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FAQ’s
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What is an insulated pool structure? Why would I want one?
· How does building with this
technology and this method benefit me?
· Will building with this insulated
pool wall system save me money?
· Can I build this myself? Do I need to
hire a contractor?
· What are the costs associated with
building a pool, spa or spool? What is a spool?
· How sturdy are the pool walls and how are they
constructed?
· Are there any depth restrictions? How is
the bottom made or shaped?
· Do I need steps?
· Do I need a main drain? Should I drain
the pool or do I need to change the water?
· What can I use for pool coping?
· What coatings or interior finished can be
installed over my structurally plastered and concrete floor? Which type of
interior finish should I choose? Can I get different colors?
· What size pump do I need? What are equipment
operating or running costs & times?
· Can you customize my pool equipment? What
other equipment can I get?
· What is a salt water chlorinator and how
will it affect a pool?
· What about a diving board or
slide?
· What are my options to heat a pool?
· Should I insulate the bottom of the pool?
· Do you have a comparison of this
pool building system with another pool system?
· What about freeze/thaw concerns in colder
climates? How is the pool winterized?
· How long does the pool last? What are the
warrantees?
· Are there any more designs than what is on
the web site? Can I get a customized design?
· How much is shipping?
· How do I get my project started? Is there any
support?
FAQ’s
What is an insulated pool structure? Why would I want one?
The technology incorporated into our pool building system is done for
reasons that need to be explained. What most people do not realize is that
the ground in which they are putting a pool in, even in the southern part
of the United States, is generally about 56 degrees even in mid-summer. As
you move north into the central parts of the United States, the ground
temperature might be 52 to 54 degrees, and as you move farther north into
the northern part of the states, the ground temperature becomes, of
course, colder. In the construction of a swimming pool, the walls and the
bottom of a pool are generally in direct contact with the surrounding
ground.
Other pool structures; metal wall, acrylic wall, fiberglass pools, and
Gunite concrete pools do not deal with the fact that they are building
structures that virtually have no insulation value to the pool water
allowing the ground temperature to infiltrate the pool structure thus
keeping the water uncomfortably cold within the pool.
The actual heat loss on the average pool (15’x30’) is 70 percent through
the wall and the bottom of the pool, and 30 percent off the surface of the
pool. The heat loss from the surface of the pool may be acceptable in
warmer climates, but there are ways to restrict that heat loss, such as:
1. a floating plastic solar bubble pool cover or (blanket), 2. an
automatic cover system, 3. and of course, there are the standard winter
covers.
How does building with this
technology and this method benefit me?
This is new energy efficient, eco-friendly, green building construction
technology for a naturally warmer pool. In non-heated pools it will
increase the usability of the pool by at least 35 percent and in a heated
pool it will reduce the heating costs by 70 to 80 percent. It’s cheaper,
easier and faster to save energy than it is to buy or produce it.
Will building with this insulated
pool wall system save me money?
Pools built utilizing this construction method can generally be built less
expensively than other types of construction methods and types of pools.
Also, the heating costs saved over time will actually pay for the
construction costs of the pool when heated.
Can I build this myself? Do I
need to hire a contractor?
The pool wall system is made of polystyrene foam panels 48” tall, 40”
long, 4” thick and the panels are notched for assembly and numbered for
placement in the desired pool design. The actual time for erecting the
panels is approximately one (1) day, and working time on the pool is about
10 days during a 2-3 week period of construction from start to finish. An
instruction manual with supplemental instructions, engineering
calculations & specifications, and a Construction demo CD come with every
kit. When you purchase a kit, you can either build it yourself and/or
contract out the work as listed below that you don't want to do yourself.
We have excellent telephone support for all who purchase our kits by
calling our building consultant before and during construction of the
pool. If you want to work with a local contractor, we would be happy to
speak with them about our pool building system. You can also refer to our
contractor list on the Contact page on this site.
What are the costs associated with
building a pool, spa or spool?
