the barn.....

Martyman - 6-22-2012 at 08:13 AM

Thanks for all the responses. With only 5 years left on my lease I 'll probably try the cheaper solution.
Oh and Santiago...just for your information, I r a colege gradudate!

Bob H - 6-22-2012 at 08:16 AM

Check with Ken Bondy for anything related to concerete. He is an expert in that field. U2U Ken Bondy for answers.

Bajabuff - 6-25-2012 at 08:07 PM

Try ThoroSeal. It is a cement type plaster. On fresh block I apply 3 coats. You can use a fiber bristle dutch brush. It comes in white and gray. Dampen the block and first apply a white on the natural block and void are easily seen, follow with gray coat and finish with white. Mix with vinyl bonder.

http://www.thoroproducts.com/products_waterproofing.htm

Mexitron - 6-26-2012 at 06:54 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by oladulce
Our underground cisterna is made of :

-Block covered with a stucco coat

- Then a layer of Merlex Superblockade - (applies easily with a masonry brush and we also use it on all flat concrete roof surfaces and below grade surfaces of block walls).

- Then Crystal Lok which was rolled on with a paint roller. (excellent concrete waterproofer used for resevoirs, water tanks, etc).

No problems with our cisterna for the past 7 yrs.

Crystal Lok can be ordered and shipped from the manufacturer - comes in 5 gallon buckets and it goes a long way. If you're in Loreto now, you might try contacting ACV Logisticas and inquire about shipping the product(s) to their warehouse in San Diego and arrange for it to come down on one of their trucks which deliver to BCS.


When you use the term "stucco" are you referring to the prepackaged stuff they use on houses? Maybe you mean "plaster" which is sand and cement. Stucco has all kinds of stuff in it including paint and is not meant for submerged applications....just clarifying.

weebray - 6-26-2012 at 08:27 AM

Bob and Susan wrote "ive had a couple of rotoplasts split...they aren't as strong as advertised" Pardon my French but that is utter BS. There must be 10,000 tinaco's here in downtown La Paz and I have never heard of or seen one "split". I did have to replace the gasket at the bottom of one of my tinaco's after 20 years. These things are hells stout. We also have a large cistern in the ground that was direct buried mixing a little cemento gris with the dirt when we backfilled. The whole cost was less than 350 bucks including labor. Using products mentioned that have to be imported is going to pee away way more than $350.

Bob and Susan - 6-26-2012 at 01:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by weebray
Bob and Susan wrote "ive had a couple of rotoplasts split...they aren't as strong as advertised" Pardon my French but that is utter BS. There must be 10,000 tinaco's here in downtown La Paz and I have never heard of or seen one "split". I did have to replace the gasket at the bottom of one of my tinaco's after 20 years. These things are hells stout. We also have a large cistern in the ground that was direct buried mixing a little cemento gris with the dirt when we backfilled. The whole cost was less than 350 bucks including labor. Using products mentioned that have to be imported is going to pee away way more than $350.


really...i guess ishould have sent you down the hole to cut up the 700 gallon "SPLIT" roroplasts

i couldnt believe it either since i put them in the ground in a cement container to avoid this

one time during construction the water guy was fill one and it just "exploded"
no reason...it just did it

they break...

whatever you do dont use them to haul water to and from town

Ateo - 6-26-2012 at 09:28 PM

I know tanks - underground storage tanks that is - I'd go double walled, fiberglass. But that's gasoline.....I know nothing for water tanks. Good luck. Lots of good recommendations above.

Fernweh - 6-26-2012 at 09:36 PM

Just repaired a leaky water pila on a BCS rancho.

Bought the sealer at a masonary supply place NOB - $250.00 for a 5 Gallon bucket - plenty for three coats - no mas leeaks



RnR - 6-26-2012 at 09:39 PM

Ummm, and the name on the bucket is ......?

Please!

bigjohn - 6-26-2012 at 11:14 PM

Looks like Aqua Seal. Goes on columbia blue and is royal blue when it dries. 3 alternating courses usually does the trick.

Bob and Susan - 6-27-2012 at 05:31 AM

no one listens...DON'T ever paint...

its expensive too...

it WILL chalk and bubble...then you can never remove it all without a sand blaster

big mistake...its ONLY a temp fix

weebray - 6-27-2012 at 08:15 AM

Fernweh, you just threw 250 bucks away. Just looking at the construction it is obvious that you are going to have problems with cracks in el futuro. I totally disagree that the tinaco's are not "as advertised". I guess there may have been a manufacturing defect that caused a failure but that is extremely rare. I just talked to the jefe at Ayala, our local plumbing supplier, and he said he had only seen "a couple of leakers" in 17 years of selling tinacos. The leaks were caused by defects in the manufacure. He had never seen or heard of a complete failure. Hands down the least costly option is to dig a hole, put the tinaco/cistern in the hole and backfill with a cemento gris and dirt mixture.

Paulina - 6-27-2012 at 10:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Martyman
I have a concrete block pila. It leaks and has been leaking. Stucco was applied to seal it but it still leaks. I was told yesterday to apply a coat or two of fiberglass two-part resin (without the fiberglass) after completely drying the pila. If I survive the confined space application... I will use a roller to apply on the inside of the tank
I'm looking for advice. Do you think it will work? Any other ideas?
Thanks
Marty


Marty,

That pila leaked 15 years ago when my mom leased that house. We tried to "fix" it many times. If the black tinacas were around back then we would have put one inside and called it good. The blue barrels were all we had, so she dealt with it. Good luck!

P<*)))>{

Bob and Susan - 6-27-2012 at 12:51 PM

can you imagine the size of the mosquitoes that will breed in that open thing

in a week it will get brown alge...in 10 days GREEN!!!

Fernweh - 6-27-2012 at 03:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
can you imagine the size of the mosquitoes that will breed in that open thing

in a week it will get brown alge...in 10 days GREEN!!!


But it tastes so good on the flour tortillas.......

Relax, a cow drinks approx 70 liters of water a day, so 200 cows will need.........that pila is filled everyday with fresh water from the well - with a Grundfos solar pump at 4000liters/Hr.

We do only cold bottled Peligrino's:yes:

bigjohn - 6-27-2012 at 06:15 PM

Mosquitoes? There are mosquitoes in Baja? :o