132 | T T Sue Russell Fibre-glass ticking all the boxes Pools are constructed using a mix of chop-strand fibre-glass and resin, creating an incredibly strong material over which gelcoat is applied. ezpool POOL INDUSTRY As far as Alan Miller, owner-operator of Auckland swimming pool company ezpool, is concerned there is simply no better material than fibre-glass for building beautiful pools. The material not only delivers on the toughness and durability fronts, but also presents a visually engaging product, Alan says. “I’ve been in the pool industry now 40 years and spent 16 years of that in the pool industry in Australia, so I’ve seen pretty well every type of pool you can imagine, and I’ve also seen what they can become. “Fibre-glass offers so many benefits for my customers, with wonderful finishes and colour options to select from.” Alan engages contractors to undertake the necessary landscaping and pool installation work and when asked how business has been he says demand has improved of late. “I cover everywhere in the Auckland district from Warkworth in the north down to Bombay in South Auckland.” One of the benefits of supplying fibre-glass pools, Alan says, is that from the customers perspective the pool, once settled on site, is less time-intrusive in terms of maintenance. “It is not like concrete, which over time requires maintenance to ensure its integrity. Our pools have a 20 years’ warranty on the shell, with great shapes and colours available.” Once a decision as to size and shape has been decided, the pool shell is produced at a state-of-the-art fibre-glass plant in Tauranga, then transported to the site. Alan says he’s very proud of the fact that the pools are entirely made here in New Zealand. Pools are constructed using a mix of chop-strand fibre-glass and resin, creating an incredibly strong material over which gelcoat is applied. It’s the gelcoat that customers see and the benefit is that there’s a wide range of colour and finish options to suit each customer’s specific wishes. There’s also a wide range of pool sizes, with rectangular pools still the most popular option. “They tend to have a timeless quality to them and in standard sizes range from four metres through to 12 metres long.” Alan explains there are three main divisions to the company: pre-made fibre-glass pools, resurfacing of existing fibre-glass or concrete pools, or complete new builds from scratch on site. Above-ground pools are constructed using a combination of concrete block subsequently sprayed with fibre-glass and gelcoat. The time-frame from initial order to construction of the pool from the factory is usually six weeks, and while it is being made, contractors dig the hole and prepare the necessary electrical and plumbing connections. “Sometimes, we have to supply the pool and get it installed in a shorter period of time. This can happen when the pool needs to go in before the house is constructed.” When it comes to existing pool refurbishment, the process always begins with a site visit where the pool’s current situation is assessed. Alan explains it’s essential to understand the structural integrity of the pool as it is, before the refurbishment plan is established and discussed with the owner. “Even if the pool has substantial cracks, we can spray it with chop strand fibre-glass. I also had the situation of a customer who had painted her concrete pool and the paint had failed very quickly. We were able to remove the paint and coat the structure with fibre-glass and gelcoat. It just looked stunning when completed.” Highest Quality Swimming Pool & Spa Pool Equipment, Knowledge & Service. When you need equipment for a spa, you're upgrading a pool or creating a water feature masterpiece, Aqua Clear are the trusted suppliers for swimming pool pumps, heaters, lights, lters and lots more. +64 9 273 4103 WWW.AQUACLEAR.CO.NZ • SWIMMING POOL AUTOMATION • UV SANITISERS • INVERTER POOL HEAT PUMPS
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