The additional costs associated with building a pool, spa or spool are to
take the cost of the particular kit being purchased and to double that
cost to figure the approximate total cost of your project (this will vary
based on how much of the work you do yourself and how much of the work you
might hire out), which would include:
1. Excavation
2. Gravel (which needs to be placed and compacted in the excavated area
prior to setting panels and again later in the construction phase behind
the walls)
3. Plastering the foam panels (two coats of structural plaster with a
polystyrene mesh embedded between the 1st & 2nd coats). The plastered
panels need to cure for about 5-7 days and the panels should be sprayed or
misted down with water on both sides for the first 3-5 days.
4. Pea-gravel backfill is placed around the outside of the pool in the
excavated area (which is self compacting and allows the pool to be in its
own environment and helps the pool to be resistant to free active earth
movement).
5. Install a 4" concrete floor over the compacted gravel base bottom or
the pool-crete floor insulation; also pour the top of each of the stair
treads and any bench seat, along with the ringbeam (8”x12”) around the
pool, and the pool equipment pad.
6. A small amount of plumbing and electrical is needed (all steel within
5’ of the water should be grounded as well as for the lighting and pumps.
An electrical permit and inspection is usually required in most states.
What is a Spool?
A spool is a small pool that has been converted into a large spa by adding
a heater, 2-stage pump, air blower, and venture jets. Now you have a
combination pool and spa that you can utilize all year long.
How sturdy are the pool walls and how are they
constructed?
The pool wall system is made of polystyrene foam panels 48” tall, 40”
long, 4” thick, are bonded together with a foam adhesive in the desired
and ordered shape of the pool. The glued panels are then plastered with
structural plaster (two coats w/polystyrene mesh embedded between the
first & second coat). The pool walls are structurally designed and tested
to support six times the amount of load that the earth normally would
exert on the wall system, indefinitely (when the pool is empty). Once
water is in the pool, the load on the outside and inside of the pool wall
is approximately the same.
Are there any depth restrictions? How
is the bottom made or shaped?
Depth of a pool is based on the width of a pool. The wider, the deeper you
can build it. All pools generally have a shallow end of 40 inches of wall
and 36” to 38” of water. The bottom can be formed when you slope the
shallow end to the deep end of the pool. You can also build a sports pool
bottom by having the deep end in the center of the pool. We generally
figure that a pool 15’ wide by 30’ long will support a depth of 6’ to 7’
deep.
Do I need steps?
Yes, under BOCA Codes and under NSPI Standard Pool Building Codes, steps
are required within the pool structure. Ladders should be provided at the
deep end or at minimum a bench or seat, which would also allow for an exit
at the deep end of a pool.
Do I need a main drain? Should I
drain the pool or do I need to change the water?
Commercial pools require main drains, but residential pools do not
normally require one. The water in a pool can be circulated through the
sides of the pool via the skimmer and most pools require at least a
suction side cleaner, which moves about cleaning and circulating the pool
water.
If main drains are installed in the bottom of a pool, you should install
at least two main drains four feet apart and plumbed in such a way that
the blocking of the either drain will not cause entrapment.
Generally speaking, the answer is no, you should not drain the pool or
change the water. Under normal situations, the water in a pool never needs
to be changed. Whatever changes occur in the water can usually be dealt
with by adding specific pool water chemicals.
If the pool interior needs to be refinished, then you would need to remove
the water from the pool. This should only be done in the summer and not
under any circumstances when there is a possibility of a high water table.
Building in a high water table, one needs to establish well points around
the pool or install a drainage system underneath the deepest part of the
pool. A separate pump would need to be connected to pump water from around
or beneath the pool should the water need to be removed the pool.
What can I use for pool coping?
You can use a variety of material for coping, look for non-skid products.
If you use a cantilevered concrete edge, we recommend a control joint 18”
from and parallel to the water line around the pool. This control joint
should have Deco-foam as the expansion joint material and should be
caulked using Deco-seal (we recommend you sprinkle sand in the control
joint to simulate the mortar joint to lessen the sheen of the Deco-seal).
