Does The Surface (Gelcoat) Warranty Matter On My Fiberglass Pool?
Posted by Kent Carpenter on Tue, Oct 11, 2011 @ 03:32 PM
Is the gel coat quality on a fiberglass swimming pool an important factor? Does it really matter?
You bet it does!
The gelcoat is the coating that you see on the interior surface of the fiberglass pool. The gel coat determines the color, finish of the pool and protects the underlying fiberglass mat and resin.
Gelcoat is a hard polyester resin coating that is applied over structural fiberglass to provide a smooth, glossy protective surface that eliminates friction, creates an attractive aesthetic appearance and is commonly used on fiberglass swimming pools, boat hulls, spas, and on bathroom fixtures such as sinks, tubs, shower stalls and whirlpool tubs.
The quality of the gelcoat can greatly effect a pool owner's fiberglass pool experience. When shopping for a fiberglass swimming pool be sure to inquire about the warranty on the pool.
It is very important that the warranty be more than a structural warranty by offering a specific warranty on the interior pool surface (the surface you will see everyday).
Is the warranty simple and clear or does it read like a Harvard law journal? and if you take the time to actually read it offers you no or little protection but looks official and sounds good.
Be sure to ask your swimming pool manufacturer, dealer or installer if they have experienced any gelcoat failures and if so what was the outcome?
How fast did the manufacturer respond? Was the repair satisfactory?
Is it okay for you to contact and/or visit a pool owner that has had a repair?
The gelcoat is only one component of the layers of materials that make up a fiberglass pool. Many new fiberglass swimming pools fresh off the mold will look shiny and new regardless of the quality of the gelcoat.
Where the difference in the quality comes in is the durability of the gelcoat finish and what does it look like a year from now? 5 or 10 years from now?
Is the gelcoat made in the USA and readily available?
Do you know who the manufacturer of your gelcoat is?
How about the color and formula?
What do you do if your pool manufacturer goes out of business and you cannot find a matching gelcoat?
These are all fair questions to ask.
The truth is that when you actually dig in and begin investigating gelcoats used in the fiberglass swimming pool industry yourself as I have you can learn a great deal of information about them.
One fact that I discovered was that an American owned and operated company by the name of HK Research, located in Hickory, NC. manufactures what I consider to be the most durable and highest quality gelcoat available for fiberglass swimming pools.
The video below by Ashley Gill, CEO of Leisure Pools USA and Marcus Sheridan of River Pools and Spas provides some insight into some gelcoat testing methods and gelcoat comparisons.
Our experience with the FGI Aquaguard gelcoat while distributing Leisure Pools throughout the southeast has not been nearly as positive or problem free as one might believe after watching this video.
Wise consumers trust but verify! Note the photographs below showing Aquaguard gelcoat failures on Leisure Pools Australian Blue Color.
Leisure Pools USA has recently changed the scope of their warranty dropping warranty covererage on the pool coping.
Smart consumers should ask for a copy of the structural and surface warranty provided by the manufacturer of your fiberglass swimming pool and ask for the names and contact information of pool owners that have had a repair.