Wholesale Fiberglass Pools

At Expert Pools, we have successfully eliminated the middleman. You can contact us or visit our showroom to choose from the variety of pool styles we offer. Once you have made your purchase, your pool shell will be prepared for delivery at our warehouse. We can then handle every aspect of the installation process. We maintain all of our own equipment, so we can keep maintain complete control throughout the construction process.

Our fiberglass pools are designed using the very latest technology. This has enabled us to develop unique fiberglass composites and protective layers that allow our pools to withstand conditions that would destroy the average fiberglass model and almost every concrete pool on the market. The durability of our pools gives you the chance to get the most out of your investment, and our heating accessories and enclosures let you swim all year round.

Preparing Your Home

There are a few things that have to be taken care of when you are preparing for the arrival of your pool. These steps will ensure that a pool can be placed in your yard or home, and they will speed up the installation process. It is important to note that each municipality has its own ordinances regarding in-ground pools. Having a survey on hand when you are visited by one of our staff members can help expedite the installation process because it will make it easier to determine whether elements of your property (like underground lines and overhead lines) meet municipal standards.

Having access to your backyard is essential when installing your pool. As we handle the installation process on our own, we know what we need to get the job done. In general, we require an opening of close to nine feet and an overhead clearance of 18 feet. Don’t worry if your backyard doesn’t fit these specs, though–there are steps we can take to make sure you get the pool of your dreams.

Viking Fiberglass Pools

When Expert Pools was asked to be part of the television show Extreme Home Makeover, we used a Viking fiberglass pool shell that was a perfect fit for the backyard we were transforming. Viking pools and spas are durable, well-crafted, and easy to install. There are also several choices with regard to shape and size, which is not always the case with fiberglass pools.

The typical Viking fiberglass spa is 50 square feet. However, there are a number of designs to choose from, and custom-sized spas can be created. The Tahoe and the Shasta are two of the most popular. They provide ample seating room, and they even offer a person the opportunity to stretch out and enjoy the soothing power of the warm spa water.

Design Additions for Viking Fiberglass Pools

 

A number of design elements can be added to Viking pools. You may want to step out into your backyard and gaze upon a pool with a stream running through it, or a water fountain cascading in the center. Pools can be found with different colored surfaces, and tiles can be used to create monochromatic patterns or mosaics.

Fiber optic lighting can have an enormous impact on the way a pool looks. It can even light up an entire backyard, lending illumination and mood to any pool party. Viking fiberglass pools can be lit in four different colors. If a waterfall or stream has been put in place, it can be lit in an entirely different shade than the rest of the pool.

Swimming Pool Manufacturers

There are marked differences between the in-ground fiberglass pools that are produced by different manufacturers. At Expert Pools, we pride ourselves on offering our customers the very best fiberglass pool designs available on the market. Our products are far stronger and will last much longer than the average fiberglass pool.

Fiberglass pools generally have a vinyl ester level and a polyester level. In the majority of designs, there is no protective layer placed between these two sections. Our pools, however, utilize a ceramic core that strengthens the entire pool. It also creates a waterproof blockade that guards the pool’s finish, greatly extending its lifespan. Expert fiberglass pools are also equipped to withstand other damaging forces such as freezing temperatures and algae penetration.

Contacting Swimming Pool Manufacturers

A number of manufacturers have taken to doing business over the Internet. While we can be reached online, we encourage anyone interested in buying a fiberglass pool to do extensive research before purchasing a pool. It is not something that should be done sight unseen. If you cannot make it out to one of the showrooms, we can schedule a convenient in-home meeting with one of our reps.

The pools we distribute are stronger, thicker, and more technologically advanced than the pools most manufacturers are producing. We also offer the best surface and structural warranties in the industry. Plus our pools can be equipped with unique accessories such as inlaid tiles, custom colored finishes and speakers.

Swimming Pool Games

Almost everyone has spent a summer day out by the pool playing a good old-fashioned game of Marco Polo. It is a simple game that requires no extra accessories and gives people the chance to jump in and out of the pool as much as they want. In fact, there are a number of pool games like Marco Polo that need no nets, balls, hoops, or anything else.

Those who are interested in playing more complex games can use their pools to double as basketball courts, volleyball courts, or even floating golf greens. Materials for pool games are relatively inexpensive. Also, the best brands are built to last for several seasons so amateur athletes will definitely get their money’s worth.

