Does a Fiberglass Swimming Pool Use Less Electricity?

Gunite pools typically require many hours of circulation. The rough, porous surface slows down the water movement significantly. Dirt falls into pores of plaster, so more brushing and vacuuming is needed to keep the pool sparkling clean! The older (and rougher) the pool gets, the longer it takes to circulate the water! The smooth surface of a fiberglass pool is an ageless beauty!

Typical fiberglass pools circulate completely in just a few hours each day. Because the satin smooth surface provides little resistance to water movement, water circulates much more quickly and with fewer hours of pump operation in a fiberglass pool. With no pores in which dirt can settle, fiberglass pools look and stay cleaner too.

Higher electrical costs are rarely calculated into overall price of the pool, but they should be! You may already cringe when the electricity bill arrives, but choosing a fiberglass pool can make this increase easier on your pocketbook!

Fiberglass Swimming Pools Use Less Chemicals

The pH value in a fiberglass pool stays stable because no chemical reaction occurs between the gel coat and water. Acid is rarely (if ever) used, so chlorine use is significantly less. A fiberglass pool typically uses about 70% less chemicals each month! Algae can only grow on (not in) the surface of a fiberglass pool and simply wipes off with a brush to be circulated away.

A natural chemical reaction occurs between plaster and water, causing alkalinity from the plaster surface to leach out into the water. This reaction constantly alters the pH value. Acid or soda ash plus additional chlorine is used to combat the constant change. Algae that grows from within the pores of the plaster must be removed with muriatic acid. At a cost of $60 - $80 per month, pool service companies make a good living maintaining gunite pools.

Many fiberglass pool owners find caring for their pool so easy, that paying someone $60 - $80 per month is completely out of the question! Water chemistry can be intimidating enough, without the pool working against you. A fiberglass pool is easy to maintain... no degree required!

Are Fiberglass Pools Cheaper?

The answer is truthfully yes and no. In many areas of the country, the purchase price of a fiberglass pool is about the same or slightly more than a equivalent gunite pool. Fiberglass is more expensive than a vinyl liner pool, and should be! The materials are more expensive, but fiberglass lasts forever! An uninformed buyer may mistakenly assume fiberglass pools fall in the temporary, above-ground price range, which is not true.

The real fiberglass savings are seen each month in electrical and chemical costs. These expenses are higher in a vinyl or gunite pool and add up quickly. In areas where fiberglass pools initially cost more, the difference is quickly made up after a few years of paying these bills. The wise buyer who chooses fiberglass may have a $10 - $20 higher monthly loan payment, but receives the tax deduction from that loan each year. Another expense to consider along with the purchase price, is the cost to resurface or reline those other types of pools. A fiberglass purchase is once and for all, typically wrapped up in the initial tax-deductible loan. The homeowner will never need to pay for a $2,900 - $5,000 renovation!

Will an Inground Pool Destroy the Resale Value of a Home?

The misconception about pool ownership still exists today. Thirty years ago swimming pools were a hassle to own and operate. Today, with the advent of smooth, non-porous finishes such as fiberglass, owning a new pool couldn’t get any easier. Manufacturer’s have also perfected automatic pool cleaners, automatic timers, automatic pool covers and even automatic chemical feeders. Unfortunately, the old pool mentality still exists with people not familiar with modern pool systems. Another big fear among potential home buyers is unexpected repairs to the pool structure. If you explain that a fiberglass shell has a lifetime warranty it should help your sale. If that still isn’t satisfactory and your potential buyer simply does not want a pool, you can move a fiberglass pool to another location or sell it for market value and regain some of your investment. Concrete and vinyl lined pools cannot be moved and end up in the local landfill.

Will Frost Damage a Fiberglass Swimming Pool?

Another common misconception about fiberglass pools is that they crack from ground frost. Common sense will tell you that the bottom of your pool shell is well below the frost line. Just like the foundation of your home, we line the excavated pool shell with a bed of pea stone. The biggest problem caused by ground frost is to the concrete deck. To help stop some of the cracking issues to the concrete deck we install rerod reinforcement and also use a high tensile strength concrete mix.