Tips and tricks for installing automatic pool guides on fiberglass pools
by Dave Flaherty | October 9, 2020 10:03 am
By Mike Shadoan
As fibreglass pools continue to gain market share in the industry, builders and automatic cover installers are learning to adapt their construction methods to adjust to the unique properties of fibreglass pools.
These pools became even more popular this summer because of their speed of installation as some builders struggled to keep up with consumer demand.
The same can be said in regard to the demand for automatic pool covers as they provide more flexibility for homeowners when opening and closing their pools. That said, fibreglass pools present some unique challenges when installing these types of covers. Therefore, being prepared for these challenges can help installers avoid frustrating mistakes in the field.
Sizing challenge
Busy pool builders work around the clock trying to co-ordinate the timing of the pool and automatic cover installation. In many cases, some builders are forced to call in the order of an automatic cover from their truck while travelling between jobs. In doing so, one might ask for a cover for a 4.87- x 9.7-m (16- x 32-ft) fibreglass pool without considering the actual dimensions of the pool.
It is important to understand when ordering an automatic pool cover, the builder or installer needs to provide the inside dimensions of the pool to the manufacturer. In most cases, the inside dimensions of a fibreglass pool are narrower than the marketed ‘size’ of the pool. It is not uncommon for the interior of the pool to be just 4.57 m (15 ft) wide for a fibreglass pool that is marketed as being 4.87 m (16 ft) wide. So, if the builder orders the cover at 4.87 m (16 ft) wide, it is going to be too big. The width of an automatic pool cover is key for the cover to fit and function properly.
To avoid this mistake, pool builders and automatic cover installers should either wait until the fibreglass pool is installed and take measurements, or contact the pool manufacturer and ask them for their inside pool measurements before ordering the cover. Automatic cover manufacturers use the inside dimensions of the pool for all of the under track cover applications. These are the most common type of automatic cover installation, where the track is hidden. By understanding these are essentially custom products, it will help those ordering them to remember the importance of providing precise measurements.
Pool width challenge
Fibreglass pool builders understand keeping the width of the pool consistent down its entire length is challenging.
“Naturally, fibreglass pools want to flex and bow along the length of the pool because of the pressure on the walls from the backfill or the water,” says Allan Horwood, owner of Pool Patrol in British Columbia.
That said, builders need to fill the pool with water while simultaneously backfilling the fibreglass pool to avoid having the backfill bow the walls in or the water pressure push the walls out. If this is not done correctly, the pool will not maintain a consistent width along its length.
“The pool might be 4.57 m (15 ft) wide in the shallow end and the deep end, but only 4.52 m (14.83 ft) in the middle,” says Horwood. “Automatic cover systems can accommodate for up to a
25.4 mm (1 in.) difference, but not much more.”
According to Horwood, this variation in width along the length of the pool is what makes installing the track for the automatic cover challenging. Placing the track in such a way that the cover functions properly, but is also esthetically pleasing, are both important to a successful installation.
Installation tip
To help with this challenge, it is recommended builders keep the track components installed symmetrically down the length of the pool on both sides. Manufacturers provide enough track for the entire pool, but installers still need to cut it on-site during the installation. To help ensure a better installation, even if there is a variation in the width of the pool, it is important to install the track the same on both sides.
“We always lay out the track around the pool perimeter first before cutting any pieces to make sure the length is the same on both the right and left sides,” says Horwood.
For example, a builder might use three tracks, each 3.65 m (12 ft) in length, on a 10.97 m (36 ft) long pool. It is important this is done on both sides in a mirror fashion rather than using two tracks that are 3.65 m (12 ft) long and two tracks that are each 1.82 m (6 ft). A builder should always start with corners as he/she lays out the track then fill in the remainder symmetrically. Fortunately, these aluminum extrusion tracks have some give and will move a little, which allows installers to make adjustments for both functionality and beauty.
Alerting the manufacturer to the fact the automatic cover is being installed on a fibreglass pool should prompt them to ask additional questions. This will not only help to ensure the correct sizing and components are provided so the cover fits and functions properly, but also so the installation goes as fast and easy as possible.
Elevation challenge
By nature, an automatic pool cover requires it be installed on a level plane. The track cannot be sloped or the cover mechanism will not operate properly. This can be a challenge for those installers that are working with different deck treatments or tile additions that might raise the elevation of the top of the pool from the shallow end to the deep end.
“On one recent installation, the builder had added some tiles around the built-in spa in the shallow end of the pool,” says Horwood. “The tiles were beautiful, but it changed the elevation significantly at the top of the pool in the shallow end versus the height of the top of the pool in the deep end. As a result, this made placing the ‘polybox’ for the automatic cover challenging to install.”
The solution Horwood used in this case was to use the automatic cover components designed for a vinyl liner pool and adjust them to work in this particular situation.
“We applied several ‘MacGyvered’ techniques including using a vinyl liner retainer as it has a higher profile to accommodate the increased height created by the tiles used in the spa at the shallow end of the fibreglass pool,” says Horwood.