Pools Designed for Games

The average pool is not designed to support a full-fledged volleyball game. They are either too deep, too uneven, or designed in a way that makes it virtually impossible to put up a net. There are, however, fiberglass pools that were designed with games in mind.

At Expert Pools, our selection of fiberglass pool designs and styles makes it possible for a person to find a pool that is perfect for any pool game. There are no inconveniently placed bends, and the depth of the pool stays relatively constant so most people will have no problem standing. Also, the surface of a fiberglass pool is much smoother than that of a concrete pool, so people don’t have to worry about scraping their feet as they move in for overhead smashes or leap for touchdown catches.

Swimming Pool Builders

A person should never hire a swimming pool builder without first doing some research. Putting in a pool is expensive and it is a long-term investment, so it should not be taken lightly. It is a good idea to talk to at least three different contractors before settling on one. Each contractor should give a quote. Unfortunately, some still charge for this service, so it is always helpful to find contractors who provide free cost estimates.

Price should not be the only determining factor when choosing a pool builder. Their past work needs to be examined, and references should be checked just as they are when a person applies for a job. Speaking with the builder’s most recent clients can be extremely beneficial because those people will have a firm grasp on the builder’s current work practices.

Fiberglass Pool Builders

Expert Pools is the number one fiberglass pool distributor in Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. We have achieved and maintained our status at the top of the industry by offering the best fiberglass pools and products on the market, and by working directly with our customers to ensure that they are getting exactly what they want from a pool.

We are one of the few companies that offer free, in-home estimates. This means that someone can visit your house and discuss a variety of design options with you. He can also assess your construction needs firsthand to come up with a quote that is reflective of your particular situation, rather than an inaccurate quote based on generic information.

Spa Manufacturers

Expert Pools is a leading distributor of fiberglass pools and spas. Our spas are built to be much stronger than any others on the market. We employ the use of the latest technology, much of which we have pioneered, to create products that last. Our advances in design (like ceramic cores and closed coping) have revolutionized the pool and spa industry in cold climate states.

When you’re shopping for a spa, there are a few things you should be looking for. First, is the spa easy to heat? It’s always a hassle when you are ready to take a load off and relax in the spa, but you end up having to wait and wait for the water to reach a comfortable temperature. Next, you need to determine if a particular spa has all the qualities you are looking for. There are very basic models, and there are designs that feature jets with five or six different settings. There are also spas that allow for reclining, while others only have upright benches.

Spa Accessories

A number of manufacturers do not carry a wide range of accessories to go along with their spas. At Expert Pools, we offer a variety of options that can enhance the spa experience. We have enclosures that keep spas protected and provide a warm path from the house to the water.

We also offer tools such as vacuums and maintenance kits that will help you keep your spa clean. We also have fiber optic lighting options for all of our spas. This makes relaxing at night a bit safer, and a well-placed, colored light can add to the mood that the spa provides.

Small Fiberglass Pools

At Expert Pools, we carry a variety of small fiberglass pools. By taking a trip to one of our showrooms, you will have the opportunity to see designs such as the Key West, the Chesapeake, and the Freeport. These models range in size between 12′ x 25′ and 12′ x 31′. They are perfect for backyards that would be overwhelmed by larger styles, or for people who want a pool that is suitable for games such as volleyball.

Even if a fiberglass pool is small, that doesn’t mean it has to be shallow. There are small designs that are less than four feet deep, but there are others that reach depths of over six feet. In fact, certain models are flexible, and can be designed to fit the depth requirements of the customer.

Mini Fiberglass Pools

For some people, small fiberglass pools are still too big. Either their yards are compact, or they simply don’t plan on swimming any laps in the near future. At Expert Pools, we have mini designs to fit their needs. These styles, like the Oahu, can be found measuring 8’9″ x 14’3″. They tend to be about four feet deep, and they only require around 2,000 gallons of water.

Adding a heater to a mini fiberglass pool can allow a person to enjoy the benefits of both a pool and a spa. While larger than the typical spa, a mini pool can be heated in a relatively short time and outfitted with massage jets. Designs can also feature ample sitting room, so after a person spends the day swimming, he can turn up the temperature and just sit back and relax.

Lighting a Pool For Safety

A commonly overlooked aspect of safety is proper lighting. Here are some tips.

 

When talking about safety-specific products, something that’s often taken for granted in the whole equation is lighting.

But this component allows swimmers to see where they’re headed and how far they can swim or dive before bumping into the walls and floor. In a commercial setting, lighting becomes even more important, as it illuminates signs and helps lifeguards identify when people are in distress.

