Why replacing pool expansion joints now can save you thousands in repair costs later.
New Orleans Pool Deck Expansion Joint Replacement & Leak Prevention
At The Pool Firm, we see it every single week in New Orleans, Metairie, Mandeville, and across the Northshore: a beautiful pool deck that looks perfectly fine on the surface… until a massive underground plumbing leak shows up on your water bill. The #1 hidden culprit? Old, cracked, or missing pool expansion joints.
What Are Pool Expansion Joints and Why Do They Matter in Louisiana?
Expansion joints (also called control joints or pool deck caulking) are the flexible sealant lines you see between sections of concrete or around the pool coping. In Louisiana’s extreme heat, humidity, and clay soils, concrete expands and contracts dramatically. Without properly maintained expansion joints:
• Concrete slabs push against each other
• The pool shell and coping get squeezed
• Underground PVC pipes and fittings get crushed or sheared off
• Silent leaks start dumping hundreds of gallons a day beneath your deck
One crushed return line or cracked skimmer pipe can easily cause $4,000–$12,000+ in jackhammering, plumbing repair, and deck restoration. Replacing the expansion joint sealant? Usually under $1,500 and takes just one day.
Top Signs Your Pool Expansion Joints Need Immediate Replacement
1. Cracked, shrunk, or completely missing caulk/sealant
2. Hard, brittle old caulk that no longer flexes
3. Weeds or ants coming up through the joints
4. Tripping hazards or uneven concrete slabs
5. Water disappearing from the pool with no visible surface leaks
6. New cracks appearing in the deck or coping tiles
If you’re seeing any of these in New Orleans, Kenner, Covington, Slidell, or the Westbank, don’t wait for the next heat wave to finish the damage.
The Hidden Danger: How Bad Expansion Joints Cause Underground Pool Leaks
Louisiana’s gumbo soil swells when wet and shrinks when dry. When expansion joints fail, concrete moves and literally crushes the plumbing buried just 6–12 inches underneath. The most common victims:
• Return lines
• Skimmer and main drain lines
• Heater and pump plumbing
• Light conduits (which then flood the fixture and blow bulbs)
These are NOT small leaks. A single 2-inch return line shearing off can lose 5,000–10,000 gallons a month, and you’ll never see the water because it’s going straight under the deck and into the soil.
The Pool Firm’s Professional Expansion Joint Replacement Process
When you call The Pool Firm for pool deck expansion joint replacement in the Greater New Orleans area, here’s what we do:
1. Remove all old failed sealant and debris
2. Clean and prep the joint for maximum adhesion
3. Install closed-cell backer rod (prevents 3-point adhesion failure)
4. Apply premium self-leveling pool deck sealant (Deck-O-Seal or SikaFlex) designed for constant water immersion and UV exposure
5. Tool the joint for a clean, slightly concave finish
6. 100% satisfaction guarantee
Most residential pools are completed in 4–8 hours with no draining required.
Prevent Costly Underground Pipe Breaks – Act Before It’s Too Late
Replacing your pool expansion joints every 5–7 years (sooner in harsh Louisiana sun) is the cheapest insurance policy you can buy against catastrophic underground leaks.
Stop gambling with crushed pipes and skyrocketing water bills.
Call or text The Pool Firm today at (504) 313-8888 for a FREE pool deck expansion joint inspection – we serve New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Mandeville, Covington, Slidell, and all surrounding areas.
Don’t wait for the leak to find you. One simple maintenance step today can save you tens of thousands tomorrow.
The Pool Firm – Keeping New Orleans Pools Leak-Free Since Day One.
www.thepoolfirm.net