The Complete La Marina Villa Owner FAQ & Guide Costa Blanca
Moisture, Cracks & Structural Movement.
Why this damage occurs — genuine structural causes
1. Moisture (Water Ingress)
Moisture in La Marina is caused by:
Missing or inadequate waterproofing in 1990s construction
Capillary water absorption through unimpregnated masonry
Hydrostatic pressure in terraces and pool areas
Insufficient drying times in new buildings (very common today)
Salt pollution of the Costa Blanca → salt attracts water
Missing vapor barriers in interiors
Cracks in the exterior plaster → water penetrates and remains in the masonry
Incorrect tile installation (no drainage system, no flexible adhesive and no or to smal joints)
2. Hairline Cracks
Cracks are caused by:
Temperature fluctuations (Costa Blanca: 5°C at night → 35°C during the day)
Concrete shrinkage
Subsoil settlement (La Marina has many filled plots)
Inadequate reinforcement in old buildings
Rigid tiles on a shifting substrate
Moisture in the masonry → volume changes → cracks
New buildings completed too quickly → concrete doesn't dry properly
3. Structural Movement
Movement is caused by:
Soil settlement (sand + clay = unstable)
Insufficient foundation depth in 1990s villas
Poor subsoil compaction
Weak ring beams → walls move against each other
Vibrations from pool pumps / road traffic
Moisture under terraces → screed lifts or sinks
How to solve these problems professionally
1. Diagnosing the Moisture Source
Moisture must first be clearly located before any repairs are worthwhile.
Check capillary moisture using CM measurement.
Inspect exterior plaster for microcracks.
Open a small section to measure masonry moisture.
Check terraces for hollow areas (tapping test).
Identify water pathways by efflorescence.
2. Properly Stop the Moisture
The cause is eliminated, not just cosmetically covered.
Remove exterior plaster and apply a flexible, two-component waterproofing membrane.
Re-seale terraces with a drainage system and flexible adhesive class C2TE S1.
Protect interior walls with waterproofing plaster and a vapor barrier.
For new buildings: Observe drying times (concrete: minimum 28 days).
3. Correctly Repair Cracks
Cracks must be treated according to their cause, not just filled.
Hairline cracks: Elastic crack sealant
Movement cracks: Crack injection with epoxy resin
Facade cracks: Reinforcing mesh + mineral plaster
Tile cracks: Replacement + flexible adhesive class S1/S2
4. Stabilize structural movement
Movement must be stopped before new damage occurs.
Check foundation, underpin if necessary
Reinforce or replace ring beam
Rebuild terraces with compacted subgrade
Install expansion joints (every 4–6 meters)
Decouple pool surround to reduce vibrations
5. Long-term prevention
After the repair, the building is optimized for the Costa Blanca climate.
Protect exterior facade with hydrophobic impregnation
Construct terraces with drainage + flexible waterproofing
Keep interiors stable with dehumidifiers
Regularly check pool and equipment
Annual visual inspection of the facade
Leaking Roofs and Terraces
How to Repair Roofs and Terraces Professionally (Real Solutions)
1. Complete Removal of the Old Bitumen Membrane
The old waterproofing must be completely removed because:
Bitumen cannot be reworked
The new waterproofing will not adhere otherwise
Voids will remain
Moisture will be trapped
This is the only correct way.
2. Check and Rebuild the Screed (If Necessary)
If the screed:
Sounds hollow
Is damp
Has cracks
Is coming loose
→ It must be partially or completely replaced.
3. Professional Waterproofing Systems (proven since 1997)
Here are the systems that work most reliably in La Marina:
A) 2-Component Liquid Waterproofing (Polyurethane / PU)
This is the best solution for:
Flat roofs
Terraces
Roof terraces
Balconies
Advantages:
100% waterproof
Elastic (ideal for heat)
UV-resistant
Crack-bridging
Seamless
Adheres to concrete, screed, and tiles
B) Cementitious Waterproofing (2-Component Flexible Sealant)
Ideal for:
Terraces under tiles
Pool surrounds
Damp screeds
Advantages:
Vapor-permeable
Flexible
Ideal for the Costa Blanca climate
Compatible with tile adhesive
C) EPDM Membrane (rare, but very effective)
For large Roofs:
Extremely durable
UV-resistant
Seamless
Ideal for new builds
4. Decoupling mats (e.g., Schlüter-DITRA)
These mats:
Prevent cracking
Decouple tiles from the substrate
Drain moisture
Significantly increase the lifespan of the terrace
In La Marina, they are mandatory when laying tiles on terraces.
5. New tiles with flexible adhesive (C2TES1/S2)
Why?
Flexible adhesives absorb movement
Prevent detachment
Reduce cracking
Are water-resistant
Outdated Electrical and Plumbing Installations
Why electrical installations from the 1990s are dangerous today
1. Undersized wiring (1.5 mm² instead of 2.5 mm²)
Many villas were fitted with 1.5 mm² wiring for electrical outlets.
That was common practice back then—today it's no longer permitted.
Why?
Modern appliances draw more power.
Air conditioners, heaters, and pool pumps put a strain on the wiring.
1.5 mm² overheats more quickly.
Insulation becomes brittle → risk of short circuits.
Fire risk increases significantly.
The following are now standard sizes:
2.5 mm² for sockets
4–6 mm² for air conditioners
6–10 mm² for instantaneous water heaters
separate circuits for pool equipment
2. Old fuse boxes without residual current device (RCD) protection
Many houses have:
old screw-in fuses
no residual current devices (RCDs)
no circuit breakers (MCBs)
no separate circuits
This means:
no protection against residual currents
no protection against defective appliances
no protection against moisture
high risk of electric shock
A 30 mA residual current device (RCD) is now mandatory — especially In
Bathrooms
Kitchens
Outdoor areas
Pool equipment rooms
3. Overloaded circuits
In the 1990s, electricity consumption was low:
No air conditioners
No pool pumps
No electric heaters
No induction cooktops
No photovoltaic systems
Today, circuits are overloaded because:
Too many devices are connected to one circuit
Wiring is too thin
Fuses are too weak or too old
There is no load balancing
Result:
Fuses constantly trip
Wiring gets hot
Outlets short-circuit
Fire hazard increases
Outdated Water Pipes (Plumbing)
Many villas still have:
galvanized or not galvanized steel pipes
copper pipes without protective coating
PVC pipes from the 1990s
outdated pressure reducers
Problems:
Rust → brown water and if steel pipes break you need a complete new instalation
Pitting corrosion → small leaks
Limescale deposits → pressure loss
old PVC pipes → brittle, burst in the heat
poor connections → dripping stains in walls
This is particularly common in La Marina because:
the water is hard (high in calcium)
the pipes were often laid close to the surface
the houses were built quickly
many installations were not carried out according to standards
When modernization is absolutely necessary
Electrical systems must be renewed if:
sockets get warm
fuses frequently trip
1.5 mm² wiring is used
no residual current device (RCD) is installed
air conditioners run through old pipes Running
Pool pumps are running on regular electrical outlets
The fuse box is older than 20 years
The water installation needs to be replaced if:
The water is brown or milky
The pressure fluctuates significantly
The pipes are noisy
There is visible dampness on the walls
Hot water is intermittent
Old steel or PVC pipes are present
Remember the water pipes install 2000 have only 15 years warranty, you can be happy if they still works. But needs to change.