But in the HMAC sector (hotel, motel, apartment and condo), this part of pool design is often done incorrectly. First, the owners of these facilities often have cost concerns.

“They’re the worst, because they don’t want to spend any money,” says lighting designer Jim Weathers, president of Engineering Associates in Alvord, Texas. “They don’t want maintenance items. They don’t want to spend $700 for a pool light; they want to spend $350 on a pool light, and they’ll put on the bare minimum. That’s all a cost game.”

A number of facilities also mistakenly use low lighting to set a mood.

But some counter that mood-setting shouldn’t be the priority. “It’s safety, not just paint it pretty,” says Kent Williams, president of the Professional Pool Operators of America in Newcastle, Calif. “It has to do with the survivability of the people who swim in your pool.”

Some facility owners and operators further say they want to minimize lighting to save on energy costs. But with new, energy-efficient options such as LED lighting available, that is no longer an excuse.

“You can justify improving your lighting if you can drop the cost of doing it,” says Alison Osinski, president of Aquatic Consulting Services in San Diego.

Here, experts offer some tips on properly lighting commercial pools and spas for safety.

Know the codes — and how they don’t apply.
Virtually all codes on the books contain lighting requirements based on watts, prescribing a certain wattage per so many square feet.

But these codes can prove to be outdated. For starters, lighting technology has greatly evolved since the 1970s and ’80s, when many of these codes were written. Today’s higher-efficiency lights yield significantly more illumination per watt and don’t require as much energy. These older codes don’t consider the actual light output, which affects safety more than anything.

The Illuminating Engineering Society makes recommendations based on the number of foot candles of illumination to be detected in certain spots. For instance, in indoor pools, a reading taken 6 inches above the water’s surface should indicate a light level of at least 100 foot candles. On outdoor pools, that measurement should be at least 60 foot candles. Illumination levels can be measured using a light meter or photometer.

Some state and municipal codes only call for 3 foot candles — well below that called for by the IES. But some professionals consider that too dark. “It’s low and just so out of industry standard,” Osinski says.

Many facility designers overlook light levels on the deck, which is important to ensure that signage is readable, Osinski adds. The IES suggests a minimum of 30 foot candles be detected at eye level on the deck.

Do not use lighting directly over the pool.
Some aquatic facilities will install lighting directly over the water — not on poles around the pool perimeter, but rather on rafters, catwalks and other structures reaching across the vessel. This is a bad idea for a number of reasons.

“It creates a serious glare problem for lifeguards,” Osinski says. “What they see is the light reflecting back at them. They see a perfectly round circle [of light] in the pool and absolutely nothing below it.”

And, with the potential for a bulb to shatter and fall in the water, this placement actually causes safety problems.

Finally, this kind of configuration doesn’t promote proper maintenance. “Every time I see one of those pools with the lights over them, I look up and about five of them are burned out,” Osinski says. “I say, ‘When do you change them?’ And I hear, ‘Oh, when half are burned out.’ That’s because it’s really hard to change the bulbs.”

Rather than placing lights directly above the pool, they can be installed on the perimeter and angled toward the water. This way, the glare is reduced and it’s much easier to change the bulbs.

Light the pool uniformly.
The goal not only is to help swimmers read signs and avoid hitting the bottom of the pool, it’s also to help rescuers see when someone needs help. “You want to be able to see a body underwater, or a person who’s in distress,” Weathers says. “The biggest problem I see is probably lack of underwater lighting.”

For this reason, installers should not rely solely on local codes to establish the minimum guidelines. Codes may require a certain number of watts every so many square feet, but this doesn’t take into account the beam spread and how much coverage the lights will provide. “When you do calculations based on square footage of surface area, sometimes you have dark places between fixtures,” Weathers says. “You need to space your fixtures correctly.”

On lazy rivers and other curvy, freeform aquatic elements, space the lights closer together than normal to make sure every inch is illuminated. “You get so much coverage from each fixture,” Weathers says. “Each one’s different, so you have to really look at the beam spread on the fixture and be able to triangulate that so you don’t have dark spots.”

Getting the best possible light may require designers to incorporate new habits. Especially in HMAC pools, many designers simply place one fixture at the deep end and rely on it to illuminate the whole pool. But the light beam will fade progressively the farther it travels, so the shallow end won’t be well lit. “What they should be doing is [placing lights] on the sides, all the way to the point where it becomes too shallow to install a fixture,” Weathers says.

