Sun Fiberglass Pools

Science of the Surface Diamond Series Colors

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:38:28 -0500

The Science of the Surface

By; Curt Prystupa

Founder: Sun Fiberglass Pools

The fiberglass swimming pool industry started with a simple lamination schedule the use of marine grade raw materials for the gel-coat and lamination fabric. The first pools were very limited in design and shape and very basic they had some of the inground pool features like built in steps and then the advancement of swim-outs, safety ledges to the multiple design choices available today. The pools were put together without the use of science and testing to determine what was the best materials and methods to create a fiberglass pool shell. How these methods would stand the tests of time, for durability of the laminate, pool interior surfaces , hand laid multiple layers verses spayed on gun roving or what's called chop fiberglass, the patterns in which the materials are applied to create the pool structure. The industry in the early days guessed as to what would or would not last in the swimming pool environment. One of the issues that was unique to a swimming pool compared to a boat hull was the fact that swimming pool water chemistry can change quickly and that most boats were rarely ever exposed to extreme levels of chlorine . This would be magnified considering the smaller volumes of water capacity in the smaller fiberglass pools, the water chemistry will effect the long term durability of the pool surface. The swimming pool industry does not offer any warranty coverage for water chemistry related damage or failures.

Our company back in the middle 90's worked with our main resin supplier Interplastic Corporation we did a case history study for 15 years on the lamination techniques of a typical Sun Fiberglas Pool and found the formulation of the Pool Grade ISO/NPG surface gel-coat, the Vinyl Ester Co-Resin Products, and the hand laid sheet fabric with a main Line DCPD production resin for the bulk of the laminate, to be the best method for the fabrication and durability an inground fiberglass pool. The case study can be downloaded at www.interplastic.com/UserFiles/File/T_15%20year%20study%2http0low%20res.pdf

The Swimming pool gel-coat is a very important part of a swimming pool shell, the ISO/NPG gel-coat is sprayed in a single uniform coat allow the best surface for the fiberglass pool. The multi-color pool shells that feature the counter top looking chips is a three part finish system these surfaces are applied to the molds in several different passes and the operator of the spray equipment will determine how the pool will look once completed. The multiple layer finishes are difficult to repair and the clear coat will breakdown over time. The warranty fine print for the companies offering these multi-coat finishes all disclaim surface roughness or dulling or blushing of the surface. These companies will also exclude warranty coverage for the part of the pool shell not under water.

The colors of the fiberglass swimming pools has been one of the latest fads in the industry some of the start-up companies have tried to push color as the main claim to fame so to speak. These colored surfaces have only been on the market for a few years , today's customer might want something other than the plain white or light blue shell color. The concrete pools were a few years ahead of the fiberglass pool market on the experimentation of colored pool interiors black and dark pools were the rage for many years in the concrete pools but the manufacturers, builders and customers grew tried of the costs and the additional maintenance these finishes caused. Some places in the country the local codes banned dark pools from the issue of being able to see the bottom of the pool for safety concerns . The concrete pool industries most popular pool surface is called exposed aggregate plaster one of the brand names for this is known as Diamond Brite, this surface is widely used from water parks, resorts, hotels , and the residential market the most common color is called cool blue which has a white background and a blue aggregate flake in the plaster. This color gave the concrete pools a nice sparkle and the surface has been the mainstream in the industry the last 10-15 years.

Sun Fiberglass Pools has been working with Interplastic for a new proprietary gel-coat to achieve this Diamond Brite color effect using a single spray ISO/NPG gel-coat. This new product will bring the most popular concrete pool surface look to the one piece Sun Fiberglass Pool , these are available in Diamond White and Diamond Blue. They feature a white or light blue background with a blue composite particle sprayed onto the mold in one single uniform coat. This new product took several years to develop to find the right particle and to develop special proprietary spray equipment along with techniques to achieve the desired effect. This product is simple to repair and has the same basic formulations of the materials we used in the 15 year case study. This has been tested for UV stability, boiled in the lab for 100 hours and each sample exceeded the expected results. We are confident this new Diamond Series surface will become the mainstream fiberglass pool surface as the fiberglass pool industry and Sun Fiberglass continue to grow.

Hold That Cover !!!

