Fiberglass Pools
 
Fiberglass pools are not new, in fact these types of pools have been around for nearly 50 years.  Fiberglass pools are one piece, factory built shells made with fiberglass, resins, and finished with a gel coating, a non-porous surface similar to modern day boats and pool slides.
 
Fiberglass pools are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes with various tile patterns, fiber optic lighting, and in-floor cleaning systems, possible. Some forms of maintenance like acid washing, resurfacing, and liner replacements don't exist with with fiberglass pools, but proper weekly chemical and cleaning maintenance are still needed to protect the gelcoat finish.
 
Fiberglass Pool Installation Procedure:

1. You or your dealer will mark the site for the new Fiberglass pool. You should think about sun exposure, access to a bathroom, areas for guest to gather (and to retreat from the afternoon sun), and access to the site. In general, people will gather on the side closest to the house at the shallow end of the pool. Pour your deck accordingly. Once the outline of the pool is marked with chalk or spray paint you are ready to dig the hole. See an Image Example of Step 1.
2. The next step will be to dig the hole according to the fiberglass pool's dig specs. This step will take 3 - 6 hours and varies in complexity with the size and shape of the pool. Sport Pools with flat bottoms are the easiest to dig. Deep well pools are more difficult. The key to a good hole is to measure frequently. You will use a builders level (transit) to measure as you go. Today, laser levels can be rented, that take the guesswork out of measurement. Once the hole is complete, string will be used to set the exact grade for the pool. This string will act as a guide when you line the hole with sand or gravel. See an Image Example of Step 2.
3. The Fiberglass pool will arrive on a truck at your home, ready to install. Now is this is where the real fun begins! The pool will be lifted off of the truck using a boom truck or, in the case of smaller pools, the trackhoe itself. You or your dealer will now need to level the pool to less than an inch. This can become a little monotonous for a first time installer. Raise that end up, now this end is too low, you get the drill. You should get this done in well under the typical 3 hour minimum for the crane. The water will seek its own level once the pool is filled. For this reason, you need to pay close attention now. See an Image Example of Step 3.
4. Ok, it is now time to plumb the Fiberglass pool and ready it for back-filling the hole around it. You or your dealer will drill two to four 2 in. holes for the returns, and optional light or automatic cleaner. If you ever plan on installing an automatic cleaner, go ahead and plumb for it now. It can always be added later. Plumbing is as simple as gluing any PVC pipe. Connect the pool and power to the filter for both the electrical and plumbing.. This can take 3 - 5 hours. See an Image Example of Step 4.
5. You will also start filling the Fiberglass pool. Each pool has a level to which it can be filled with water with no backfill around it. If you use a fire hydrant or a water truck, filling is fast. The water must remain about 12" higher than the surrounding backfill. This helps maintain the shape of the pool. See an Image Example of Step 5.
6. Rough grade is easily done with the right tools. You can either rent a small Bobcat with a landscape box, or hire someone to prepare your yard. In either case, you will want to be sure that the pool is at a local high point in the yard. Be sure that all of the ground around your Fiberglass pool slopes away from the pool. Typically you want 2" - 6" of rise at the pool edge, relative to the surrounding area. This allows rain water to drain away from the pool. See an Image Example of Step 6.
7. There are two options for pouring the deck: standard and cantilever. In a standard deck, the concrete come up to the edge of the Fiberglass pool, leaving an exposed band of fiberglass around the pool. In the cantilever deck, the concrete is poured up to and over the edge of the pool. When combined with tile, this is a very striking finish. There are many other choices: stamped concrete, slate, rock, washed aggregate, brick pavers, cool deck, and the list goes on... See an Image Example of Step 7.
8. One final note before we wrap up. It is often better to wait a few weeks before actually pouring the pool deck. The reason is that the area around the Fiberglass pool will settle over time. This is highly variable due to various soil conditions, rain levels, and backfill material. During that wait, your pool is completely ready to swim. See an Image Example of Step 8.

Other Important Fiberglass Pool Considerations....

• Water Level
   
  Do Not DrainAlso called the "main drain," this plumbing fitting is the start of one suction line to the pump and is usually situated at or near the center bottom of the pool. Your Pool!!!!!! Your fiberglass pool is designed to remain full of water at all times. If the pool is drained without proper directions, hydrostatic or ground pressure outside the pool could cause the structure to buckle or crack. All damage to the pool shell resulting from improper pool drainage is the owners responsibility.
   
  If it becomes necessary to drain the pool, contact your fiberglass pool installer or the the fiberglass pool manufacturer.
   
  For best operation, keep the water level in the center of the rectangular skimmer plate on the pool wall. Low water level may cause the circulating pump to loose prime resulting in pump damage, high water level reduces or eliminates the skimmer effectiveness.
   
• Pool Surface Care
   
  The "bathtub" ring which forms on the pool wall or tile caused by body oils, suntan lotions and air borne contaminants can easily be removed with swimming pool tile cleaner or other non abrasive commercial tile or vinyl cleaners. Do not use abrasive cleaners, steel wool, metal scrapers, brushes or tools as these may cause permanent damage to the gel coat finish. Dulled gel coat above the water line may be restored with a heavy cut automotive polishing compound either power or hand applied followed by a coat of wax. The gel-coat finish of your fiberglass pool can be scratched like any other gloss surface. The gelcoat is seven to eight times thicker than a normal coat of paint so it is not likely that scratches will be more than superficial.
  • Hair line cracks which may develop over a period of time are not uncommon. They only penetrate the gel coat and do not effect the pool's structure or result in leakage. Scratches and hair-line cracks are repairable. Contact your fiberglass pool dealer for more information. Most of the dirt and debris that sinks to the bottom of your pool can be brushed toward and into the main drain and will be trapped in the filter. Heavy amounts of dirt and debris should be vacuumed out.
  • Water Chemistry
     
