Pool Troubleshooting: Bottom Drain Clogged. Most likely break the pool bottom or if the pool is strong enough to take it, the pool will rise. Water-pressure imbalances and poor foundation surfaces contribute to the development of bulges and cracks in fiberglass pool walls. One of the joys of fiberglass pools, is the very limited number of things that can go wrong. This act stated that any public swimming pools have dome-shaped covers over their swimming pool main drains so that the possibility of entrapment is reduced. They can be constructed to surround the deck and blend in with the deck floor. Exactly how often will depend on your maintenance and upkeep, usage and environment. Some googling suggests ground water getting around and under the pool as a possible cause. Copyright. This would neutralize the condition and with the force of the concrete on the pool lip it will simply stay in place. It drains … The bottom of this well should be dry for the repair. With the signing into law of the Virginia Graeme Baker Act , all pools and spas that are constructed must have dual main drains, 36″ apart, and a cover that confirms with the reference standard. Good luck getting this to simply “pop” out. Following Thursday Pools® dedication to quality they have innovated a system that will enable the fiberglass swimming pool to be drained without voiding the warranty. ... With different main drains used on a fiberglass pools you cannot simply use this device, until now. Because of that, they don’t take care to properly guard their swimming pool main drain, until tragedy strikes. Do i have to install the 2 main drains on a flat bottom 52″ pool. There’s very little maintenance involved in a main drain of a swimming pool other than cleaning it and the cover. Be sure to use a sump pump to drain your pool instead of the main drain so you can ensure that none of the glass is getting into the circulation system. Why do Fiberglass Pools Blister? And it’s important to fully understand what your swimming pool’s main drain does so that you can keep it working properly, and so that you can protect the swimmers in the pool from it. The government did not make it mandatory that private pools take steps to replace existing main drains, however, if you will be doing any work to your pool it’s a great time to make the change for safety. As stated in the previous section, most in-ground pools should be completely drained and have the water replaced every five to seven years. However most swimming pools do usually have some kind of pressure relief system in place. Free Shipping USPS or FedEx or UPS depending on what makes the most sense for me. It is my understanding that they have about a 7 year life, and are between a $700 to $1000 item to replace. It may be hard to find the plug for purchase though. Building the pool fence – the last step before you can go swimming in your new pool is building the pool fence. Global shipping program is also available. Swimming pools, of course, are always lovely and inviting, but if you’ve ever seen a dark bottom pool you’ll know that they have a little something extra, a deep and mysterious and enticing allure that other pools can’t touch. With the Fiberglass Pool Anchoring System™ By Thursday Pools® it utilizes a Geo-Hydro Valve™ and Geo-Anchor Pool Wall™ that keeps the fiberglass pool in place when draining. Our fiberglass in-ground swimming pools are incredibly durable. Our storage facility, is full with fiber glass pools, fiberglass pool shapes, prefab pools, and San Juan Pools - AP FIberglass Pools & Consulting in Phoenix. I know fibreglass is designed to flex a bit, but I'm worried it might crack if it flexes too much. During normal operation, water flows to the filtering system through two or more main drains at the bottom of the pool and multiple skimmer drains around the top of the pool. The drain pipe is an 8" PVC pipe that extends from the top of the patio to the bottom of the excavation. Fiberglass Pool Water Features Spot drains: are smaller drains placed in strategic places; they feed into a horizontal pipe that carries water from the patio. Step 1 – Drain the Pool and Inspect the Extent of Damage. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Shipped with USPS Priority Mail. One of the biggest misconceptions about swimming pool main drains is that they actually drain the pool. Keep in mind before you drain the pool you must contact Thursday Pools. Vinyl pools not needing protection against hydrostatic pressure can potentially delete their main drain with the only concern being the compromised filtration and circulation of the pool … All states should take note. Fiberglass pools settle because the foundation under the pool moves, plain and simple. In participating states, all drains must be capped with VGB-approved covers. The concrete edge acts as a collar to hold the fiberglass pool in place, if you ever need to drain and service the pool. ... Add backfill to fill the voids left by the now missing form boards. Concrete pool surfaces have a bad reputation for scraping hands, knees and feet. Floating is not exclusive to any type of pool or anything that is in the ground for that matter. Instead, it is an outlet, housing a pipe that runs to the pump, which sucks water through a skimmer, then through a filter, then through a heater (if you have one), and then back to the pool via multiple inlets. The federal 2007 Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act regulates swimming pool main drains. ... Sump tubes are pipes installed at the deep end of a pool that run