For the shallowest water, such as that found in beach entries and sun shelves, designers should make special considerations. Most underwater lights can only be installed in water that’s 18 inches or more deep. In these spaces, add lights nearby, such as on pole-mounted fixtures.

“You can light them overhead with flood lights and still penetrate the water,” Weathers says. (But once again, these lights should not be placed on rafters or other structures crossing above the pool. Instead, they can be on poles around the pool perimeter.)

Pay attention to key areas.
Bathers use the shallow end more often than the deep, so make sure that area is well-lit. “We used to put six times more bulbs in the shallow end than the deep end, because the deep end has much less of the swimming activity,” Williams says.

Though the deep end may have two to three times more water than the remainder of the pool, he adds, the shallow end likely will hold the vast majority of swimmers. “So the shallow end needs a lot of light,” Williams says. “Any simple state rule saying you need one illuminator per 1,000 square feet isn’t sufficient.”

Additionally, make sure that drains are well-illuminated, so they can be easily seen for detection of missing or broken outlet covers, says Tom Ebro, a water safety specialist with Aquatic Risk Management in Lutz, Fla.

Use color sparingly, if at all.

If the goal is to detect the human form in distress as quickly as possible, Ebro says, it’s best to have as much contrast as possible. Thus, the ideal scenario is a light-colored pool interior with white light. Colored lights can interfere with quick recognition of a struggling person. In a commercial setting, avoid colored lighting.

Warn customers about maintenance and replacement.
Even when pools and spas begin with the right amount of illumination to meet codes and standards, time can erode that away.

“Part of the problem with lighting is you’ll go in and have a compliant situation with the [right amount of] foot candles, and over a period of time, the ballasts or light will get dirty, and you’ll go to less than [the needed] foot candles,” says Bill Rowley, president of Rowley International Inc. in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. “Now you’re not compliant and you don’t know it. Then you’ll get into a situation with a lawsuit where you’re less than the [needed] foot candles, and even if it doesn’t have anything to do with the lawsuit, it will be cited.”

When completing a pool and “handing over the keys,” so to speak, designers and builders should warn owners and operators about the need to clean bulbs and ballasts, and to replace lights.

Explain to those in charge of maintenance that they should not wait until half the lights are burned out to begin replacing bulbs. This applies to in-pool lighting and other lighting in the area.

Inform pool owners and operators that too many burned-out bulbs can come back to haunt them if an accident occurs.

“If you don’t have enough light in a pool [so] that you can’t really perceive what the depth is, you haven’t got a chance,” Rowley says. “I’ve been involved in litigation where lights were burned out, which gave a false indication of the pool depth, and someone dove in and hurt themselves.”

Source: Rebecca Robledo – Pool and Spa News | 9.30.2011

Alternative Sanitizers

Alternative   Sanitizers

 

Alternatives to traditional sanitizers   and filtration media

All-natural.   Biodegradable. Non-toxic.

By now, pool professionals have heard the hype over the latest   environmentally friendly purification and filtration alternatives. And many   are finding a captive audience among pool owners who seek “green” solutions   to their service needs.

But green, in many cases, is a concept that resides in the eye of the   beholder. Fewer chemicals up front could mean greater toxicity or increased energy   use on the back end.

“Of the 80,000-plus chemicals that are in the stream at the moment, only a   small handful have been studied for their health and safety impacts,” says   Maziar Movassaghi, Acting Director of the California Department of Toxic Substances   Control in Sacramento. “So there are many claims, but the efficacy of those   claims is really unknown in a lot of cases.

“The point is that claims of being greener may in fact raise more questions   than answers right now,” he says, “so you have to be careful.”

That said, following are some technologies or systems with swimming pool   service applications that could be considered environmentally friendly,   accompanied by thoughts from professionals on their own experiences. Note:   This is not an endorsement of any particular product or methodology.

Ionization-oxidation sanitizers
These hybrid water-purification systems typically involve a pair of   sanitizing agents that are used in conjunction with low levels of chlorine.

One such system supplies a dual stream of sanitizing metallic ions — often   copper and zinc — to the pool water. The copper ions work as an algaecide,   while the zinc ions act to kill bacteria. Another set of electrodes produces   active oxygen, which also seeks to eradicate organics, algae and waste   matter.
Weekly testing of pH and copper levels is required. And chemicals such as   muriatic acid or baking soda may need to be added to neutralize pH.

