Hi! I am new here my name is Adrian... and I am desperate for answers and guidance. I have a fiberglass pool that needs to be painted with apoxy since the orginal gel lining is wearing off. I got a quote from a contractor who said it would costs $5600!! I was hoping to do this myself and have been researching on how to ensure you do not damage the shell. I think it may be doable since I live in the desert (so water table not an issue) and was thinking as long as I do not saturate the surrounding ground with the water I pump out and I it does not rain the walls will not cave in and the shell wont pop out. Has anyone else drained their fiberglass pool and/ or have advice for me?
How to Drain a Fiberglass Pool without Damaging the Shell
- Thread starter AdrianAZ
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Re: How to Drain a Fiberglass Pool without Damaging the Shel
I have the same problem and have been researching before I drain my pool. I have problems because the water tables are high and I have not found a way (yet) to provide hydrostatic relief. I read somewhere that you can pump the water out of your pool and connect the line into another plumbing line. There are a lot of posts about products...do you know anything about sani-tred products?
I have the same problem and have been researching before I drain my pool. I have problems because the water tables are high and I have not found a way (yet) to provide hydrostatic relief. I read somewhere that you can pump the water out of your pool and connect the line into another plumbing line. There are a lot of posts about products...do you know anything about sani-tred products?
Re: How to Drain a Fiberglass Pool without Damaging the Shel
No, never heard of those products, I will google. Geez, that's gonna make tjings more complex in your situation high water tables from what I read can cause water to be beneath the pool which can make it float and pop up. Have you heard anything about placing braces on the walls of pool to support while the pool is empty? That seemed to not make sense to me since you need to paint the full surface of pool and woyld need to remove braces to paint underneath. Let me know if you learn more and I will do the same. Adrian
No, never heard of those products, I will google. Geez, that's gonna make tjings more complex in your situation high water tables from what I read can cause water to be beneath the pool which can make it float and pop up. Have you heard anything about placing braces on the walls of pool to support while the pool is empty? That seemed to not make sense to me since you need to paint the full surface of pool and woyld need to remove braces to paint underneath. Let me know if you learn more and I will do the same. Adrian
Re: How to Drain a Fiberglass Pool without Damaging the Shel
I haven't heard about the braces but probably because I have been trying to come up with a less expensive option than calling a company that specializes in pool repair and resurfacing. Good luck!
I haven't heard about the braces but probably because I have been trying to come up with a less expensive option than calling a company that specializes in pool repair and resurfacing. Good luck!
Re: How to Drain a Fiberglass Pool without Damaging the Shel
Next to my pool skimmer basket is another access place- this is a large (10 inches across maybe?) PVC tube that goes down in to the ground next to my pool. It has stone at the bottom just like the fill around my pool. My understanding is that I can monitor ground level water there, and if necessary (eeegads) drop a sump pump down there to drain if ever I had water there. I've never once seen any- its dry as the desert from what I can tell when I pop the little cover off and look.
Is there any chance you have one of these somewhere around your pool?
Next to my pool skimmer basket is another access place- this is a large (10 inches across maybe?) PVC tube that goes down in to the ground next to my pool. It has stone at the bottom just like the fill around my pool. My understanding is that I can monitor ground level water there, and if necessary (eeegads) drop a sump pump down there to drain if ever I had water there. I've never once seen any- its dry as the desert from what I can tell when I pop the little cover off and look.
Is there any chance you have one of these somewhere around your pool?
Re: How to Drain a Fiberglass Pool without Damaging the Shel
a fiberglass pool has to have cross bracing installed inside the pool before draining. It's the weight and pressure of the exterior fill around the pool that can possibly colapse the shell. That is my understanding thru all the reading that i have done. someone please correct me if i am wrong. i am no expert, but have done a lot of research on fiberglass pools.
a fiberglass pool has to have cross bracing installed inside the pool before draining. It's the weight and pressure of the exterior fill around the pool that can possibly colapse the shell. That is my understanding thru all the reading that i have done. someone please correct me if i am wrong. i am no expert, but have done a lot of research on fiberglass pools.
Re: How to Drain a Fiberglass Pool without Damaging the Shel
In AZ you're not going to have a problem with the water table...I assume you're in Tucson or Phoenix? Regarding the cross bracing, I'd contact the manufacturer and see what they recommend.
How old is the pool? Wearing off the gelcoat in a cast fiberglass pool is not something we hear often.
In AZ you're not going to have a problem with the water table...I assume you're in Tucson or Phoenix? Regarding the cross bracing, I'd contact the manufacturer and see what they recommend.
How old is the pool? Wearing off the gelcoat in a cast fiberglass pool is not something we hear often.