vertically from the pool deck to the very bottom of the pool floor. So single-drain pools will need retrofitting. If you have a pond that does not have a bottom drain but wish you had installed one, or do you have a bottom drain and want to install another here is the answer. We have heard this statement more times then we can remember but the facts are pretty simple. Our inground swimming pools are custom concrete swimming pools, fiberglass swimming pools and vinyl liner swimming pools. You won’t encounter the same problems that gunite and concrete pools encounter with this growth. The hydrostatic valve in my fiberglass pool is leaking. How to Prevent Fiberglass Pool Pop Ups. Specifically, the language states that all vessels, new or existing, must have some kind of entrapment protection, whether it be multiple or unblockable drains, a drainless system or a device such as an SVRS. A main drain circulates the pool's water by pulling water off the bottom of the pool and sending it to the filter. What I do have a problem with, especially in light of someone's loved one dying, is the unwillingness to learn. In order to fix a bulging or cracked fiberglass pool, the first thing you need to do is drain the pool and let it dry out so you have full access to the damaged area and so that water doesn’t get into the crack or prevent your repair from drying. Fiberglass pool repairs often entail sealing cracks and maintaining pool walls. During winter months or periods of non-use, most pool drains do not need to be plugged, but in some cases plugging a main drain is required or recommended. There are reduced maintenance needs with a fiberglass pool. Davy Merino on June 29, 2020 at 6:58 am said: John, having a main drain will help with circulation and water clarity, and cleanliness, but is not absolutely necessary in a pool only 52″ deep, and with such small dimensions. At Last The First Fiberglass Pool You Can Drain. Take the cover off of the main drain and plug the line going to the equipment with an expandable rubber plug. A Fiberglass pool should always have water in it. Fiberglass Pools can 100% float. This law is specifically designed to prevent future entrapment injuries. In normal conditions the water table would be lower then the bottom of the pool, there would be no rain thus meaning no water around the pool. Simply put it is a basic spring valve that will open if the water pressure below the pool exceeds the pressure above it. Required fields are marked *, ©2019 AquaServ Pool & Spa Inc | All Rights Reserved | 630.649.2715 | Info@PoolsByAquaServ.com, ® it utilizes a Geo-Hydro Valve™ and Geo-Anchor Pool Wall™ that keeps the fiberglass pool in place when draining. What does this mean for existing pools and spas? This is another great reason why our fiberglass pools are perfect for regions with seasonal cold and warm cycles. While they don’t have to replastered or re-lined, they do need a gel coating replacement every 15 years. Osmosis quite simply is the physical process by which a liquid from a weaker medium is drawn through a semi-permeable membrane into a stronger liquid medium. A pool drain cover should be replaced if worn or broken. These are scientific facts and not salesman propaganda, lets paint the picture. Now we can put the rumor to rest, there is a fiberglass pool you can drain without voiding warranty. Oh and not just fiberglass pools, gunite pools will do this as well. This is a great way to ensure that your drain is clear, but it does require that you drain and refill your pool afterwards. To keep people from getting their hair or limbs caught in the plumbing, the drains are almost always covered with grates or antivortex covers (a cover that diverts the flow of water to prevent a dangerous vortex from forming). Both concrete pools and fiberglass pools must have a main drain in order to have a place to install the hydrostatic relief valve. Unlike trench drains, slot drains do not have removable grates. In fact, one of the great attractions of fiberglass pools, is the relative lack of maintenance. Water weights roughly 8 lbs a gallon so a pool with a water volume of 15,000 gallons has a force holding it down of 120,000 lbs (15,000 x 8lbs). The pool should be maintained as per the warranty specifications set by Barrier Reef Fiberglass Pools LLC. 3. This is not debatable with any scientific merit. Now lets add a situation of a high water table and heavy rain equaling the amount of water around the pool compared to the volume in it. Fiberglass pools have many advantages over alternatives. For many, the very presence of the law has continued to beg a fundamental question — if they're unnecessary for pool circulation, why have bottom drains at all? Main drain is essential for proper function of any pool sweep cleaner of sand, dust, small debris, DE remnants, etc. With both parts of this system it gives you complete control and even more peace of mind for years to come! Use a cup to scoop out any water in the main drain well after you remove the main drain cover. This design allows the drains to be far enough apart that one person could not block both drains … Open box liquidation item. Let’s break it down: No liner to replace. Your email address will not be published. That's Kirk Sullivan's position. With different main drains used on a fiberglass pools you cannot simply use this device, until now. Fiberglass pools are more likely to have a functional HRV than concrete pools simply because there are so many 50 year old concrete pools still in operation, and vastly less so, fiberglass pools of similar age.