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:15:13 -0400

Hold that Cover

A lot of mistakes have been made by homeowners deciding on closing the pool for the season by the wall calendar, the kids go back to school so let's close the pool. If you close the pool too early with the warmer fall weather your pool will be a green monster come spring. The water temperature will increase with the typical winter cover in place, which will in turn destory any winterization chemcial treatment you used before the first chilly week. The pool should be closed once the water cools down for an un-heated water temperature of 60's and the average air temperature drops to the upper 60's to low 70's . Remember NEVER USE A FLOATING DISPENSER UNDER YOUR COVER !!!, using a floating dispenser will void the pool surface and cover warranties as the high chlorine cannot escape the pool with the cover in place. The Sun Fiberglass Pool Care & Maintenance manual will have tips on how to properly winterize your pool. Always check with your pool installer before attempting to lower or draw down the pool's water for the winter, not following proper procedure will void your warranty.

Pet's Love Sun Pools

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:58:51 -0400

Sun Pools are fun for pets too !!!

The backyard pool can be a great place for the family to relax and spend some quality time that includes our four legged friends. Some breeds of dogs can't resist the water and it will be a chore to keep the dogs out of the pool. The Sun Fiberglass Pools are very pet friendly the surface is hard and solid so the claws won't scratch the surface, the built in steps make getting out of the pool easy, and the lower chemical use of the fiberglass pool won't effect the pet's skin. In some types of pools the pets can be a problem especially the vinyl liner pools as the claws can quickly cut the pool's liner

Things to consider for pets using the pool

1.) Make sure to swim with the pet and teach them where the steps are located to get out of the pool.

2.) Monitor the water balance more frequently . Keeping the water in balance will keep the pool clean and prevent your pet from having issues with their coat.

3.) Keep the pool's strainer baskets clean the surface skimmer and the pump strainer basket inside the front of pool circulation pump regularly.

4.) Stay away from Sand filters and DE filters. The reason for this is when the filters are cycled or back washed the pet dander (hair ) will be trapped inside the filter causing the filter to short cycle and will require to service more frequently. The cartridge filters are recommended for as when they are hosed off the hair will be removed each time.

5.) Just like the kids don't let your pets use the pool without supervision.

The family pet will love the pool like the rest of the family. It will take a little extra effort to keep the water clean but paying attention along with way will make the pool enjoyable for everyone.

Don't forget the filter !!

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:04:46 -0400

Don't forget the Filter?

The swimming pool's filter is the key to an easy to operate care free pool. The consumers think the pump is the main part of the system, but the filter is the key to a great system, the filter regulates the flow of the water, clarity of the water, along with the cycle time for the system (How long to run the system per day) . The pool filter is the heart of the system without the proper filter the pool will use more energy, chemicals, and require more maintenance. The flow of the filter is very important to the life of the system, and it's very important to match the pump and filter as to not over-pressure the filter from too big a pump, may times customers think a bigger pump is better but if the filter can be less effective with too much pressure from the pump. A good indicator of this is the sound of the pool pump motor . The typical pool pump should run with a quiet low pitched humming noise, if the pump is screaming something isn't functioning properly.

The size of the piping is very important the number of fittings along the way on the supply and returns lines all slow down the flow. The reason most people have green pools and dirty looking water they all have a bad filter and under sized pipes in common. The pool should have a turn over rate of 2-3 times per day. This turn over rate can be determined by the flow rate on the label of the filter divided by the volume of the pool water( Total Gallons) . The big problem is when you have a poor performing filter the customers thinks a larger pump will do a better job when that's just the opposite the larger pump will use more energy and put more stress on the already under performing filter. Think of the pool filter like your air filters in your home you rarely see dust floating in the air but the filters are covered same holds true with the dirt in your pool water. We have all done this one when the heating A/C tech comes out to the house what's the first thing they do , remove the air filter and then check the system, your air conditioner won't work properly without proper air flow your pool won't be clean and clear without the proper water flow.

The better the filter the easier to keep your pool pristine clean, lower the cost of energy to keep the pool clean, and the fewer chemicals required. This small investment will pay for itself time and time again.

Why swim in your own Pool?

Fri, 21 May 2010 13:43:28 -0400

Why swim in your own pool? Your Stay-cation Oasis

Those with families know how much the kids want to hit the pool as the first thing they do when you check-in at your favorite resort, water park, campground or hotel. The water safety issues are real the following article will discuss the issues the when the CDC revealed the results of a recent study of all public swimming places, whether a water park, hotel/resort, community swimming pool. One of the highlights in that 1 in 8 public pools were shutdown because of dirty water or other problems .The Sun Fiberglass Pools is your private pool to be used by your family and will offer a significant reduction in the likelihood of someone becoming ill from swimming in your pool.

