Im curious if there is a difference in quality between a 12 Gauge A Frame vs a 14 Gauge one when building an in ground vinyl lined pool?.....also take a look below at this pool builders breakdown of his construction and tell me if there are any areas that you would be concerned about their methods:
Pool wall Panelswalls
The most important component of your swimming pool is the steel wall panels. There are several manufacturers of steel pool panels, with varied quality. PPS uses pool wall panels privately manufactured for us. These walls, built to PPS's specifications, are the thickest and are built to the highest industry standards.
panel
The steel panel is 14-gauge with a 235G galvanization rating. These measurements and rating are the highest in the industry.
Bracing
Bracing is essential for the panels to help withstand backpressure from the pool water, as well as preserve the structural integrity of the pool. Each panel is attached securely at the seams and joints. The braces are a heavy gauge, galvanized steel, and the brace connections are threaded and bolted, not welded.
Concrete Piers
Z-Bracing (PPS does not use this method)
Secured into footing every four to five feet
Supports concrete deck by tying into the footing
Best way to support perimeter deck
Piers are part of stable backfill environment
Heavy design handles soil expansion
Protects surface concrete
concrete
Northern climate creates too much "heaving"
Lever action can cause concrete to tear from lateral brace
Lateral brace can tear from wall and cut through plumbing lines
zbrace
Footing (Bond Beam)Bracing
The "overdig" of the swimming pool is filled with concrete. This bond beam stabilizes the pool. Performance Pool and Spa uses a footing that is more than twice what is recommended by the manufacturer.
The concrete footing is approximately 12 inches deep
The concrete piers are poured directly into the footing
The plumbing and bracing are contained within this footing
Anodized Aluminum Coping and Cantilevered Concrete Coping
The coping acts as a receiver for both the concrete and the liner. PPS only uses anodized aluminum. PPS DOES NOT USE PLASTIC COPING. We are also very experienced at installing cantilevered-style concrete coping (there is an extra charge for this style of coping or pavers).
Encapsulated coping installed on all undertrack autocovers
Anodized aluminum is the strongest available on the market
Cantilevered-style concrete coping or pavers are available
Pool-Krete Bottom
The bottom of the swimming pool is made of pool-krete. Pool-krete bottom swimming pools are more stable than sand-bottom pools. The material is mixed, poured, and troweled into the pool, similar to concrete. However, Pool Krete maintains a level of flexibility because of its material composition. The advantage is that the bottom of the pool can flex and move slightly in response to the ground movement. Pool-krete will not Vermiculiteshear or divide like concrete can.
Bottom material feels softer than concrete
Liner and bottom will last longer
Uniform feel because there are no areas of concrete
PPS only uses manufacturer-brand pool-krete mixers, NOT paddle mixers
Plumbing, Valves, Circulation
All underground plumbing is flexible pipe. The non-corrugated plumbing line is the strongest available on the market today, with a 100 p.s.i. tolerance. The non-corrugated style, compounded with a drastically-reduced number of unions or turns, makes the lowest-friction design. Also, flex pipe gives us the ability to use fewer connections, minimizing the chances of leaking.Plumbing
Non-corrugated flex line lowers friction
A combination of Jandy gray- and gold-standard valves are plumbed on every circulation line
PPS's design has the lowest number of unions and 90-degree angles
100-p.s.i. flexible pipe is the best in the industry
The skimmers and returns built into a swimming pool are the suction and return fittings. The skimmers are built into the wall, and the skimmer opening in the pool is rectangular. The wide-mouth opening is at the water line and acts to feed water to the equipment, as well as to skim off surface debris. PPS uses wide-mouth, commercial grade skimmers.
All PPS pools are built with two side-by-side main drains as well. These drains function like a skimmer on the floor of the deep end. PPS uses anti-vortex-style main drains. Anti-vortex main drains are the safest option in the industry. There is no chance of a swimmer becoming entrapped at the bottom of the pool. The hydrostream jets, or returns, bring water from the equipment back to the pool. This water will have been treated, filtered, and heated. The three return jets are positioned at the surface to create maximum pool circulation. There is a fourth return dedicated to the automatic cleaner.
