Fiberglass Swimming Pool Myths

Unfortunately, there are some serious fiberglass swimming pool myths regarding the potential drawbacks of owning a fiberglass swimming pool. We at Splash Pools of Ellicott City, North Carolina will try to address and alleviate these so-called issues.

Fiberglass Pool Myth #1

Fiberglass Pools Will Float or Pop-Up:

This is one of the most amusing of the myths and misconceptions we've heard regarding fiberglass pools. If anyone (especially another pool dealer) tells you that fiberglass pools pop out of the ground, then they are simply being dishonest and trying to use fear as a means of motivating you to get another type of pool.
There is a local company (we will not mention any names here) that loves to tell homeowners that every time there is a hurricane or heavy rain in the area, fiberglass pools all over the place float up out of the ground. We personally called this company once and asked them to give us just one name of someone who had a pool float, and of course they were unable to give us such information.

During our years of swimming pool building in Maryland, Washington DC, Northern Virginia and North Carolina we have never had a pool float after installation. This is because not only are the pools always full of water, but the concrete deck engulfs the pool's outer lip, making it impossible for the pool to move unless the concrete deck moves with it. Additionally, Splash Pools installs a drainage system below every Viking Fiberglass Pool that we install making it impossible for the swimming pool to "float" under ANY condition. Please don't be fooled by anyone who uses this ploy as a means to push you in a different direction.

Fiberglass Pool Myth #2

Fiberglass Pools Look Cheap:

Had someone said this 15 years ago, I would have agreed with such a statement. Now, however, this is just another fiberglass pool myth. Times have changed in the fiberglass industry, especially with the introduction of cantilever concrete coping, colored pool finishes, waterline 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 we show pictures of the pools we have installed to customers, we often get asked if they are seeing concrete pools. This is because fiberglass pools are now very beautiful and permanent looking. This is also why customers of all economic classes (we have installed many pools where the home value is well over 2 million dollars) are going with the fiberglass advantage.

Fiberglass Pool Myth #3

Fiberglass Pools Only Work in Warm Climates:

This fiberglass pool myth really makes no sense at all! It is an accepted fact in the swimming pool industry that 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). Moreover, when people are concerned about freeze conditions having an adverse affect on fiberglass, they are forgetting that when the water in a pool freezes, it expands in an upward direction (where there are no barriers). But the simple fact is that we have never had even one customer sustain any damage to their fiberglass shell due to freezing weather conditions. Again, this statement is easily verifiable with our customer reference list.

Fiberglass Pool Myth #4

Fiberglass Pools are Much More Expensive than Vinyl Liner Pools:

The answer to this fiberglass pool myth is a little tricky, but hopefully we'll be clear here. Typically, if someone is comparing a fiberglass pool to a liner pool - apples to apples, features with features - they will find that a fiberglass unit typically runs 5-10k more, initially. We say initially, because when considering the cost of a pool there are two different ways to arrive at the number.

The first way is by solely looking at the initial cost of the project. The second, unlike the first method, takes the initial price but also adds the expenses of the pool over the course of its lifetime.

For example, let's say you spend $25,000 initially for a vinyl-lined pool. Considering the liner will typically last 8 years on average (this number can be more or less depending on a variety of factors) before it has to be replaced, and the average cost of a liner replacement is usually between 3-5k, a pool owner could easily spend 8-12k on liner replacements alone during the first 20 years of the pool. The same principle is applicable to concrete pools who have to be replastered (every 8-12 years), where the average cost for this service is well over 5k. This is one of the great beauties of a fiberglass pool.

There are almost never any large expenses down the road for a homeowner to worry about. When a potential pool buyer figures in the cost of 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.

I hope this aided you in sorting out the Myths from the Facts of Fiberglass Swimming Pools. Please feel free to let us know if you would like us to cover any additional subjects.



Submitted By: Frank Bowman

Frank is the Co-Owner of Splash Pools based in Ellicott City, Maryland. Splash Pools specializes in Viking Fiberglass and Custom Concrete Swimming Pools and Spas in Maryland, Washington DC, Baltimore and Northern Virginia . Providing discussions about fiberglass swimming pool myths, Saltwater Chlorinators, Infinity Edge Pools, Fiberglass Pool Prices, Variable Drive Pumps, Pool Renovations and ceramic composit pools