CDC: Look before you leap into

dirty public pools

By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe, Ap Medical Writer Thu May 20, 4:12 pm ET

ATLANTA You might want to look before you leap into a public swimming pool this summer. A new government report shows one in eight public swimming pools were shut down two years ago because of dirty water or other problems, like missing safety equipment.

Kiddie pools were most likely to be the germiest, from fecal matter and improper chlorination.

The report is based on more than 120,000 inspections of public swimming pools in 2008, including those in parks and hotels. It's the largest study of the topic ever done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released the report Thursday.

Each year, there are about 15 or 20 outbreaks from stomach bugs blamed on pools, the CDC said. Studies suggest a quarter of them are caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites that should have been killed by proper pool treatment and chlorination. Fecal particles are a common factor, especially in kiddie pools and fountains where children frolic. But urine is also a problem: It contains nitrogen that eats up chlorine in pool water, depleting the supply. Sweat and suntan lotion have the same effect. And about one in five adults admit they have peed in the pool, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans done last year for a chemical industry advisory group, the Water Quality and Health Council. Reports of pool-related illness have been on the upswing for much of the last decade, but it's not clear whether conditions are worse or whether there's more awareness and testing, said Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC's swimming pool program.

"We definitely need to focus on improving pool operations," she added. Before you go swimming, the CDC suggests buying test kits from hardware stores and checking the water at public pools. Health officials also say people who've had diarrhea shouldn't swim; and everyone should avoid swallowing pool water. The inspections were done in 13 states, and pool regulations and reporting varied. The CDC report did not give a breakdown of pool closures from water quality problems or other issues, such as missing life rings or other safety equipment.

The CDC did a similar study in 2002 in five states. That smaller study found 1 in 12 inspections resulted in immediate closure. Neither has enough data to give a precise picture of the nation as a whole. The new study is published in a CDC publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Online:CDC study: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

What is a Pool Coping?

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:55:31 -0400

What is a built in Pool Coping?

The top rim of a swimming pool is what's known as the Coping this rim around the pool provides structural support for the decking, offers a receiving track for the pool's vinyl liner, and finishes off the top beam for the poured in place concrete pools. The coping on a vinyl liner pool can be concrete , metal or aluminum . The poured in place concrete pools have a cantilever decking, brick, stone or tile. The fiberglass pool has the coping built into the pool at the factory. In the Sun Fiberglass Pool this is one of the strongest parts of the pool structure. This smooth built in coping on our fiberglass pools can be finished numerous ways to tastes of the customers.

The fiberglass pool industry has tried to hide the coping over the years with cantilever decking, brick, pavers, stone etc, adding thousands of dollars of on site installation costs. Every swimming pool must have a coping, the fiberglass pool's coping can be a great feature for the pool, this smooth surface won't tear up the bathers, is very comfortable to sit around the pool, a heated game of volleyball or pool games won't leave a mark on the players when they bump the edge of the pool.

Most other fiberglass pool companies require the pool shell to have the installers pour concrete over the coping to finish the pool and decking. One of the reasons for this is the spreader bar used on the shell during the handling and placement of the pool at times can damage the pool's rim. The other companies exclude finish damage to the coping and sell the pool under the assumption a cantilevered (poured over the coping) decking is installed. The warranty fine print will state the assumed installation of a cantilever for the final finish around the pool.

The purpose of our Buyer's Guide to point out value for our customers, A Sun Pool with the built in coping exposed will save some money on the installation, be easy to keep clean, and most importantly comfortable for the bathers. We have a coping sample that most dealers have that will show this Sun Pool coping.

Science of the Laminate

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:16:21 -0500

Science of the Laminate

Sun Fiberglass has developed a superior fabrication process for the one piece swimming pools. One of the most important factors is true science. The composite swimming pool industry has been based mostly on lab testing methods where the subjects samples are weathered, chemically treated to simulate the field conditions, mostly due to the rapidly growing composite industry for all applications, building materials, marine, RV, aero space to name a few. Sun Fiberglass participated in a case study with Interplastic Corporation the manufacturer of the resin incorporated in our products. Interplastic did a 15 year case study on the proper materials for the construction of a swimming pool. The link for the case study can be found at

http://www.interplastic.com/UserFiles/File/T_15%20year%20study%20low%20res.pdf .