This not only applies to tiles used for a built-in spa in the shallow end, but also to various deck treatments used around the pool perimeter. For instance, builders need to consider the height of the stone, travertine, and mortar being used around the pool perimeter because this added elevation must match the elevation in the deep end where the automatic cover enters and exits the housing. Manufacturers provide risers to make up for the increased elevation, but there is a limit to the height accommodation. Matching the height of the lid to the different coping and retainers is crucial to ensure the successful operation of the cover. Builders need to plan this in advance of the installation. This is not unique to fibreglass pools, but more common as many come with built-in features such as spas, tanning ledges, and steps that span the full width of
the pool.
Housing challenge
Before completing the backfilling of the pool, the automatic cover kit is attached at the deep end. The process begins with a one-piece encapsulated coping with a wall cap that supports a pre-made, slide-on ‘polybox’ housing.
The housing is screwed into the wall in a ‘tongue-and-groove’ style that is easily attached to the fibreglass pool wall. This does not come with a pre-designed solution, however.
“We have been using the vinyl liner retainer and treat it like a steel wall structure,” says Horwood. “Once again, we do a little ‘MacGyvering’ to be able to support the housing by free-staking into the ground, which works pretty well.”
As part of this process, it is very important the housing is levelled for the automatic cover to function properly. The cover housing as well as the lid covering the top of the housing must be perfectly level. This entire process needs to take place in the pre-pour stage of the cover installation.
“There is always a bit of a dance to make the timing work—as automatic cover installers want to get the housing attached before the concrete is poured, and builders are anxious to get the concrete poured quickly,” says Horwood.
Corner challenge
Installing the track around the corners of a fibreglass pool can present another unexpected challenge.
“Because the corners of most fibreglass pools have a radius, we notch out the lip in the coping that was originally designed for a vinyl liner bead receiver,” says Horwood.
The manufacturer can provide these corners pre-built for the builder to make them ready to screw down the corner for the installer. Providing these pre-built corners makes the track sit flush on the wall in the corner to ensure the coping remains level.
Lid challenge
As mentioned earlier, the lid on the top of the automatic cover housing also needs to be level for proper operation. The manufacturer usually provides a flush, pre-painted walk-on lid to make the installation fast and easy; however, there are also many lid-tray options available that can be filled with concrete to accommodate popular stone, paver, and stamped concrete options. It is important for builders to remember there must be an area for the cover and lead-edge to exit the housing area.
“Sometimes, we have customers who want a particular finish that is different than the standard lid tray system we prefer,” says Horwood. “However, this presents challenges if you only have about a quarter of an inch to work with because you cannot have a lid that is higher than the track as the cover will not operate.”
Outsourcing automatic cover installations
Fortunately, there are now many pool professionals throughout Canada and the U.S. who now install and maintain automatic covers exclusively so it is easier for pool professionals to subcontract this portion of the job. This allows builders to easily offer automatic pool covers, and still profit from selling them, without having to train or have personnel or staff on hand to install and maintain them.
Horwood’s company specializes in automatic cover installation, and pool builders enjoy working with his company not only because it makes the initial installation easier and faster, but also because his company is there to help with servicing the cover after the installation.
“With automatic covers, it is important to go back and make one or two adjustments on the cover once it is installed,” says Horwood. “Many pool builders like outsourcing the automatic cover portion to me and my crews so they can stay focused on the construction aspects of the project and not have to worry about the cover install after we are done with the pool.”
Installers like Horwood agree it is important to work closely with builders to eliminate any issues that are easy to avoid early on by thinking the
job through.
“Those who specialize in automatic cover installation realize there are ‘tips and tricks’ that can be used to avoid problems, such as a smashed track,” says Chris Hunt, an automatic cover specialist in Wichita, Kan. “Knowing how to prepare the concrete to be poured is key. We use small supports above the mechanism to stabilize and reinforce the track below it, ensuring the track is not compressed by the weight of the concrete deck above it.
“In addition, when we install the cover, we put little pieces of track that act as a shim. This way, if we are called out to make a repair, we take out the shim, straighten the track, and fix it—which is much easier post-installation than having to break up the deck.”
Automatic pool covers are experiencing exponential growth as homeowners look to extend their swimming season—children are home doing virtual learning and more families are ‘staycationing’ in their backyards and maximizing their pool investment. As the demand for fibreglass pools and automatic pool covers continues to soar during this pandemic, pool professionals need to take the time to strategize their approach and be prepared to maximize their profits on these products while avoiding frustrating mistakes in the field.
Mike Shadoan has more than 25 years of experience as a service tech in the field, working his way up into the position of vice-president of sales for Automatic Pool Covers in Westfield, Ind. Shadoan has been an integral part of the company’s rapid growth as a result of the innovative automatic pool cover products it offers. He can be reached via email at mshadoan@apc-mfg.com.
Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/tips-and-tricks-for-installing-automatic-pool-guides-on-fiberglass-pools/