Why Choose a Fiberglass Pool
A fiberglass pool is one of three choices when it comes to in-ground pools. Those choices include a concrete pool, the most popular type of pool in the country. The concrete pool is constructed on site, with steel supports reinforcing the excavation area and then concrete applied onto the steel supports. It can take up to two months to install a concrete pool. The next choice is a vinyl-lined pool, which is popular because it is the least expensive of the three options. After the area for the pool is dug out, a frame is built, sand is applied at the bottom and the vinyl liner is attached to the wall of the structure. The installation is not as time-consuming as a concrete pool, perhaps lasting 3 to 4 weeks.
Benefits of a Fiberglass Pool
- Ease of installation. Because a fiberglass pool is manufactured off site, the installation process on a homeowner’s property is relatively simple compared to concrete or vinyl-lined pools. The already constructed shell of the pool arrives in a single piece, and is ready to be placed into the ground. The pool must then be leveled and heating, filtration and plumbing is completed. The entire process can take as little as a week.
- Easy maintenance. Most fiberglass pools are made from acrylic or similar materials that resist stains, are completely smooth and also resist the formation of algae. The interaction between the water and the rough surface of a concrete pool adds alkaloids to the water which must be controlled with chemicals. Fiberglass pools require fewer chemicals to achieve a proper pH balance and generally stay cleaner than concrete pools.
- Easy on the pocketbook after installation. Vinyl-lined pools are generally a good bit less expensive than fiberglass pools, but the main element of that type of pool – the liner – must be replaced at some point. Experts disagree, but the general range is between 5 and 10 years. Concrete pools also must be relined over time, perhaps 7 to 10 years after installation. Because fiberglass pools are made in a single piece with no corrosive properties, they never require resurfacing.
- Increased selection. What had been a significant disadvantage for fiberglass pools has become much less of a liability in recent years. The design of concrete pools still is only limited by the imagination and ability of the pool contractor. Fiberglass pools are pre-fabricated, and so are limited to the pre-fabrication choices. Those choices have increased recently, according to Pool and Spa News. It is not unusual to find a manufacturer with 40 or more pool choices and many of them moving away from the standard rectangle.