This will review the process that Sun Fiberglass utilizes in the fabrication of our swimming pool products. The Modified epoxy resin CoRESYN product has become the industry leader in swimming pool surface protection. The superior product proves the impact and chemical resistance for the pool for season after season. The Interplastic web-site has a lot of information on the swimming pool and spa products, under product applications at www.interplastic.com.

How to build Value in your project

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:01:29 -0500

When you are deciding on the backyard resort it is important to have a check list of what your family expects in the finished project. Whether playing a game of volleyball, or relaxing on a raft, to how do you handle the pool party be part of the project planning. The overall pool area needs to be considered the size of the decking , landscaping outdoor kitchen or bath, hot tub, fire pit or spa.

One of the considerations is also what will have the most value in the options and selections for a pool, are the decorative deck designs and the look important, is the pool for form or function so to speak. The basic value added options would be as follows,

Heating the pool- A pool heater is a great way to add value to your swimming pool investment. The typical pool heater will extend the swimming season for the pool and offer an affordable way to enjoy the warm tropical feeling waters.

Custom Touches- In the real estate markets the value is area, the housing industry is based on square footage the concrete decking for the pool deck adds value to the property. A common mistake most families make is to under think the decking area for the pool, the typical basic 3' of concrete doesn't work around the pool. The typical installation plans we offer on the web-site is a recommend minimum for the pool area. We realize that some sites that area is not possible and should be adjusted for the situation. The pool decking is never enough for a pool party or lounging around the deck for the sun spot.

Pool enclosures- A pool enclosure is normally required for a backyard pool, these enclosure include fences, aluminum screen enclosures, glass rooms, automatic pool covers, safety covers etc. A great looking fence along with landscaping will make or break the bang for the buck factor. The aluminum fences are a very attractive option the fence panels are simple to install and offer a variety of styles and shapes. A lot of customers use the aluminum fence panels with brick columns on the corners . A fence is required to have a self closing latch.

Eco-Package System- The ECO package system is a simple cost effective way to save on the pool operation. The system requires twice a year maintenance, uses less 25% power, and saves valuable source water for servicing as no backwashing system or using water to clean cartridges. This system will save the entire volume of your pool water in source water in just 3 seasons on average, compared with a typical sand filter.

When researching options for a new fiberglass swimming pool the customers need to look for how do I find the best Value for my new swimming pool. The best price is never the best value as the Get What You Pay for holds true, but how do we get the best bang for the buck. The up charge for the various colors is significant on the overall cost of the pool shells. A standard white pool shell with inlayed marker tiles on the steps and seats will look great be comfortable for the family , and save an average of $1,000.00 on the cost of the pool itself. These markers really give the pool the built in look ,with the addition of a multicolored LED underwater light the colors come alive when the sun goes down ,adding more Bang for the Buck These two affordable options the inlayed step and seat marker tiles and the LED underwater light add the value to the project.

There are a lot of choices to be considered when looking at a swimming pool project, remember a lot of the technical options like salt systems, pool heaters, automation controls can be installed after market. The pool features like underwater lights, inlayed tiles have to be purchased at time of construction but deck upgrades, outdoor amenities can be added a long the way. The pool is no different than the family home, the backyard space can be upgraded like the other features of your home. We find that our customers can build a larger pool and deck area by adding those decorative touches a few each season.

Warranty Fine Print

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:12:11 -0500

Warranty Fine Print

Sun Fiberglass is celebrating our 15th anniversary in 2010, the industry has come along way since 1995 advancements in raw materials, process equipment, have provided our ability to offer our customer's the best one piece fiberglass pool on the market today. The industry has seen a lot of start-ups and newcomers to the United States markets offering unreasonable warranties for the swimming pools all backed up by companies under different names or LLC's what we call the name game sell the pools under one name and issues the customer warranty under another entity name . These companies offer un-reasonable limited warranties for just in terms of marketing and the fine print will tell the real story. One of the companies has language in the warranty XXX warranties the composite pool against discoloration, staining, excessive fading, blistering and surface yellowing due to defects in workmanship and materials for 10 years from the date of manufacture on the condition that over time with exposure to climatic and chemical conditions (How well you take care of the pool) reasonable and gradual surface degradation may occur. What does the really mean, in the legal world the terms Excessive and Reasonable have very broad meanings and are tuff to interrupt one way or the other. Others exclude every possible problem you could have with the surface, some require the different deck styles or tile work.