12” Bullnose brick
Stone (sandstone preferably
Pre-cast concrete
Cantilevered deck coping kit*
(*such as the form offered by Stegmeier -- it can be used around the top
of a pool when employing cantilevered decking)
What coatings or interior finished can be
installed over my structurally plastered walls and concrete floor? Which
type of interior finish should I choose? Can I get different colors?
After the panels have been plastered and the floor has been poured, the
pool is ready for an interior finish. You have a few choices of types of
interior finishes; Elastameric Variable Membrane (EVM) Spray-on/roll-on
coatings (which is offered as one of the options for purchase with a kit), Pre-fabricated vinyl liners (not included—but can be
made to order by contacting liner manufacturer), Epoxy coatings, and Fiberglass (sprayed
or rolled on). The epoxy and fiberglass finishes are usually installed by
a specialty coating contractor.
Depending on the type of interior finish chosen, a pool finish will last
from 5 to 30 years. If you choose a Pre-fabricated vinyl liner, they are
said to last 10 to 15 years, but might fade around the top over time from
exposure. The EVM coating (can use pool tile at waterline) is
said to last 20 to 25 years (by far the easiest for the DIY person). Epoxy
coatings, and Fiberglass (sprayed or rolled on) are said to last 20 to 30
years (and costs twice as much and is also usually installed by a
specialty coating contractor). Plaster finish (least recommended, as the
chemicals used to keep the water sanitized breakdown that type of finish
faster and is more likely to have problems with algae and also costs more)
are said to last 5 to 10 years.
Of course, how the pool water chemistry and the pool are cared for will
affect the life of the pool finish no matter what it is. White is the
recommended color for most finishes, although you have choices of any
color. The only difference between white and other colors is that white is
the only color the company warrantees.
What size pump do I need? What are
equipment operating or running costs & times?
Each pump and pool filter system is designed and sized so that all of the
water in the pool will be cycled through the filtration system in 8 hours
or less per day. Most of our pools, the turnover rate for the water would
be 5-6 hours during the summer. In the winter when the water is cold, the
circulation times can be reduced to a few hours per day. The average
operating costs for a pool would be approximately $30 to $50 per month.
Can you customize my pool equipment?
What other equipment can I get?
Yes, we can customize your equipment; we recommend name brands – Hayward,
Pentair, and Sta-Rite. We can supply any combination of lighting, filters,
pumps, heaters, salt water chlorinators, cleaners, and covers.
What is a salt water chlorinator and
how does it affect a pool?
A salt water chlorinator converts pool salt (which has been added to the
pool water) by passing the water through a device installed in the
plumbing line that converts the salt molecule into an iodine molecule to
produce chlorine. (The amount of salt in the pool water is less than half
the salt in a tear drop). This means that any time the pool pump is
running the water is being chlorinated. The only testing or other water
maintenance that needs to be done is to monitor the alkalinity and the pH
of the water.
Are there any safety issues
or other things to consider if I want a diving board or slide?
Yes, there are and our company does not recommend either. Most residential
pools are not built to the proper depths and widths that are needed for
safe diving and should be posted to all “No Diving”. Slides are not a
problem until you have two or more children trying to go up and then down
at the same time, the one who falls usually falls on the deck. If you want
to add something for the kids, we recommend a jump rock.
What are my options to heat a pool?
One option is use solar roof panels ($5,000 approximately) or you can heat
utilizing solar tubing in the concrete deck ($8,000 approx.). Other
options are: Electric heat pumps ($5,000), Propane or Natural gas heaters
($2,500), or geothermal energy (quoted for each job by specialty
contractor).
Should I insulate the bottom of the pool?
