INSTALLATION

Selection of the pool site will determine how much grading will have to be accomplished prior to the actual dig for the pool. A level area is best because it will require the least amount of preparation for the dig, but in many cases there is no level area, therefore, the site must be prepared to accept the pool prior to dig. The pool site should be elevated slightly higher than the surrounding area. It is most important that drainage from the surrounding area does not run into the pool. When dealing with slopes, the severity of the slope will determine if retaining walls must be built in order to have a level area for the pool. If the slope is relatively minor, a simple wall built from railroad ties or landscaping timbers may be all that is needed, but if the slopes are severe you may be forced to construct a major load bearing retaining wall.

An ideal excavation is one that is as close as possible to the dimensions of the pool shell, but with the following rules in mind. The excavation should be 2" to 4" deeper than the actual pool for your sand bed. The sand bed is to level the pool shell and provide a perfect support base with no voids when the pool is lowered into the hole. Your excavation should be approximately one foot longer and one foot wider than the pool shell. This will allow for a six inch overdig all the way around the pool once it is in place. Additional hand excavation will be required to insure the skimmer when attached to the pool will fit in the excavation. A transit and story pole, when used properly, will insure an accurate dig.

Sand must be used to bed the shell into the excavation and for backfill. You will determine how much sand is needed to be placed on the bottom of the excavation of all constant depth pools or those with constant slopes, by setting a grade stake at all four corners, and one on each side of the centerline in the bottom of the hole. If you are installing our deeper models with breaks for deep ends, than each individual depth change must be noted by stakes outlining each area . By using the transit and shooting down from your grade stakes indicating the top of the pool, you will know exactly where on the bottom stakes the pool should be to maintain an exact level for the pool. An area approximately 4'-6' long, 2'-3' wide and 12" deep should be dug out at the middle of the deepest end of the pool. If the pool is going to have a drain in the bottom it could end up in this area and the sump hole will need to accommodate the drain as well. This area is for a dry well sump, which has a gravel bottom, 2" perforated PVC pipe with an end cap attached to a 1 1/2" or 2" PVC line that is run under the pool and up and out of the excavation under the deck. This line can than be attached to a pump. The remainder of the sump hole ,after the pipe is installed ,should be filled with1/2" or larger gravel. This will allow for underground water that may accumulate under the pool during and after the installation to be removed, and is a permanent part of the installation.

With the hole properly prepared, all measurements double checked, and making certain that there is nothing in the bottom of the hole except a compacted level bed of sand, and your sump installed, you are now ready to set the pool. A suitable sized crane will be utilized for this job. Although certain size backhoes and trackhoes are capable to do this job, a crane is the safest and most suitable piece of equipment to use. It is designed for this purpose and can easily lift the pool back out of the hole for corrections in the sand bottom if necessary. Your pool has four lifting areas under the coping at each corner of the pool shell. Chains are usually shipped with the pool to attach lifting straps to be attached to the crane. Most pools are shipped with spanner bars bolted across the centerline of the pool shell. These spanner bars are there to prevent the pool from buckling during the setting procedure and should not be removed at this time. Rope lines will now be attached to the pool by the installer to help guide it when lifted by the crane. You will now carefully and slowly lift your pool slightly off the ground or trailer and double check all chains and straps. They will insure everything is properly rigged before proceeding. It is not advisable to lift the pool during any type of wind. The pool will act as a giant kite. You will make certain wind is at a minimum. Very slowly lift and move the pool to the excavation. It is recommended to keep the pool as low to the ground as possible, this will help in handling and lower the effects of wind movement. Once over the hole, you will line up the shell, make certain no debris has fallen into the hole and slowly lower the pool into the excavation.

With the shell setting in the hole, it is time for you to check your level. When you are certain the pool is all the way in the hole, measurements should now be taken with a transit. They will set their story pole on the top of the coping at each corner, staying away from seating areas and steps, and take your measurement at each corner. All four comer will be within one half ( l /2") of an inch. Particular attention must be made on all diving models to insure the break points are setting where they were planned without voids or binds. When everything is properly measured your pool will be level. It is not uncommon for you to have to lift and set the shell several times prior to getting the pool exactly level. Take whatever time is necessary to insure the pool is within the one half (1/2") tolerance.

