Myths about Fiberglass Pools
Top 4 Myths about Fiberglass Pools Top 4 Myths about Fiberglass Pools
Despite the exponential growth of the composite (fiberglass) market throughout the United States, I have found there are still some serious myths regarding the potential drawbacks of owning a fiberglass pool. Hopefully the following paragraphs will address and alleviate these issues.
Myth #1: Fiberglass pools will float up or pop up.
This is one of the most amusing, and most common, of all misconceptions I have heard regarding fiberglass pools.
The pool is always full of water, but the concrete deck engulfs the pool’s outer lip. This makes it impossible for the pool to move unless the concrete deck moves with it. Hopefully I am explaining myself clearly here. I have hundreds of customers who would be happy to verify these facts.
Please don’t be fooled by anyone who uses this ploy as a means to push a potential customer in a different direction.
FACT: If anyone (especially another pool dealer) tells you that fiberglass pools pop out of the ground, they are trying to use fear as a means of motivating you to get another type of pool.
Myth #2: Fiberglass pools look cheap.
Had someone said this 15 years ago, I would have agreed with such a statement.
But times have changed in the fiberglass industry, especially with the introduction of cantilever concrete coping, colored pool finishes, waterline ceramic tile, mosaic inlay tile, fiber-optic lighting, water features, etc, etc.
With so many options and features to choose from, homes of all value ranges can easily find a pool that corresponds aesthetically with their appearance. When I show pictures of the fiberglass pools installed customers often get asked if they are seeing concrete pools.
This is because fiberglass pools are now very beautiful and permanent looking. .
FACT: Customers of all economic levels, including those with homes valued at over $1 million), are choosing the fiberglass advantage
Myth #3: Fiberglass Pools only work in warm climates.
This one really makes no sense to me at all. Fiberglass has the ability to “flex” due to its incredible tensile strength, much more so than any other type of permanent pool (i.e. concrete). This is an accepted fact in the swimming pool industry.
When people are concerned about freeze conditions having an adverse affect on fiberglass, they are forgetting that the water in a pool, when it freezes, expands in an upward direction (where there are no barriers).
FACT: When water in a pool freezes, it expands upward, not sideways (assuming there are no barriers).
We have never had one customer sustain any damage to their fiberglass shell due to freezing weather conditions. (Feel free to ask us for our verifiable customer testimonials.)
Myth #4: Fiberglass pools are much more expensive than vinyl liner pools.
The answer to this one is a little tricky, but hopefully I’ll explain myself clearly here.
For initial outlay, comparing a fiberglass pool to a liner pool, apples to apples, features with features,a fiberglass unit typically runs $5,000 to $10,000 more.
But lifetime costs are a different story.
Let’s say you spend $25,000 initially for a vinyl-lined pool. That liner will typically last an average of eight years before it has to be replaced. The average cost of a liner replacement is about 3,000 to $5,000, so a pool owner could easily spend $8,000 to $12,000 on liner replacements alone during the first 20 years of the pool.
The same goes for concrete pools, which have to be re-plastered every 8 to 12 years at an average cost well over $5,000.
This is one of the great beauties of a fiberglass pool. There are almost never large expenses down the road for a homeowner to worry about.
FACT: With fiberglass pools, there are almost never large expenses down the road for a homeowner to worry about. This is one of the great beauties of a fiberglass pool.
When a potential pool buyer figures in the cost of these long term repairs/expenses, as well as the year to year savings on chemicals, it is no wonder why so many consumers are willing to pay more initially for a fiberglass pool in order to pay less and have less headache in the long run.