One contractor tells me it is better to go under and the other tells me it is better to go around?
If given a choice should I pipe under or around the pool?
- Thread starter cezlaw
- Start date
How about a few details on this? What type of pool? IG gunite or vinyl? Which plumbing runs? Etc...
A few more people might chime in...
A few more people might chime in...
It is mostly a question of digging, now and in the future. If the pipe goes under and it breaks you are not going to want to dig it up to fix it. If it goes around, digging it up might be a pain, but it could be done.
If everything else was equal, it would be a question of the pipe length, shorter is better.
If everything else was equal, it would be a question of the pipe length, shorter is better.
you're right I'm sorry. Just deciding to build and don't know the right questions. I haven't decided on a builder yet (but narrowed it down to gary pools and keith zars out of san antonio) I'm going to build a in ground gunite 27 x 16 pool, Zars tells me that they refuse to plumb around the pool because better circulation is created not putting as many angles in the piping. They place 4 inches of gravel below the pool for piping. Gary pools tells me that piping around the pool is better because of the digging issue and that circulation of the pool is not affected by where you run your lines. Both companies have excellent credentials but differ slightly in other things as well. The cost quoted to me by both are right around $38,500. Both are raising the front edge of the pool 12 inches with a back wall beam raised up another 18 inches with flagstone walls an coping.
They use different equipment (heyward vs. jandy)
2/1/2 hp vs 3 hp pumps (Lief Zars, and engineer, of Gary pools designed the 3 hp pump and guarantees 15 dollar a month electric cost)
Zars uses two skimmers Gary one.
Gary will use Diamond Brite and Zars will use pebble sheen
zars has 3 "spittting jets" (a water feature) in cost of pool Gary pools only two
Zars has a an extra bench in their price and more flagstone decking
Gary pools back raised wall beam goes further around the pool giving it a better visual appeal.
I am completely struggling with this decision.
They use different equipment (heyward vs. jandy)
2/1/2 hp vs 3 hp pumps (Lief Zars, and engineer, of Gary pools designed the 3 hp pump and guarantees 15 dollar a month electric cost)
Zars uses two skimmers Gary one.
Gary will use Diamond Brite and Zars will use pebble sheen
zars has 3 "spittting jets" (a water feature) in cost of pool Gary pools only two
Zars has a an extra bench in their price and more flagstone decking
Gary pools back raised wall beam goes further around the pool giving it a better visual appeal.
I am completely struggling with this decision.
Oh yeah....I've decided to skip all the fancy dancy ozination or salt systems and just go with old reliable chlorination on the "kiss" principal. Plus its me and the wife so the pool won't be getting heavy use.
Well, they are both kind of right about the pipe runs. More bends does slow down the water flow, but usually not by very much. There is a measurable effect of the extra bends, but normally it is small enough that it can be ignored.
There is absolutely no way a single speed 3 HP pump can cost that little to run at any real world electric rates I have ever heard of. Is it possible that it is a two speed, or variable speed, pump? The Pentair variable speed pump, which happens to be 3 HP, is far less expensive to operate than a single speed pump.
Zars seems to be giving you more for your money. But the crucial information at this point is reviews from people who had pools built by each builder. Ask for references and check them. How helpful/neat/responsive/timely the builder is will matter much more than the small feature differences.
There is absolutely no way a single speed 3 HP pump can cost that little to run at any real world electric rates I have ever heard of. Is it possible that it is a two speed, or variable speed, pump? The Pentair variable speed pump, which happens to be 3 HP, is far less expensive to operate than a single speed pump.
Zars seems to be giving you more for your money. But the crucial information at this point is reviews from people who had pools built by each builder. Ask for references and check them. How helpful/neat/responsive/timely the builder is will matter much more than the small feature differences.
Yes. It is a 2 speed pump. Both builders have excellent reputations. Thanks for the input.
- May 3, 2007
- 16,834
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I would go around the pool AND upsize the pipe. That way it is easy to fix while still maintaining lower head loss. Any runs that are long and/or have a lot of bends will benefit from larger diameter pipe. Just going from 2" to 2 1/2" will reduce the pipe head loss by over 65%!!!
