As much as we’d like to tell you that owning a pool is all sunshine and rainbows, the truth is, it’s not. As with any major investment, there are potential issues that you may encounter and it is important that you are aware of these issues before fully committing to purchasing a pool.
Now, it’s not our intention to scare you with these problems, but you need to be aware of what you may encounter in the future. We’ll tell you how to deal with these problems and possibly avoid them by taking proper care of your pool.
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Repairs of coloured surfaces
Problem
The standard white or blue gelcoat has become just that – the standard. And for many people, the standard is no longer fun. They want something different, something that stands out! What they see on the Internet or in their friends’ houses, they want bold and bright colours.
Therefore, coloured/glitter gelcoats are becoming more and more common. And while it does provide a different look than standard gelcoat, there may be some issues that could occur with future colour/sparkle gelcoat repairs.
If you need to repair a pool surface that has a gelcoat colour other than white or blue, it can be difficult to find materials that exactly match the factory finish.
Solution
We should point out that most well-maintained fiberglass pools do not need repairs for the first 20-40 years, which is a decent amount of time. So, this is something that won’t appear for a while.
But when it comes down to it, the type of gelcoat finish you choose has a significant impact on how the repairs turn out.
If you choose coloured gelcoat, keep in mind that it is applied in multiple layers, which can consist of solid colour, metallic flakes and clear coat. They overlap each other to create a finished finish, but this process can only be done during the manufacturing process.
Therefore, it is not possible to re-finish the gelcoat in the same way, but it can come very close to the original factory finish. Then the final results will end up looking slightly different, but should still look great.
However, solid gelcoat finishes like standard white and blue allow us to do a factory-accurate repair because it’s one coat, not multiple. What does it mean? Well, basically this means we can duplicate the gelcoat manufacturing process and match the factory finish so there is little to no difference in finish.
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Spider cracks in gelcoat Problem
Spider cracks are hairline cracks that occur only through a thin layer of gelcoat and do not extend into the entire structure of the pool.
These cracks are the result of pressure on a certain point of the pool shell that the elasticity of the gelcoat cannot withstand, or on non-cantilevered tops of pool liners that have been exposed to high heat. It is very unlikely that you will have any objects around the gelcoat after the pool is installed, so spider cracks are more likely to be the result of improper shipping, manufacturing error, or an installation error by the pool manufacturer.
They also tend to be isolated in one small part of the fund and do not affect the entire structure as a whole. So, they don’t cause significant damage to worry about.
These occur with normal wear and tear on the pool and there really isn’t much you can do to prevent them. They are also hard to see with the naked eye, so they don’t spoil the look of the pool for you or anyone else.
Solution
Fiberglass pools are known for their durability and strength, but they need to be transported and installed correctly and carefully. So, the solution to the fight against spider cracks is more up to us and the responsibility of the manufacturers than it is up to you. As above, resurfacing can repair any spider cracks.
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Bulging
pool walls Problem
During the installation process of a laminate pool, we must complete a process called backfilling.
You see, since we’re digging a hole that’s about 30 inches larger in diameter than the shell, we have to fill the open space between it and the ground.
We use two materials to fill the remaining space – clean stone and sand. Whereas stone is usually the best infill material because it allows water to flow through it and does not liquefy. Sand is allowed to be used only if the pool is built in a sandy environment.
The main reason not to use sand in an environment other than its own is that sand, when saturated with water, liquefies (there is always some ground water around any pool) so it is heavier than the water that fills the pool. Therefore, if the pool wall is not strong enough, the sand can create such pressure around the pool that the walls bulge.
Solution
The best thing you can do to prevent the walls from bulging is to make sure your contractor installs the pool properly by using clean rock as backfill during the installation process if it is not in a sandy environment.
Since the stone is solid and does not react to water like sand, it will not be heavier than the water in the pool and therefore will not cause the wall to cave in.
Not only does it provide a solid barrier between the pool and the ground where the original hole was dug, but the fiberglass pool shell will be able to hold its own ag
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