MATERIALS USED TO BUILD YOUR POOL
An inground pool is not just one item.
It is a project filled with multiple items from different vendors. Just like a chef, there is a basic recipe but the freedom to change it is always there. These are just a few examples of what goes into the construction of a pool.
A pool wall combined with a liner is half retaining wall keeping the dirt out of the excavated area and half waterproof barrier keeping the pool water in.
Wall systems are constructed from steel, plastic or a composite material. We do not recommend plastic (polymer) walls in our market area.
Multiple factors determine which wall system is used with the vast majority in our market being steel.
POOL BASE
Under the pool liner is a bed of material to cushion and protect both the liner and the swimmer.
Swimmer comfort is one of the major differences between a concrete and vinyl liner pool.
Concrete pools are often very rough and finding kids with skinned knees is not unusual.
A vinyl liner is always soft to the touch and far more comfortable than rough concrete.
The cushioned base is a mixture of portland cement and vermiculite that is hand troweled to a smooth finish. The liner rests directly on top of it.
FLEXIBLE PVC PLUMBING
Why do we use Flexible PVC instead of hard pipe?
Better Flow.
Every foot of pipe increases friction and reduces flow from the pump.
Installing one elbow adds the same amount of friction as 9 feet of plumbing. A run of hard pipe to a fitting on the opposite side of the pool will add at least 5 elbows for a total of 45 extra feet of friction. Using flexible pipe removes these extra elbows preventing friction loss.
If you reduce the flow by too much you have to increase the size of the pump to overcome it. Increasing pump size increases your monthly electric bill.
At some point, you are going to find out how to save about $2,000 or more by using a multi-speed pump. A multi-speed pump works at lower speeds using less electric. Too much friction in the plumbing can reduce the flow to a degree that a lower speed will not function properly. Increasing the speed increases electric costs no longer saving you money.
Less connections = Less leaks
CORRECT BACK FILL
Sometimes it's the little things, attention to detail that differentiates one builder from another.
It might not seem important, but it only seems that way. Proper back fill around the pool is just as big a deal as the wall, liner and filter. If proper materials are not used, liners can float, concrete can crack and all of that happens after you pay the installer and he is gone.
We rehab pools all of the time where the back fill is pea gravel or worse, dirt from the excavated pool.
The size rock we use supports proper drainage and compaction for the concrete deck. Pea gravel and dirt do not. Builders using the wrong back fill simply do not know any better or worse, are padding their pockets.