Many of our customers wonder what will actually happen when we come out to install a premium San Juan fiberglass pool. Sunco Pools will perform the following tasks as quickly and professionally as possible:
Select Pool Site | Prepare for Excavation | Perform the Excavation
Prepare Hole for Pool Shell | Prepare Pool for Placement | Set Pool in Place
Level Pool in Hole | Fill and Backfill Hole and Pool
Install Pool Plumbing | Install Pool Deck
Selection of the pool site will determine how much grading will have to be accomplished prior to the actual dig for the pool. Naturally, a level area is best because it will require the least amount of preparation for the dig, but in many cases there is no level area, therefore, the site must be prepared to accept the pool prior to dig. The pool site should be elevated slightly higher than the surrounding area. It is most important that drainage from the surrounding area does not run into the pool.
When dealing with slopes, the severity of the slope will determine if retaining walls must be built in order to have a level area for the pool. If the slope is relatively minor, a simple wall built from railroad ties or landscaping timbers may be all that is needed, but if the slopes are severe you may be forced to construct a major load bearing retaining wall.
Your San Juan distributor will contact your utility companies to determine where any underground power or cable lines, gas pipes, etc. will need to be relocated (if any).
With the area for the pool properly graded to accept the pool, we are now ready for the excavation. Your San Juan pool distributor has a "dig diagram" furnished by San Juan for the particular pool you are installing.
Your pool installer will start by setting up grade stakes and string or 2x4s outlining the area for their excavation.
NOTE: The finished elevation, the top of concrete decking, should be 4" to 6" above the surrounding area for proper drainage away from the pool.
With the pool area and all elevations planned including your decided type of decking, your San Juan distributor is now ready to proceed with the dig. An ideal excavation is one that is as close as possible to the dimensions of the pool shell, but with the following rules in mind. The excavation should be 2" to 4" deeper than the actual pool for your sand bed. The sand bed is to level the pool shell and provide a perfect support base with no voids when the pool is lowered into the hole. Your excavation should be approximately one foot longer and one foot wider than the pool shell. This will allow for a six inch overdig all the way around the pool once it is in place. Additional hand excavation will be required to insure the skimmer when attached to the pool will fit in the excavation. A transit and story pole, when used properly, will insure an accurate dig.
Sand, or rock dust must be used to bed the shell into the excavation and for backfill. Your distributor will determine how much sand is needed to be placed on the bottom of the excavation of all constant depth pools or those with constant slopes, by setting a grade stake at all four corners, and one on each side of the centerline in the bottom of the hole. If they are installing our deeper models with breaks for deep ends, than each individual depth change must be noted by stakes outlining each area . By using the transit and shooting down from your grade stakes indicating the top of the pool, the San Juan distributor will know exactly where on the bottom stakes the pool should be to maintain an exact level for the pool.
An area approximately 4'-6' long, 2'-3' wide and 12" deep should be dug out at the middle of the deepest end of the pool. If the pool is going to have a drain in the bottom it could end up in this area and the sump hole will need to accommodate the drain as well. This area is for a dry well sump, which has a gravel bottom, 2" perforated PVC pipe with an end cap attached to a 1 1/2" or 2" PVC line that is run under the pool and up and out of the excavation under the deck. This line can than be attached to a pump. The remainder of the sump hole ,after the pipe is installed ,should be filled with1/2" or larger gravel. This will allow for underground water that may accumulate under the pool during and after the installation to be removed, and is a permanent part of the installation.
Note: Failure to install a dry sump well could cause hydro-static water pressure to build up under the pool during the washed sand backfill along with long term water build up during the life of the pool.
Your San Juan distributor is now ready to put the sand base into the pool hole.
The distributor will use a level 2x4 as long as the width of the pool as a screeting device to level the sand to the top of the string. The objective is to compact the sand into a smooth level bed to the depth of the string outline of the pool bottom. When finished, the distributor should have a perfect bottom for the pool shell to rest on. When they have double checked your measurements and are confident this portion is correct, the will remove the stakes and string at this point.