    4 components make up pool water chemistry:
     
    1. Potential Hydrogen (pH) is the relative acidity or base of your pool's water. For example: low pH would be acidic and high pH would be base. The human tear has a pH value of 7 and is classified as neutral. The ideal pH value for your fiberglass pool is 7.2 to 7.4. pH levels should be checked weekly.
    2. Total AlkalinityThe ability of the pool water to resist changes in pH. The "buffering" capacity of the water. Additions of Sodium Bicarbonate will increase the levels, expressed in ppm. (T.A.) is composed of the minerals in your pool water that buffer pH and is measured in parts per million (1 P.P.M.= 1 part per million parts of water). If the mineral levels are too high, then the pH will constantly drift up. If the mineral levels are too low, the pH will drift down or fluctuate. The proper total alkalinity level for your fiberglass pool is 70 to 80 P.P.M. and should be checked weekly.
    3. Calcium HardnessA titration test is used to determine levels of the mineral calcium dissolved in the pool water. (C.H.) is the relative hardness of your pool water, and is measured in P.P.M. If the water is too soft, it will be aggressive and erode pool equipment such as heaters, ladders and even the gel coat finish. If the water is too hard, deposits will form on the pool equipment and finish. 300 to 350 P.P.M. is the proper hardness for your fiberglass pool and should be checked weekly.
    4. Total Dissolved Solids (T.D.S.) are the sum total of all materials in solution in your pool water, and is measured in P.P.M. TDS should be checked annually by a pool store professional or service company. TDS. above 1,500 P.P.M. reduces sanitizer effectiveness and causes the water to become abrasive. Note: During periods of heavy rain or high swimmer loads, all of the above water chemistry valves, except T.D.S. should be checked more frequently.

    When tests show all the above water chemistry items to be within the recommended ranges, it is in balance. Balanced water will be clean, clear, blue and sparkles. Eye and skin irritation will be reduced, and pool equipment and gel coat surface life will be extended. Balanced water improves sanitation effectiveness and reduces or eliminates the necessity of adding costly water chemistry supplements. Prolonged improper water chemistry and high sanitizer levels can lead to pool equipment and gel coat damage which may not be covered by your fiberglass pool warranty.

  • Start Up Water Chemistry Summary
    1. Adjust pH level to 7.4 - 7.6 by using testing kit supplied with your fiberglass pool.
    2. Add ChlorineA member of the halogen family of sanitizers, it's use in swimming pools is in the elemental form of a gas, liquid, granular, or tablet compound. When added to water it acts as an oxidizer, sanitizer, disinfectant, and all around biocidal agent. StabilizerSee Cyanuric Acid. Stabilizers, also called conditioners, can be added directly to your pool to extend your chlorine efficacy. Cyanuric acid is already added to certain "stabilized" products such as Trichlor tablets and Sodium Dichlor. per instructions on label of stabilizer container.
    3. Super chlorinate with chlorine per instructions on label of chlorine container.
    4. Turn on your pump which will initiate filtration. Run the pump continuously for 24 hours.
    5. Clean your filter medium by hosing off your cartridges or backwashing.

    Repeat steps 3 and 4 until water is clear.

  • Installation
    It is very important to consult the owners manual and manufacturer of the fiberglass pool.  Installation of a fiberglass pool normally should be done by professional installers, but many people have done the installation them selves.

Coping Repair
 
The coping is the capstone for the beam, and is used to finish the pools edge and bring it up flush with the pool deck. Pre-cast concrete coping with a bull-nose front edge has been the standard for many years. Modern designs are making use of bull-nose brick coping in many colors and textures. Flagstone is also a popular choice. The pool without coping has been accomplished with the cantilever deck. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's designs, the cantilever deck extends over the edge of the pool, and is free-floating. [No coping] Vinyl liner pools have their coping attached to the wall, and is usually C - shaped, such that the pool deck is poured into the coping. A typical vinyl liner pool, or a pool with a cantilever deck do not require caulking of an expansion joint, because, there is none.
 
Loose coping?
 
First question to be asked is "have you caulked your expansion joint?" Freezing water in the joint will put pressure on the coping, breaking the mortar that attaches it to the beam. Second question will be "Is the expansion joint true, or does the pool deck touch the coping?" This pushes on the coping (and the beam) every time the deck or the pool expands.
 
Crumbling mortar joints between coping stones?
 
If there is only a small check crack, it's probably not a problem. Cracking large enough to allow water to seep in will create havoc. We also want to note the possible reasons for this mortar joint to be crumbling. It could be just chemical breakdown or a bad mix, or there could be a directional force applying pressure to the area.
 
Coping replacement:
 
Typical costs for removal and replacement of pre-cast coping average $25 per linear foot. Add a few more $ for bull-nose brick, and a few more than that  for custom cut flagstone coping. To repair yourself, use a chisel and hammer and perhaps a cut saw to carefully pull up the loose stone. Carefully chip old mud off of it, and off of the beam, and reset it in a new bed of mud or thinset mortar. Once set, fill in the mortar joints between the stones.
 
Localized coping repair is billed hourly. When replacing or resetting a few coping stones, bear in mind that the new will be much brighter than the old. It is also difficult to pull up and reset coping stones because many break when coming up or when cleaning up the undersides. For this reason, many people with several, but not all bad stones, will replace all anyway. Especially if they're changing styles or colors.