The swimming pool industry has a policy of not covering water related damage to the swimming pool, systems etc for improper water balance. The industry has improved the quality of the products but the owners need to read follow and understand the products warranty coverage and product operation. The fiberglass pool shell warranty requires registration within a specified timeframe from delivery to register the delivery of the swimming pool to the owner . Sun Fiberglass provides an installation manual, operation manual, and warranty package with each swimming pool shell.

The Sun Fiberglass Products shell warranty covers the one piece fiberglass composite pool for defects in craftsmanship for as long as the original owners operates the pool. The warranty covers the pool surface for 3 years and the structure of the pool for a lifetime. The terms and conditions are outlined in our Customer Warranty and does require registration by the pool owner. We offer a one time transfer to new pool owners provided they re-register the warranty. Other companies play games with the warranties pro-rating them, not covering repairs or service completely , or a shopping list of fine print. Contact us for a copy of the Sun Fiberglass Warranty

Sun Fiberglass builds a great product, we have enjoyed a very low percentage of warranty related requests and the majority of those can be from installation and handling. Sun Fiberglass provides on-line service requests for water and operation related questions.

One other note the larger companies have grossly overproduced their products and have been offering significant discounts on aged inventory. The surface warranties are based on date on manufacture not date of delivery. If you read the marketing materials the warranty will state that ,so if the pool was made in 2007 or 2008 the actual coverage provided is not what the sales material stated. The buyers should be aware of what warranty coverage is available for the discounted pool that is being offered so they don't have any surprises after the installation of the pool.

The real color of fiberglass resin

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:49:18 -0500

The real color of fiberglass resins -The truth about resin fillers

Sun Fiberglass Products has always incorporated the finest raw materials available for our one piece fiberglass swimming pools. We have numerous choices when it comes how to laminate a pool shell. We will take a few minutes to explain what resin is used for and how the products Sun Fiberglass uses are the best available.

Purpose of resin- The resin material is the binder for the fiberglass fabric the integrated layers of fiberglass material offer the strength and flexibility of the finished laminate. The resin is sprayed to saturate the fiberglass material so the layers can be bound together. The resin industry has products available for various strength, fire resistance, temperature conditions, and exposure limits. The products are used throughout the building industry, aero space, marine and automotive and everyday household plastics. Resin products are everywhere, the kids play set, toys, electronic shells for TV's , Phones, PC's, solid surface counter tops etc.　

The industry offers many different grades of resin materials to be used in any number of applications. They kind of have the good, better and best approach on the grades of resins. The characteristics of the resins vary according to process time, strength properties of the final product being produced with the resin materials. Products that do not have much stress loads or used for decorative applications can be lightened or thinned out for use in shower stalls, portable hot tubs, counter tops, storage boxes etc. The resin is filled with various powders to stretch the resin yield for the products . The additives of the resin change the color of the material, makes the final product lighter and less flexible. Product resin can be stretched 20-50% by adding a calcium carbonate powder filler directly into the resin this practice is common in products from pencil erasers to most lightweight plastic products . An example would be if Sun Fiberglass used a gallon of premium resin that weights about 8 pounds a company that filled the resin would have a weight of 4-7 lbs per gallon cutting the cost/weight of resin by up to 50% . The problem with these fillers is they significantly change the flexibility of the resin and failures increase, a good fiberglass shell needs to have the elasticity the ability to adjust to climate, earth-movement , under ground pressure.

There are some companies use an odd-lot product of resin and the resin code would be NSR- XXX (Non-Standard Resin) The products are widely used in the fiberglass industry. The resin producers make this product from the clearing of the lines in the factory between batches of resin. The typical production resin that Sun Fiberglass Products puts into their products is main line full rated material which has a standard color and gel times or hardening time. The odd lot or NSR material can vary in finished color and since most pools use several barrels of material some fiberglass pools come of out production with several different colors of laminate so they paint the outside of the shell with paint and the colors range from white, blue, black this would also mask a thin finish. The older pools on the lots can be freshened up by painting the backside of the laminate to make the pool look factory fresh. If the laminate is painted somebody is hiding something.

Each handcrafted Sun Fiberglass Pool is fabricated using special rollers and a hand laid process using sheet fiberglass materials. The main line resin without fillers and additives enables the technicians to insure that each layer of material is properly bonded and no air pockets trapped in the laminate. The companies that use fillers in the resin make it impossible to see the air pockets as the fillers make the trapped air difficult to detect. The sales product core samples most companies use for the shell colors look on the edges and you'll see little air bubbles, you'll see a significant difference in the Sun samples compared to any other pool brand available.