Hi, This is my first post but I've been an avid reader of the site for 3 years. Great place to learn about proper pool maintenance! Now I have a major job coming up and hope to get some advice about others experiences.
Our old pool needs a complete overhaul…liner, coping, concrete decking, all piping, skimmer, electrical all need replacement. We live in Toronto with severe weather extremes, 30 plus Celsius in the summer and down to minus 20 Celsius in the winter. While researching options a number of questions have come up:
1. A landscaper told me that stamped/coloured concrete is weaker than regular concrete and will crack within a few years. Has anyone had experience, good or bad, with this?
2. It has also been suggested to sink sono-tubes to below the frost line to stabilize a concrete deck. Has anyone done this and found to have less shifting of the concrete over time?
3. I want underwater LED lights installed, my wife does not because of possible leaking, is there a way to make them leak free? Again, any experience in this area?
4. Any experiences with solar panels in northern climates, or recommended products?
5. One pool shop claims that we should not go to a salt water system because we have steel walls and will experience corrosion. Thoughts?
6. Will spray foaming or insulating the walls to retain heat be beneficial? Heard of this done on a few new installs.
Any other ideas, suggestions, experiences, or things to watch out for when doing a major pool overhaul will be welcomed! Thanks!
Our old pool needs a complete overhaul…liner, coping, concrete decking, all piping, skimmer, electrical all need replacement. We live in Toronto with severe weather extremes, 30 plus Celsius in the summer and down to minus 20 Celsius in the winter. While researching options a number of questions have come up:
1. A landscaper told me that stamped/coloured concrete is weaker than regular concrete and will crack within a few years. Has anyone had experience, good or bad, with this?
2. It has also been suggested to sink sono-tubes to below the frost line to stabilize a concrete deck. Has anyone done this and found to have less shifting of the concrete over time?
3. I want underwater LED lights installed, my wife does not because of possible leaking, is there a way to make them leak free? Again, any experience in this area?
4. Any experiences with solar panels in northern climates, or recommended products?
5. One pool shop claims that we should not go to a salt water system because we have steel walls and will experience corrosion. Thoughts?
6. Will spray foaming or insulating the walls to retain heat be beneficial? Heard of this done on a few new installs.
Any other ideas, suggestions, experiences, or things to watch out for when doing a major pool overhaul will be welcomed! Thanks!
