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January 23, 2003
Pools Safer In Florida
Danger from main drain eliminated
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MOUNT DORA, FL - Sometimes all it takes is a new set of eyes to solve a long-time problem. That was the case last year when a local pool builder was looking to install a swimming pool without a main drain; a potential hazard required on all pools built in Florida.
"When you see a potentially life-threatening problem you want to completely eliminate it if you can," said Maria Slaby, President of Mermaid Pools of Central Florida, Inc. "Main drains can entrap people - especially children - when installed improperly or a cover is broken or missing, and something needed to be done.
As a mother, (four children ages 8,7,5,2) I couldn't watch this continue when I knew there was a simple solution."
Main drain entrapment is a big issue nationwide.
It can become a big political issue too, as it did in Florida last spring.
When new building codes were promulgated in 2002 that required "layers of protection" consisting of not only one drain, but two drains, in addition to an approved vacuum relief system or vent line system, Slaby knew she needed to question the "madness."
Through dealer training from the composite pool manufacturer she represents, Slaby learned that water circulation can be accomplished without a drain and that emptying a pool could easily be done with a sump pump.
"Basically, two negative things a main drain can do are leak and entrap people. The 'layers of protection' required by the Florida Building Commission was an improvement, but the only 100% sure method of avoiding all drain entrapment is to eliminate them," Slaby said.
Sounds simple enough, but there was a catch. The Florida Building Code required all pools to have a main drain for "emptying or circulation or both…" The only way Mermaid Pools could install a pool without a drain would be to follow the administrative channels set forth by the Florida Building Commission (FBC).
This proved to be an extremely daunting task.
Beginning with her local Lake County building official, Dale Greiner, who now sits on the FBC, Maria received insights and encouragement to tackle this issue.
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She began with a Declaratory Statement to the FBC. This "Dec statement" was then reviewed by the Plumbing Technical Advisory Committee of the FBC in an open forum in March 2002. This seemingly logical issue became a hotbed of debate during the meeting. Review of Slaby's Dec statement, scheduled for only 20 minutes on the agenda, mushroomed into a 4? hour debate, only to be tabled for the May meeting.
This 100 percent safe solution would require more travel, overnight stays, meetings and presentations before it could be passed.
Adding profoundly to Mermaid Pools stand was Ray Cronise, Vice President of Engineering for The RTR Group, Inc., manufacturer of Trilogy Pools, the pools Slaby installs. The retired NASA materials scientist turned pool manufacturer provided the necessary scientific dimension to this surprisingly controversial issue.
Cronise also has simultaneously contributed to this issue on a national level as a member of the NSPI/ANSI writing committees for Public and Residential Pools and the National NSPI Technical Committee.
"As a new-comer to the industry, you tend to ask a lot of basic questions," said Cronise.
"What was interesting is that no one on the local or national level had really ever questioned the very existence of a main drain, even though every above ground pool is built without one.
Our company has always recommended to our builder base to eliminate this potential hazard and to substitute a water inlet in areas of poor circulation in deeper pools.
While existing standards provide ways to properly utilize a bottom suction port for circulation, it's not the only way to do it.
When safety is a concern, it is certainly not a good idea to eliminate the only perfect solution, simply because something has always been done one certain way."
By July, Slaby's DEC statement finally passed and by August, Slaby was attending more meetings with the FBC helping craft new language for the Florida Building Code concerning main drains. As of October, the FBC approved the new language that now has made the usage of main drains optional instead of "required."
This small change in words could potentially save a swimmer's life.
"Hopefully more pool companies will consider installing pools without a main drain. It just takes time before it becomes an accepted practice in the industry. The good thing though is that now, with awareness, the customer can demand it." Slaby said.
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"As I sat in that first heated meeting, I was simply stunned," said Dan Johnson, President of Swim, Inc. in Sarasota, Florida. "The more I thought about how absolutely easy and logical this solution was, the more excited I became. You can't argue with such a common sense approach." Johnson added, "I've been building pools with out them ever since."
"I think everyone in the industry should realize that this can be a good option in many cases," said Dr. William N. Rowley, of Rowley International, and long time advocate for suction entrapment safety. "Certainly from a circulation and hydraulics point of view, the only way to move a fluid is to push it. I am building my personal pool right now with bottom returns and an overflow system as part of a vanishing edge. It doesn't happen to have a drain. It's not to say that we don't have the technology to significantly reduce the hazard of using drains in a pool, but at the same time one must realize it is impossible to get trapped on something that's not there," Rowley added.
A person needs only to look at the heat and air system of their home to immediately see the solution. What do you do when you have a room with poor circulation; add a suction port to the room? Of course not, you add a vent to pump more "conditioned" air into the room to push the poorly circulated out and back to the HVAC system.
One other way to look at the basic physical principles involved is with a simple birthday candle. Hold the candle out at arms length and see if you can "suck" the candle out. You can easily blow it out. This is exactly what is going on in a pool circulation system. By replacing those bottom suctions with bottom inlets, you can move the freshly sanitized water, keeping the pool crystal clear and maintaining a healthy distribution of sanitizer.
Without a doubt many more birthday candles will be extinguished and lives will be saved, because of the initiative Maria Slaby took in Florida. We won't ever know which ones or how many, but in the years to come we can be certain that no person will be trapped by a drain that is not there; it's that simple.
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About Mermaid Pools of Central Florida
Mermaid Pools of Central Florida, Inc. is owned and operated by Maria and Mark Slaby. Mount Dora based Mermaid Pools of Central Florida focuses its business on residential pool installations in an eight county area of central Florida, specializing in the installation of high quality fiberglass swimming pools, spas and pool/spa combination units. The company markets its products through free in-home consultations with homeowners.
About Swim Inc
Swim Incorporated is owned and operated by Dan Johnson, a Certified Building Professional with 27 years of experience in the pool industry.. He is the author of the industry's only computer hydraulic sizing program for vanishing edge pools. Swim, inc. specializes in custom residential and commercial gunite pool construction in the greater Sarasota area.
About Rowley International
Founded by Dr. William N. Rowley in 1975, Rowley International Inc has been a leading designer of innovative and internationally recognized aquatic facilities for more than 25 years. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of California since 1963, and is licensed in 26 other states.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Dr. Rowley was selected as Pool Consultant for the design of the 1984 Olympic Pool Complex in Los Angeles, California. He has served for over 20 years on Safety Committees with Federal, State and Local governments and continues to be a member of such code-specifying bodies.
About The RTR Group
The RTR Group, Inc. manufactures Trilogy Pools, one-piece fiberglass pools, at its facility in Fayetteville, Tennessee. They manufacture a wide variety of pool sizes and shapes for both residential and commercial pool installations. Trilogy Pools are available in a traditional gel coat colors and a wide variety of Granicoat Colors®, a solid surface finish used in kitchen countertops and bath applications.
Contact information:
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Mermaid Pools of Central Florida Contact:
Maria Slaby
352-383-POOL
maria@mermaidpool.com
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Swim, Inc.
Dan Johnson
941 351-7665
swimincorp@earthlink.net
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The RTR Group
For Press Contact:
Ray Cronise
(931) 732-5253
ray@rtrgroup.com
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