The important thing to remember is that Fiberglass Pools are flexible, and equal amounts of pressure on each side of the pools walls must be maintained at all times. You will start by filling the pool with one foot ( 1' ) of water. This will securely anchor the pool into the excavation. They will then recheck their measurements with a transit. This is because these areas may sag and will require additional reinforcement. Never attempt to move any part of the shell or coping with a machine once it has any water in it. It could crack the shell and void the warranty. If the shell moves significantly out of level at any point from here on out it may be necessary to drain the pool and re-level the shell. With reinforcement in place and one foot of water in the pool, we may now proceed with the backfill. You will now start adding sand around the pool, no dirt. Dirt is totally unsuitable for this portion of the backfill and will void your warranty. The sand must fill all voids as the backfill. The best way to do this is to wash the sand with water under and around all areas of the shell. By washing the sand down and removing it slowly, the water will wash the sand into the areas required. Too much water is not good, so common sense should be used for the proper balance. Areas under steps, seats, and the main drain must he completely filled in with washed sand and compacted to prevent settling. The amounts of sand required for each pool is different, and the amount will also be effected by how close your hole is to the dig specs. In general, a 12' wide pool will take 20-30 tons, 14' wide 30-40 tons and 16' 40 tons +. In any event, you should order 20 tons to be delivered to the site initially and this will be a sufficient bed for all San Juan pools and allow some sand for the backfill. The water in the pool will be added at a rate equal to the rate of backfill, with the water maintaining a level one foot higher than the sand backfill throughout the entire fill and backfill procedure It is very important to keep equal amounts of pressure on the pools walls. Too much water could bow and even break the pool outwards, and to much sand could bow the walls inward. A bowed wall inward means you have added too much sand and it must be dug out until the wall is straight and a bowed wall outward means your water is too high in the pool and the sand must be brought up. The time this procedure takes is determined by the jobs water pressure. Remember, you cannot fill the pool any faster than they can backfill it When your backfill is up approximately one third of the pool, this is the time to remove the spanner bar if your pool came with one. Removing the spanner bar may cause the pools walls to bow out, but by adding additional sand without adding additional water will cause the walls to bow back in. A proper balance of sand backfill and water fill in the pool will keep the walls true throughout the entire installation.

All plumbing should be 1 1/2" PVC schedule 40 pipe or 2" if the pump and filter is over 30' feet from the equipment. The lines around the pool should not go in until the sand backfill is up high enough to allow setting these lines, at the height of the returns and skimmer, on top of the backfill. This will prevent the lines from sagging, and possible cracking. After they are run, the balance of the backfill can continue over these lines. You will have separate lines from the pool to the equipment for the skimmer, sump line and pool returns. They may have additional lines if you are planning a pressure side pool cleaner, spa jets or fountain/waterfall.

Make certain all electrical inspections on lights, bonding and all other electrical work have been completed and checked off by the local inspectors prior to proceeding with your concrete. Run the pool for at least 24 hours before you pour the concrete to insure there are no leaks. As previously discussed in this manual, the type of decking you have selected will have determined the grade of the pool. If you are going to use cantilevered forms as recommended, the top of the pools coping will be leveled with your surrounding grade. If you are pouring a regular deck up to the pools coping, than the top of the coping should be 4" above the surrounding area. In either event, you will dig out an area around the pool exposing the flange of the coping and just under it. This is important as concrete should be packed under and over the flange of the pool, as the deck is poured. This will lock the pool into the concrete and provide for a much stronger bond of the pool to the deck. It will also eliminate cracking of the deck where it meets the pool. When you set your outside forms, remember you want any water from rain or splash out to run off the deck, not into the pool. Plan for a slope of 1/4" per foot away from the pool. If your deck is going to tie into an existing deck, than some type of drain system should be planned to handle the run off. Proper drainage planning is very important. An experience concrete finisher will always be used when pouring pool decks, especially when you are doing a cantilevered deck, as the forms must be taken off at the proper time to allow finishing of the inside of the form. Fiberglass pools are different from Vinyl or Concrete in that the pools are full when the concrete is poured.

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