The latest estimates from the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance indicate that there are more than 10 million swimming pools in the United States, and depending on how old they are, a significant number of these are in some need of renovation.
New pool construction saw a major boom from 2020 through 2022. Indeed, according to the PHTA’s 2022 Market Report, 2020 saw a 23.5-percent increase in new builds over 2019. Meanwhile, 2021’s new construction increased by nearly 22 percent over the prior year. However, it isn’t likely that this trend will continue.
Because with high inflation, high interest rates, and high material costs — not to mention the slow return to the workplace — it seems fairly likely that new pool construction will be returning to pre-pandemic yearly averages. Now is the time to shift the focus to renovation, and beyond replastering, there are a lot of jobs that pool service technicians can do to beautify or preserve their existing customers’ outdoor investments.
The type of renovation obviously depends on the pool’s original surface.
Across the United States, concrete pools have always been very common, and in 2021 made up 56 percent of the new pools that were added to the installed base. Vinyl pools followed distantly at 29 percent, and fiberglass made up 15 percent of new pools built in 2021, according to the PHTA Market report.
If we take these estimates as a reflection of the general composition of U.S. pools, then most of the pools in need of some level of restoration are of the plaster variety, which includes standard marcite, as well as quartz, and exposed aggregate.
For pools like these, restoration options include acid washing, torching, painting, or refinishing with some of the newer coatings and penetrators. These methods are totally viable ways to bring surfaces back to a better condition and are appropriate for pool owners on a tighter budget, while at the same time bringing a major source of income to many firms.
Vinyl lined pools generally last between 5 and 12 years, depending on how well they were cared for. When they come to the end of their usable lifetime, the only option is to simply replace the liner, and plenty of pool service techs offer this specialized field in their list of services.
But for those service professionals who want to really set themselves apart from the competition, learning the process of installing a vinyl liner over poured concrete can really up your game. Poured concrete vinyl lined pools are popular, especially on the East Coast. Today’s aluminum forming systems are lighter weight than traditional forms, are reusable for more than 3,500 pools, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes offering builders the opportunity of producing creative, freeform shapes.
In our previous issue of Service Industry News, we discussed some of the techniques involved in new pool construction, such as recommended startup procedures. In this issue, we will continue the discussion with tasks that are often performed in the spring to renovate plaster such as acid washing and torching. We’ll also include a special discussion on aluminum forming systems for service techs interested in branching out into the installation of vinyl liners over poured concrete.