But manufacturers maintain the amount of metals dispensed into the pool is   low — typically much less than what might cause staining. And benefits may   include smoother-feeling water and less corrosion of pool surfaces.

“One of their claims to fame is that you can actually drink up to two gallons   of the water, and it still only produces the equivalent copper as you’d get   in a multivitamin,” says Dale Given, owner of Brite Pool Service in Arcadia,   Calif.

“Plus you avoid the bleaching of the skin and bathing suits that you might   get with [more] chlorine,” he adds. “And they use around 10 percent of the   energy as a salt cell system.”

Given has been testing the product in his own pool for some time, and he’s   been pleased with the results thus far. Plus, he says about half-a-dozen of   his route customers have requested the systems.

Though he’s taking it slowly, Given is nonetheless impressed with his own   personal experience. “So far it’s working,” he says. “And environmentally   it’s very sound — there’s no eye burn, no chloramines, and it’s cheaper to   run. The pool is very swimmable and very fresh.”

Catalytic enzyme/phosphate remover


These   systems use natural enzymes to break up contaminants and remove bacteria. And   weekly maintenance is said to be sufficient to prevent future algae growth   and maintain clear water.

Manufacturers claim the product, which is added straight to the water or   circulation system, is non-allergenic and nonflammable, carries a lengthy   shelf life, and is non-corrosive to decks and coping.

Service techs have found the systems create reduced chlorine usage, little to   no recurrence of algae, increased water clarity and stabilized chlorine   levels.

In spring, Todd Starner began converting about one-third of his 100 Tampa,   Fla.-area pools to enzyme sanitizers. In the first 30 days, he says, chlorine   levels increased slightly. But soon after the enzymes became active and those   levels steadied.

“It will give you the clearest water you’ve ever seen,” says Starner,   regional director of the Independent Pool and Spa Service Association’s   Region 11 covering Florida and Georgia.

“You can also manage your TDS levels better with it,” he adds, “and you can   knock down the bleach you’re using. It’s been my method for satisfying   customers who want to go green.”

They do tend to run more expensive than traditional bleach sanitizers (about   $.50 an ounce vs. around $.92 a gallon in some markets), according to   Starner, who uses 5 ounces per pool, give or take.
“The green concept always has a price,” he says. “But so far I’ve been very   happy with it.”

Cellulose fiber filtration media


Non-toxic   when backwashed, natural cellulose fibers are becoming popular replacements   for diatomaceous earth (DE) filtration. They also work as filter aids and can   help boost water clarity when used in cartridge and sand filters.

Cellulose fibers, which may resemble crushed paper, actually come from trees,   so they’re a non-silica-based renewable resource that’s also biodegradable.   And because of their makeup, they filter particles down to 2 microns in some   cases — finer than even DE, according to manufacturers.

Most types of cellulose fiber are very low in density, meaning much less is   required to achieve a similar filtration rate as DE. A shorter   backwashing/recharging cycle may occur following the initial application. But   once the water has been stabilized, those cycle times typically increase to   at least twice those of DE cycles.

In Ramsey, N.J., Bob Baron has been experimenting with cellulose fiber   filtration for some time. In fact, about two- to three years ago, he used the   fiber media on every pool along his residential route.

And though Baron did note cost was a concern among customers, making it more   difficult to distribute on the retail side, he still speaks highly of the   technology.

“I don’t have to breathe in the DE,” says the owner of Baron Pool Service. “And   it’s not clogging things up when we dump it into the waste lines. It’s a   better product for the environment — we use it in a lot of places.”

Sonic waves and metal removers
In the past few years, the service marketplace has seen even more purportedly   greener products emerge to address persistent problems like algae and heavy   metals in pool water.

Though still a relatively unproven technology for recreational aquatics use,   sound waves have been shown to kill algae and contaminants. These sonic   systems can be used in concert with aeration systems or UV filtration.

Much like a high-pitched shriek causes glass to shatter, these cleaning   systems emit complex sound waves to vibrate and allegedly break up algae   cells. Still, at this point they may be better suited for pond settings — or   large commercial vessels — than residential pools.

In contrast to traditional metal eliminators, another technology uses a   powdered chelating agent to quickly attach to heavy metals like iron and   manganese. The material acts as a sponge to absorb the dissolved metals, and   traps them in a bag that is immersed in the skimmer basket.

Also billed as nontoxic and biodegradable, this system is engineered for   fresh and saltwater pools, and does not interact with other pool chemicals,   proponents say.

Source: Dan Schechner – Pool and Spa News | 9.30.2010