Your San Juan pool is delivered to the site with most of the fittings in place. Your San Juan distributor may have to mount supplemental items not ordered with your pool, such as additional inlets or jets. They will install these items while the pool is out of the ground. Most of the pools plumbing should wait until the pool is in the ground, except for the main drain line. This line will be stubbed up and tied to the pool prior to setting the pool in the hole. There won't be room to do this once the pool is in place.
With the hole properly prepared, all measurements double checked, and making certain that there is nothing in the bottom of the hole except a compacted level bed of sand, and your sump installed, your San Juan distributor is now ready to set the pool.
A suitable sized crane will be utilized for this job. Although certain size backhoes and trackhoes are capable to do this job, a crane is the safest and most suitable piece of equipment to use. It is designed for this purpose and can easily lift the pool back out of the hole for corrections in the sand bottom if necessary. Your San Juan Pool has four lifting areas, PVC pipe reinforced with fiberglass, under the coping at each corner of the pool shell. Chains are usually shipped with the pool to attach lifting straps to be attached to the crane.
Most models of San Juan pools are shipped with spanner bars bolted across the centerline of the pool shell. These spanner bars are there to prevent the pool from buckling during the setting procedure and should not be removed at this time.
If the pool has a drain on the bottom of the shell, your distributor will make careful measurements at this time, directly off the pool, to determine exactly where the hole must be dug in the bottom to accept the drain. This hole will be carefully hand dug and a proper fit is imperative. (This is a most important area of installation, and exact measurements are required.) The gravel sump may be in this area and if so, should be deep enough to accommodate the drain and the PVC line running from it to the pump.
Rope lines will now be attached to the pool by the installer to help guide it when lifted by the crane. Your San Juan distributor will now carefully and slowly lift your pool slightly off the ground or trailer and double check all chains and straps. They will insure everything is properly rigged before proceeding. It is not advisable to lift the pool during any type of wind. The pool will act as a giant kite. Your distributor will make certain wind is at a minimum. Very slowly lift and move the pool to the excavation. It is recommended to keep the pool as low to the ground as possible, this will help in handling and lower the effects of wind movement. Once over the hole, your installer will line up the shell, make certain no debris has fallen into the hole and slowly lower the pool into the excavation. He will also make certain that the bottom drain, if your pool has one, fits correctly into the hole you have dug for it. It must fit perfectly and fit completely flush to allow the pool bottom to set directly on the sand with no strain on the drain. Most models have been molded with a recess in the center of the back wall at the deep end to accept the drain and pipe. These models require little preparation for the drain. Check your pool for this feature, but in any case the drain must not bind or be subject to pressures that may crack it.
With the shell setting in the hole and the main drain and attached pipe double checked to insure it is not damaged, it is time for your San Juan distributor/installer to check your level. Standing and jumping on all four corners will help settle the pool in place to insure it is not hung up. When they are certain the pool is all the way in the hole, measurements should now be taken with a transit. They will set their story pole on the top of the coping at each corner, staying away from seating areas and steps, and take your measurement at each corner. All four comer will be within one half ( l /2") of an inch. Particular attention must be made on all 8" or deeper models to insure the break points are setting where they were planned without voids or binds.
When everything is properly measured your pool will be level. It is not uncommon for your installer to have to lift and set the shell several times prior to getting the pool exactly level. They will take whatever time is necessary to insure the pool is within the one half (1/2") tolerance.
Note: Your San Jaun installer will not leave the pool at this point if rain is in the forecast. Heavy rain now would float the pool, ruin the bottom and destroy all your work. Weather planning is extremely important when starting your excavation.
Fill and Backfill the Hole and Pool
The important thing to remember is that Fiberglass Pools are flexible, and equal amounts of pressure on each side of the pools walls must be maintained at all times.
Your San Juan distributor/installer will start by filling the pool with one foot ( 1' ) of water. This will securely anchor the pool into the excavation. They will then recheck their measurements with a transit. This is because these areas may sag and will require additional reinforcement.
Never attempt to move any part of the shell or coping with a machine once it has any water in it. It could crack the shell and void the warranty. If the shell moves significantly out of level at any point from here on out it may be necessary to drain the pool and re-level the shell.
With reinforcement in place and one foot of water in the pool, we may now proceed with the backfill.
