Oct
8
Ease of construction and cleaning are the two big advantages of in-ground fiberglass swimming pools. However, they are not as long lasting as the more traditionally constructed concrete swimming pools. Fiberglass pools are often more expensive too.
The appeal of fiberglass pools is that they come as one huge single piece of fiberglass that is then put into a ground excavation using a crane. It is then fitted with electrical equipment and pluming, and connected to the outside edge. This process is considerably simpler than concrete construction, and therefore the ease of fiberglass inground pool construction is unmatched.
But because of their single piece mold nature, custom shaped fiberglass pools are not available. However, manufacturers do make numerous standard shapes and sizes to choose from. Some even come with features such as a spa, swim jets, children’s area, sun tanning ledge, and steps included.
Because they come as a single large piece, fiberglass swimming pools are also limited to locations where there is delivery access. Before purchasing a fiberglass pool, it is therefore imperative to verify that a large delivery truck, as well as the proper crane equipment can reach the construction site.
Fiberglass pools’ cleaning advantage comes form the smooth nature of their inside surface, which is specially coated. The smooth coating makes it difficult for algae to stick to. However, over about 10 to 15 years, the pool’s surface does start to deteriorate due to sun and water chemical exposure, and recoating is problematic. New coatings often fail to stick to the surface properly, and additionally recoating requires the pool to be fully drained, which is a problem within itself for fiberglass pools. Since it is not very strong, the fiberglass structure requires the pressure of the outside soil to be counteracted with the pressure of the water from within, and therefore draining a fiberglass swimming pool can lead to cave-ins in types of soil that tend to expand.
