Re: New Build - South Florida Pool & Outdoor Living
So i met with my PB today to address my growing list of pre-dig questions. Most were addressed easily, but here were some questions and the answers I received which I wanted to bring back to TFP for further discussion:
Blower for Spa - my PB recommended against it. They said it will be loud and would likely need some sort of plumbing above ground (eye sore) closer to the spa due to the long line from the pad to the spa (~60 feet). Does this make sense?
Deck Drain - I asked about my options to add square deck drains (if needed) scattered throughout our french pattern travertine (i saw this in a thread somewhere here and it looked so much cleaner) vs. the long linear deck-o-drains. Again, they recommended against it due to tropical rain season here in South Florida. They believe the isolated square drains will be much more prone to overflow during heavy rains.
Acid Wash of Diamond Brite - My contact (sales/designer still at this point) didnt seem to know the answer on whether or not a Diamond Brite quartz plaster selection would be acid-washed prior to filling. He said no, but I could tell he was not confident in his answer.
Surge Protector at Pump on Pad - PB said this is not currently included in their builds. Why is this important? Should I pay extra for it?
Hayward heat pump with Pentair automation and other Pentair Equipment - We chose all Pentair equipment except for the heat pump (Pentair only makes a 125K BTU heat pump vs. Haywards 140K and Hayward has better reviews) and are adding the automation system. PB didnt seemed concerned with Hayward heat pump on Pentair automation.
Any thoughts on these topics or cause for concern?
I believe the blower was my doing, so I'll jump in. Our blower is a 1hp with a silencer located at the pad. The pic is below. Certainly looks like pool equip, but not an eyesore. With the silencer it runs at 55db. My HVAC runs at 77, so certainly quieter than your home HVAC. I would definitely go with the blower - much cheaper than a second pump, as someone else suggested for your spa size. I can pm you a video if you like.
For deck drain, I tend to agree with your PB. A channel drain is probably the way to go for our rain volumes. Get one that closely matches your travertine. Ours is walnut drain / walnut travertine.
Acid wash ... They are absolutely going to to need to acid wash. Your guy may not know the whole process but just get it confirmed what the curing process is before water.
Surge ... I would vote 100% yes given our location and the sensitivity of the pentair equipment. Your local electricians will agree wholeheartedly. Net cost is probably $300 or less vs. cost of new pump or panel.
I wouldn't have any concerns about the Hayword with Pentair automation; however, the spa will be very slow to heat with heat pump. Your heat pump will be nice for the pool but not so great for the spa. I would ask around but I suspect the ramp time to 98 degrees is 60 minutes or more in your zone. I would suggest propane, even if it means burying a tank. In S. FL your propane cost is going to be $2.50-$2.85/g so a 125g tank would cost you $250 to fill to 80% capacity. Flow rate on the Pentair heater is pretty efficient and we find ourselves just topping off the propane a few times a year at $40-80/per quarter. I have solar, so I'm not trying to heat my pool.
In the pic, the blower is the black cylinder, roughly adjacent to the panel, above the heater.
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