New fiberglass pool blistering

I just noticed two areas in my fiberglass pool that have dozens of small bumps. This is only our second summer with this pool. Our pb pretty much abandoned us after installation, so I'd rather not even have to deal with him. I don't think these bumps have always been there, but I'm really not sure. I think I would have noticed them. They are located on the seat and along the edge of the built-in seat in the deep end and on a small shelf just beneath the skimmer. I would describe them as the size of mosquito bites. Has anyone familiar with fiberglass ever heard of such a thing? How worried should I be?

Thanks.

It is because of the gelcoat. The gelcoat is thin, which has let moisture get behind it causing the blistering. It has to do with the quality of the pool. I would get in contact with the manufacturer of the pool, not the PB. You should have a warranty - since the pool is only 2 years old, they should give you information on what can be done.

Thanks Marie. I was hoping you'd reply. I can't get in touch with the manufacturer. Do you think the whole pool needs to be redone? I thought fiberglass pools never needed to be resurfaced. Have you ever had this type of problem?

I had noticed some blistering in my pool at the end of last season. I have contacted the pool manufacturer and was told they could fix the problem by resurfacing. I asked if they have to resurface the whole pool, and he said it depends. They would send a service man out to determine what has to be done. The whole pool doesn't always have to be resurfaced, they can just fix where the blisters are. The blistering will not do any damage to the pool itself, it is just cosmetic. I am waiting till the end of the swimming season to see what I want to do, and to see if it gets any worse. Since my swimming season is so short, I don't want to waste any of it:) The pool manufacturer is WaterWorld, and they said it would cost $200.00 for service, my warranty is for 50 years - so we'll see:D Anyway as long as it doesn't do any damage to the fiberglass shell, it doesn't bother me. I will let you know what I decide. I know that blistering is a common problem with fiberglass pools, and if you go on the web, you can find may articles of how the fiberglass pool manufacturers are using different gelcoats to fix this problem. I know they say that fiberglass shouldn't have to be fixed, but in doing some research, it isn't always the case - they need some maintainence:rolleyes: Buy since your pool is so new, I would not expect any problems yet. Why can't you get in touch with the manufacturer?

I can't get in touch with the manufacturer because they don't answer the phone or return messages. I'll fax a letter today, but I'm not hopeful. The pool supposedly came with a lifetime warranty on the shell, but does that cover the finish? Since the installer left us high and dry, I don't actually have a written warranty. Is the $200.00 just for the service call or to actually resurface the pool? How bad is your blistering? Is it how I described, like dozens of mosquito bites? The bumps on my finish are hard. What part of your pool is blistering? Also, do you have any surface cracks? I noticed two lines that look like scratches. How do you tell if these are just on the top coat?

I'm also having trouble just finding a company that does repair work on fiberglass pools. Must be my area. Thanks so much Marie.

Ok. I just got off the phone with a guy who wants $350 just to come look at my pool! Is this a normal fee? He also said that these blisters are very serious and should be taken care of immediately. I don't know what to think. Any advice?

Hmmm, I don't know. I will call the pool manufacturer of my pool again tomorrow. I will see what I am told this time. The manufacturer of my pool wanted $200. for the service - the repair would be under the warranty. I will let you know what I find out. I asked him twice about the blisters, and he told me they were not serious, but I will ask someone else:confused:

Hi Marie.

The more I think about it, the more I think this guy was full of it. He talked too fast and tried to scare me into scheduling an appointment. After your first post I did a little research on osmotic blistering. You were exactly right by the way. It is caused by water penetrating the gel coat. I think it can cause problems if let go for a long time (like years). I also called Water World in NJ and the guy who answered the phone did give me the name of a guy they use for repairs.

My biggest problem is that I absolutely do not want to call my installer because I can't believe a word that comes out of his mouth, and I can't get the manufacturer to respond at all.

What I do have in my favor is this forum. I just wish I had discovered it before I bought my pool. I would have used a different company, obviously.

How did you make out with your pool I have the same problem

Eric,
Unfortunately Tisha has not been on the forum since June 2010 so it is not likely that you will get a response here.

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Originally Posted by Watermom

Eric,
Unfortunately Tisha has not been on the forum since June 2010 so it is not likely that you will get a response here.

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does anybody else know how she made out ?

or do you know if this is something I should worry about ?