Your San Juan Pool installer will now start adding sand or rock dust around the pool, no dirt. Dirt is totally unsuitable for this portion of the backfill and will void your warranty. The sand must fill all voids as the backfill. The best way to do this is to wash the sand with water under and around all areas of the shell. A "sand wand", a 1" piece of PVC pipe approximately 6' - 8' long attached to a garden hose is the preferred method. By ramming the wand into the sand and removing it slowly, the water from the wand will wash the sand into the areas required. Too much water is not good, so common sense should be used for the proper balance. Areas under steps, seats, and the main drain must he completely filled in with washed sand and compacted to prevent settling.
The amounts of sand or rock dust required for each pool is different, and the amount will also be effected by how close your hole is to the dig specs. In general, a 12' wide pool will take 20-30 tons, 14' wide 30-40 tons and 16' 40 tons +. In any event, your San Juan distributor will order 20 tons to be delivered to the site initially and this will be a sufficient bed for all San Juan pools and allow some sand for the backfill.
The water in the pool will be added at a rate equal to the rate of backfill, with the water maintaining a level one foot higher than the sand backfill throughout the entire fill and backfill procedure It is very important to keep equal amounts of pressure on the pools walls. Too much water could bow and even break the pool outwards, and to much sand could bow the walls inward. A bowed wall inward means you have added too much sand and it must be dug out until the wall is straight and a bowed wall outward means your water is too high in the pool and the sand must be brought up.
The time this procedure takes is determined by the jobs water pressure. Remember, your installer cannot fill the pool any faster than they can backfill it
When your backfill is up approximately one third of the pool, this is the time to remove the spanner bar if your pool came with one. Removing the spanner bar may cause the pools walls to bow out, but by adding additional sand without adding additional water will cause the walls to bow back in. A proper balance of sand backfill and water fill in the pool will keep the walls true throughout the entire installation.
All plumbing should be 1 1/2" PVC schedule 40 pipe or 2" if the pump and filter is over 30' feet from the equipment. The lines around the pool should not go in until the sand backfill is up high enough to allow setting these lines, at the height of the returns and skimmer, on top of the backfill. This will prevent the lines from sagging, and possible cracking. After they are run, the balance of the backfill can continue over these lines. Your San Juan installer will have separate lines from the pool to the equipment for the skimmer, main drain and pool returns. They may have additional lines if you are planning a pressure side pool cleaner, spa jets or fountain/waterfall.
NOTE: All plumbing will be pressure tested by your San Juan installer prior to pouring your concrete decking.
Your San Juan installer will probably ensure that all electrical hook ups are completed before pouring the concrete. They will make certain all electrical inspections on lights, bonding and all other electrical work have been completed and checked off by the local inspectors prior to proceeding with your concrete. They will probably encourage you to run the pool for at least 24 hours before they pour the concrete to insure there are no leaks.
As previously discussed in this manual, the type of decking you have selected will have determined the grade of the pool. If you are going to use cantilevered forms as recommended, the top of the pools coping will be leveled with your surrounding grade. If you are pouring a regular deck up to the pools coping, than the top of the coping should be 4" above the surrounding area. In either event, your San Juan Pool distributor/installer will dig out an area around the pool exposing the flange of the coping and just under it. This is important as concrete should be packed under and over the flange of the pool, as the deck is poured. This will lock the pool into the concrete and provide for a much stronger bond of the pool to the deck. It will also eliminate cracking of the deck where it meets the pool.
When your installer sets your outside forms, remember they want any water from rain or splash out to run off the deck, not into the pool. Plan for a slope of 1/4" per foot away from the pool. If your deck is going to tie into an existing deck, than some type of drain system should be planned to handle the run off. Proper drainage planning with your San Juan distributor is very important is very important.
An experience concrete finisher will always be used when pouring pool decks, especially when you are doing a cantilevered deck, as the forms must be taken off at the proper time to allow finishing of the inside of the form. Fiberglass pools are different from Vinyl or Concrete in that the pools are full when the concrete is poured. Your San Juan distributor will make certain the concrete man is aware of this because getting into the pool in the winter is a chilling experience.
Congratulations !!!! Your San Juan distributor has successfully installed your San Juan fiberglass Pool.
