|
Warranty
If you are getting other quotes, ask if a lifetime warranty is being provided on the structure of the swimming pool. At best with a concrete swimming pool you will get a 10 year warranty – do you hope to have your pool longer than 10 years?
Consider also that only Leisure Pools offers a 10 year warranty and our exclusive Aquagaurd® gel coat finishes. Most other fiberglass manufacturers can only offer a 1 year warranty or no warranty at all.
Dispelling the Myth
The most common myth surrounding fiberglass pools and propagated by competitors in Gunite pools or Vinyl Liner pools is that "Fiberglass pools pop or float out of the ground." When you are told this you should immediately ask just how does a pool with 80 tons of water in it pop out of the ground?
The reality is that any more gunite or vinyl liner pools pop or float than do fiberglass pools. In fact any watertight object will float if there is more water under it than in it. Pools can only float when they are drained and the water under the pool exerts upward pressure because there is no water in the pool.
So why would you need to drain a pool? Gunite pools need frequent draining to remove cracks, acid wash, clean stains and re-plaster the pool. Similarly, vinyl liner pools must be drained to replace liners or repair liners. Fiberglass pools carry a lifetime warranty and never need resurfacing so there is no need to drain the pool. So the end result is that many more gunite and vinyl pools float than do fiberglass; don't be fooled.
Anyone concerned with water under the pool should consult their pool dealer and have a simple drain installed so that water under the pool can be monitored and drained if necessary. There are a wide selection of solutions so there should never be any damage to any pool as a result of high water levels under the pool.
Fiberglass VS. Concrete and Vinyl Pools
Here's a chart comparing Fiberglass, Concrete (Gunite) and Vinyl Liner pools. We've put the data together so that you can weigh the benefits of buying a Fiberglass pool for yourself.
|
Fiberglass
Pools
|
Concrete
(Gunite) Pools
|
Vinyl Liner
Pools
|
Warranty
|
Lifetime by the Manufacturer
|
1-5 years by contractor
|
Liner seams only
|
Installation
Time
|
5-13 days, ready for decking using few (if any) subcontractors.
|
8-12 weeks using many different subcontractors.
|
2-3 weeks using few subcontractors.
|
Shapes of
Pools
|
Limited to the models of the manufacturer.
|
Unlimited
|
Limited to the models of the manufacturer.
|
Price of
Pools
|
Average
|
High
|
Average
|
Estimated Chemical Usage |
Surface does not alter water's chemical balance. Substantially fewer chemicals used.
|
Plaster reacts with water to raise pH levels. Uses substantially more acid & chlorine to counterbalance this chemical reaction.
|
Surface does not alter waters' chemical balance. Substantially fewer chemicals used.
|
Estimated
Electricity Use |
Circulate Water 4-6 hours daily.
|
Circulate Water 8-10 hours daily.
|
Circulate Water 5-7 hours daily.
|
Surface
Texture |
Smooth, non-abrasive to skin or swim suits, walking and seating areas are textured for slip resistance.
|
Rough, causes skin abrasions to feet, hands and swim wear.
|
Slippery, easily punctured or torn by toys, pets, or surfacing rocks.
|
Algae
Penetration |
Algae sweeps off with wall brush.
|
Algae grows and is harbored in pores of gunite. Acid baths and scrubbing required to remove algae. |
Seams of liner harbor algae.
|
Estimated Maintenance Time |
1/2 hour per week maximum
|
4-5 hours per week
|
2-3 hours per week
|
Major Renovation |
None
|
Re-marcite or re-plaster at 5-7 years.
|
Vinyl Liner needs to be replaced every 7- 9 years.
|
Stairs and Seating |
Built into pool shell.
|
Optional & Additional Cost.
|
Optional & Additional Cost.
|
Quality
Control |
Manufactured in environmentally controlled factory under stringent quality control standards.
|
Manufactured on-site. No environmental control.
|
Kit manufactured in factory. Quality of on-site assembly varies by installer.
|
Type of
Coping |
Fiberglass or concrete
|
Concrete
|
Aluminum (which easily corrodes)
|
Loan Acceptance |
Excellent
|
Good
|
Fair
|
|
little as 4 days. Compare that to a concrete pool that can take months to complete and during that time your backyard looks a mess!
resistant. 
so with Leisure Pools fiberglass. The surface is chemically inert so there is nothing in the pool surface that can alter the water chemistry. Hence, very low chemical usage and considerable cost savings on running your pool.
Color Range
Sometimes what we see in our minds doesn't always translate to the pool builder. With Leisure Pools, what you see is what you get. The swimming pool styles and sizes come off molds and cannot vary in any way.