If you are in a colder climate there are two ways to insulate the floor of
the pool. The first being to install a radiant foil barrier over the
compacted gravel and below the concrete, this would work well in moderate
climates. In colder climates, you would want to add two to three inches of
pool-crete (What is pool-crete? -- A half a bag of Portland cement mixed
with 4 Cu. Ft. of either vermiculite or perlite, whichever is available.)
This pool-crete mixture is mixed in a mortar mixer and troweled two to
three inches thick over the gravel base allowed to harden and then the
four inch concrete floor in poured over that for the finished pool bottom.
Do you have a comparison of this
pool building system with another pool system?
We used a comparison of a concrete Gunite pool versus an insulated pool
kit, as they are the most accepted of the existing pool building methods.
Gunite, metal wall, acrylic wall, and fiberglass pools are not insulated
and do not have any insulating qualities to speak of and in most cases
many of these wall systems are more expensive to purchase, ship and
install than our insulated pool wall building system.
A sample of the heat loss has been provided by one of our major builders
located in Central California (40 years in the business) of how even in a
warmer climate it is very important to isolate the water from the cold
ground that surrounds and is under the structure of a pool.
He has a standard Gunite plastered 15’x30’ pool approximately 15,000
gallons. The pool has full southern exposure and he has had the pool for
approximately 14 years. In his area, the average daytime temperature in
August is between 95 and 100 degrees with the nighttime temperature around
65 degrees. Under these conditions, the temperature of his Gunite pool was
checked at 8:00 AM and was found to be 70 degrees and again at 6:00 PM and
was only 6 degrees warmer at 76 degrees (too cold to swim in the middle of
the summer). A similar pool he built utilizing the insulated pool
structure for a customer a mile from his own pool was checked the same day
at 8:00 AM and the temperature was 78 degrees ( 8 degrees warmer) and when
checked again at 6:00 PM was 86 degrees (10 degrees warmer overall). The
same two pools were checked again mid-winter, with the daytime temperature
for the Gunite pool at 58 degrees and the insulated pool structure was 68
degrees. This is just one example in one area; the heat loss would be
greater if one was building with one of the other pool building systems.
What about freeze/thaw concerns in
colder climates? How is the pool winterized?
The pool wall is isolated from the cold ground with pea-gravel backfill
that is placed around the pool structure, which also helps make the
structure resistant to free-active earth movement. The pools are
winterized like any other pool in any geographical area with extreme cold
temperatures, which varies from climate to climate.
How long does the pool last? What are the warrantees?
Insulated Pool Kits warrantees only the pool panel structure (when built
per instructions and specifications) and that is for 50 years. It is
estimated the lifespan of the structure is 150 years. Each equipment
supplier warrantees their own products, as does each interior finish
manufacturer.
Are there any more designs other than
what is on this web site? Can I get a customized design?
Yes, there are more designs….too many to put on the web site. If you don’t
find one that suits you, however, you can send us a scaled drawing by fax
or e-mail as to what you want and we will custom design that water
structure for you, at no extra cost. We can design any size and any shape
imaginable.
How much is shipping?
The average cost for shipping in the United States is $300, which covers
the shipping of the EVM Coating material. Additional costs for
shipping equipment vary on equipment ordered and its final destination.
Shipping to the Canadian border is approximately $300 with two options.
One option is for our freight company to deal with all of the requirements
to deliver the shipment to customer and its final destination. This cost
would vary based on the orders placed (size, etc). The other option is for
our freight company to handle the shipment to border and hand over to a
broker/freight forwarding company (selected by buyer) to deal with use
taxes and transportation to final destination. Shipping time is 10 to 15
days after receipt and confirmation of funds.
How can I get my project started?
First pick your design, contact us by e-mail or fax for a pool quote with
your equipment needs and we will give you a price quote for your
individual project. If you are picking a standard pool shape from the Pool
Kits page, you can purchase the kit directly through PayPal from our web
site. We are available before, during and right up to the end of your
project. Our telephone building construction consultant is available at
800-348-6916 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Pacific Time.
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