If your pool is ready for a liner replacement, you should be aware of these common upgrades. One upgrade, the dual drain upgrade, is mandated for safety, but the other, full bottom refinishing, is optional based upon your pool. The J&M Pool Company crew can help you determine just what your pool needs to be safe and in good repair. 

 

Dual Drain Installation (Required)
  • Most swimming pools have a suction line, called a main drain, that sits at the bottom of the swimming pool in the deep end. When remodeling a swimming pool (which includes liner replacements), Fayette & Coweta Counties require that we upgrade any suction line to having two suction points instead of one. This is due to a safety regulation to help prevent main drain entrapment.
  • Entrapment can occur when the suction on the plumbing line of the pool becomes so strong that a person can become stuck on the pipe. In the past, this was causing dozens of fatalities per year. The case that brought it to The Supreme Court of the United States was when the U.S. Secretary of State James Baker’s granddaughter drowned in the family hot tub due to main drain entrapment. This led to the Virginia Graeme and Baker Act of 2007, which mandated the change throughout the pool and spa industry.
  • The design shown above (Which is how we install the new drains) allows the drains to be far enough apart that one person could not block both drains simultaneously. If one drain is blocked, the suction is able to shift to the second drain, allowing swimmers to swim both freely and safely. When constructing a new swimming pool, if you are going to use a main drain, it is required that you use two. This is due to safety regulations to help prevent main trap entrapment.
Full Bottom Refinishing (Recommended)
  • When replacing a swimming pool liner, there is a layer of material between the liner and the ground. This material can be sand, portland sand, vermiculite, concrete, or pool krete. This is a hand troweled finish that provides a smooth solid surface for the swimming pool liner to sit on. Over time, these finishes can fail which leads to divots, wash areas, softness, or complete failure. When this happens, portions of the floor will peel out when pulling out the liner. Please see attached images below. When this is the case, we recommend a new pool floor as shown in the pictures below.

If you need a liner replacement and upgrades, reach out to J&M Pool Company. We can have your pool ready in time for the swimming season!