Floor Inlets Need Tile

Often in the construction of limited service and resort properties (as well as competition pools) either a poor aquatic consultant is hired, or the decision is made to design the swimming pools using a local pool contractor in a design-build capacity. One small -though significant- design consideration often ignored is the area around the floor inlet of the pool. 

The floor inlet system, coupled with wall inlets, is where the filtered and chemically treated water is returned to the pool.  Because of this, the water being ejected from the floor inlet has an unusually high concentration of acidic products being shot across the interior surface of the pool floor.  Such products are usually an acid to control the pH of the pool water as well as a halogen sanitation chemical like chlorine or bromine. The problem is simple: When water with a high acidic concentration is shot across the floor of the pool horrible discoloration of the interior surface is guaranteed (plaster, Pebble Tec, etc…).  Such products ravage the interior surface of the pool whenever the circulation system is operating.  A thoughtful, knowledgeable aquatics consultant should have the wherewithal to design the floor inlet system with 2”x2” tiles matching the interior surface of the pool surrounding the floor inlet to eliminate the risk of significant discoloration to the pool floor.  A simple design consideration such as this has a negligible cost, but will invariably save the pool owner/operator a minimum of $10,000 in interior resurfacing costs resulting from a poor floor inlet system design.