roamingthroughbaja
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Location: La Paz, BCS
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help with leaking pila
We have a three year old concrete above ground water tank which is oozing/sweating/leaking water. The problem was not so bad at first, but is getting
worse, with white powder stuff over most of one side and dampness on the ground below.
The paint on the inside is bubbled and flaking. Is there a product we can put on the outside to seal the concrete or do we need to blast the paint
off the inside and somehow seal that? Anyone have any experience with this problem? Thanks.
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DENNIS
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Wow....Sounds like you have a nasty problem. Dryloc is an excellent concrete sealer but, you have to clean up the mess first. The inside walls
should be scraped and dry. Plaster it if it wasn't done before and I would suggest doing it again even if it was. Then, use Drilok according to the
directions.
I hope your reference to "paint" was a loose one. No need to paint the inside of a pila. If, by some horrible circumstance, your pila needs to be
rebuilt, do the next one in the ground and put a nice little shed on top for your pump and Pacifico storage.
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roamingthroughbaja
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Drilock?
Thanks for the reply....yes the pila is painted and plastered inside and out. It is above ground as we have no electricity and use gravity to get the
water to the bano at the bottom of the lot. Is Driloc available in Baja? What manufacturer? Have any idea where it can be purchased? Thanks again.
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DENNIS
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I'm not sure where you can find it although Home Depot USA would be a good place to start. I've given up looking at HomeDpo Ensenada for anything.
When I occasionally find what I want, the price scares me to death. [gfi recepticles.....9 bucks US------19 bucks Ensenada. Both Home Dpo]
Look it up on Google. Lots of Driloc info there. Maybe you can have someone bring it down if you can't find it there.
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BajaWarrior
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Sounds like a tough one to fix. You could do all the scraping and cleaning and drying and still end up with a leak. Don't suppose you could take off
the lid/cover/roof of this pila and set a poly tank inside of it? I bought a 1100 liter tank in San Felipe for $350.
They had bigger ones as well.
[Edited on 2-6-2008 by BajaWarrior]
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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marv sherrill
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In Bahia , some local guys fixed our leaky pila with this black tar stuff that they got at Guerro Negro for about $150.00 US for 5 gallons - they have
repaired a number of pilas and so far only mine has developed a new leak - not much of a testimonial, but the stuff is made especially for
waterproofing bricks etc. - Had to drain it, dry for one day, apply - set for 2 days - Good Luck -
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by marv sherrill
stuff that they got at Guerro Negro for about $150.00 US for 5 gallons - |
The price is way too high for anything on the US market. Way too high.
Do your homework.
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longlegsinlapaz
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R & M: Next time "Tarzan" is there for an English lesson, ask him for possible solutions! 
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vgabndo
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The product cited below can be applied from the outside. This will eliminate the necessity of stripping and drying the inside of the tank. This is
not the exact brand name that I have used in the past, but the way that it works is the same.
This product when sprayed onto the failing concrete will react with the un-hydrated elements of the cement (which always exist even in 100 year old
concrete) and begins to grow crystals which slowly expand to seal the leaks. It is safe to use with potable water, and can withstand a lot of
hydrostatic pressure.
On a fast track project I did in Yakima Washington, we had to install high end 2/3" oak flooring over concrete that was not even fully cured (28
days). Spraying a similar material on the surface with a common Hudson sprayer, we reduced the transpiration of moisture to below 6 lbs/100 sq. ft./24
hrs. in a matter of a few days. (If I am remembering the numbers correctly)
The product is commonly used to keep exposed concrete in harsh environments from spalling in freezing weather. It makes the surface more brittle, but
it shouldn't be a problem on a pila.
http://www.kryton.com/support/learning/advantage.php
They aren't going to have it at the Conusupo, but someone could bring you some.
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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roamingthroughbaja
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Location: La Paz, BCS
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Lots of options! Thanks for all your suggestions. We'll start following up and let you know what happens.
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