Commercial-grade skimmers
Jet position creates designed circulation pattern
Dual main drain design is the safest system
Pool wall Panelswalls
The most important component of your swimming pool is the steel wall panels. There are several manufacturers of steel pool panels, with varied quality. PPS uses pool wall panels privately manufactured for us. These walls, built to PPS's specifications, are the thickest and are built to the highest industry standards.
panel
The steel panel is 14-gauge with a 235G galvanization rating. These measurements and rating are the highest in the industry.
Bracing
Bracing is essential for the panels to help withstand backpressure from the pool water, as well as preserve the structural integrity of the pool. Each panel is attached securely at the seams and joints. The braces are a heavy gauge, galvanized steel, and the brace connections are threaded and bolted, not welded.
Concrete Piers
Z-Bracing (PPS does not use this method)
Secured into footing every four to five feet
Supports concrete deck by tying into the footing
Best way to support perimeter deck
Piers are part of stable backfill environment
Heavy design handles soil expansion
Protects surface concrete
concrete
Northern climate creates too much "heaving"
Lever action can cause concrete to tear from lateral brace
Lateral brace can tear from wall and cut through plumbing lines
zbrace
Footing (Bond Beam)Bracing
The "overdig" of the swimming pool is filled with concrete. This bond beam stabilizes the pool. Performance Pool and Spa uses a footing that is more than twice what is recommended by the manufacturer.
The concrete footing is approximately 12 inches deep
The concrete piers are poured directly into the footing
The plumbing and bracing are contained within this footing
Anodized Aluminum Coping and Cantilevered Concrete Coping
The coping acts as a receiver for both the concrete and the liner. PPS only uses anodized aluminum. PPS DOES NOT USE PLASTIC COPING. We are also very experienced at installing cantilevered-style concrete coping (there is an extra charge for this style of coping or pavers).
Encapsulated coping installed on all undertrack autocovers
Anodized aluminum is the strongest available on the market
Cantilevered-style concrete coping or pavers are available
Pool-Krete Bottom
The bottom of the swimming pool is made of pool-krete. Pool-krete bottom swimming pools are more stable than sand-bottom pools. The material is mixed, poured, and troweled into the pool, similar to concrete. However, Pool Krete maintains a level of flexibility because of its material composition. The advantage is that the bottom of the pool can flex and move slightly in response to the ground movement. Pool-krete will not Vermiculiteshear or divide like concrete can.
Bottom material feels softer than concrete
Liner and bottom will last longer
Uniform feel because there are no areas of concrete
PPS only uses manufacturer-brand pool-krete mixers, NOT paddle mixers
Plumbing, Valves, Circulation
All underground plumbing is flexible pipe. The non-corrugated plumbing line is the strongest available on the market today, with a 100 p.s.i. tolerance. The non-corrugated style, compounded with a drastically-reduced number of unions or turns, makes the lowest-friction design. Also, flex pipe gives us the ability to use fewer connections, minimizing the chances of leaking.Plumbing
Non-corrugated flex line lowers friction
A combination of Jandy gray- and gold-standard valves are plumbed on every circulation line
PPS's design has the lowest number of unions and 90-degree angles
100-p.s.i. flexible pipe is the best in the industry
The skimmers and returns built into a swimming pool are the suction and return fittings. The skimmers are built into the wall, and the skimmer opening in the pool is rectangular. The wide-mouth opening is at the water line and acts to feed water to the equipment, as well as to skim off surface debris. PPS uses wide-mouth, commercial grade skimmers.
All PPS pools are built with two side-by-side main drains as well. These drains function like a skimmer on the floor of the deep end. PPS uses anti-vortex-style main drains. Anti-vortex main drains are the safest option in the industry. There is no chance of a swimmer becoming entrapped at the bottom of the pool. The hydrostream jets, or returns, bring water from the equipment back to the pool. This water will have been treated, filtered, and heated. The three return jets are positioned at the surface to create maximum pool circulation. There is a fourth return dedicated to the automatic cleaner.
Commercial-grade skimmers
Jet position creates designed circulation pattern
Dual main drain design is the safest system