Company Background
In 1970, Raymond C. Sarafin, P.E. opened the consulting group Aquatic Engineering. Following two successful years he expanded to include construction and changed the name to Astro Pool Company, Inc. The Astro Pool Company, Inc. have been specializing in commercial swimming pool construction ever since. As a general contractor, we also construct bath houses, install utilities, decorative fencing and perform site work as well as other related phases of construction.
Staff
Our New President, Michael G. Truax, has over 37 years of commercial swimming pool construction experience. Michael’s management experience, coupled with his consulting staff, proves to be invaluable when building commercial swimming pools and family aquatic faculties. Experience is an important aspect of our construction crews. The Astro Pool Company’s average crew seniority is 18 years. Our low turnover rate gives us a distinct advantage over the competition in that our employees maintain superior product knowledge, efficiency, and problem solving capabilities (many times, problems are quite literally solved in the trenches). This only adds to our already high quality of work.
Drug Free Workplace
The Astro Pool Company, Inc. is a drug free workplace. Policy No. 476643.
Bonding Capacity
Not only do municipalities and other government agencies require prime contractors to supply various bonds, but many private owners feel much more comfortable working with a contractor who can provide this service as well. Because of our experience and capabilities, we have built up enough bonding capacity to cover even the largest jobs.
Cost Comparison
If you compare the Astro Pool Company, Inc. to other builders of commercial, stainless steel swimming pools, you will find that we can often provide a substantial cost savings. Why, because we manufacture and install our own recirculation, wall, and buttress system, while other builders are often required to purchase a “package” from dealers who hold patents on their own system. Are you considering a concrete or gunite pool as a means of saving money”. Forget it. We can offer a comparable if not lesser price and provide a pool which is far superior in quality, longevity and maintenance costs. Our intent, with this literature, is to give a brief history of our company, and to present a broad description of who we are and what we have to offer as a general contractor. If you wish to discuss material presented here, or if you have any questions at all concerning pools, pumps, filters, or Ohio Department of Health approvals, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We offer no-cost consulting work to owners and Architect/Engineers, including budget estimates, and time tested, non-proprietary details and specifications that may be bid by any contractor. All this is offered at no obligation.
Purchasing Power
Many suppliers of pool equipment buy products from a variety of manufacturers, add their own name and catalog number, and then market these products as their own brand. We feel that this only adds to the cost and confusion of obtaining pool equipment. For various reasons, including volume purchasing and the cultivation of long term relationships, we are able to buy direct from the major pool equipment manufacturers, thus eliminating the middleman. This is yet another way that we are able to offer our customers truly competitive prices.
Pass the Buck
Imagine going to a single source for a custom designed wall and recirculation system, pool equipment, filtration equipment, construction and installation, warranty, and even state board of health approval. That’s what you get when you decide to work with the Astro Pool Company, Inc. What does it mean? It means that designers, suppliers, fabricators, installers, and contractors can’t go around wasting time and money by pointing fingers. By serving in all these roles, we side step the possibility of poor communication and scheduling delays. This puts our customers mind at ease.
Patent Free
All of our design standards are completely patent free and non-proprietary. This means that all contractors desiring to bid a project have the opportunity to bid an identical system, without having to buy from a single supplier.
Integral Stainless Steel Recirculation System
Because we design, manufacture and install our own recirculation and wall system, we feel confident that no one else offers the performance and design integrity that we do. We feel confident that we offer the best built commercial grade swimming pool system on the market.
Structural Integrity
Our recirculation system and walls are fabricated from 12 gauge (.109 inches thick); type 304 stainless steel with a standard 2b finish. The 12 gauge grating on our gutter outlasts fiberglass and cycolac grating which deteriorates under the sun’s ultraviolet light and chemical exposure. The stainless steel walls are supported by mild steel buttresses, spaced 5’-0” on center. The walls are attached to the buttresses via horizontal stringers which run the entire perimeter of the pool. The buttresses are mounted on temporary grade beam which becomes encased in concrete when the permanent footer is poured. The concrete pool floor is poured 6” thick, this over compacted fill and contains a rebar reinforcing mat, as does the perimeter footer. Both the floor and footer can be poured simultaneously to provide optimum strength.
Recirculation Tube
Our recirculation tube is manufactured in house, straightened to be true and free of twists, and then its pressure tested before ever being sent to the field. Once on the job, the tube is welded together using the heliarc process. The Inlet holes are 1/4″ to 3/8″ in diameter and located around the entire perimeter of the pool. Inlet spacing is field adjusted from 24″ to 48″ to provide even flow. Projecting the inlets downward, at a 45° angle, creates a situation where chlorinated and filtered water mixes completely and continuously, with no still areas. The downward angle of the inlets also creates a situation where the water current is constantly “scraping” the bottom of the pool, keeping dirt and light debris from settling to the bottom. We incorporate our leak-proof “wrap around” gutter in our recirculation system and it is one of the few on the market with a truly integral return tube and gutter, so there is virtually no possibility for an external leak of the supply tube. We size our gutters according to the needs and surge capacity required for each individual project. Surge weirs may be installed in the top of the return tube to allow for constant skimming of surface water during non-use periods. The grating is the same 12 gauge stainless steel as the rest of the pool. Because of the strength of the combined components, no external or internal bracing members are required. Since the grating is usually welded in place, and remains so year round, the owner will never have the hassle of removing and replacing fiberglass or plastic grates, which may become lost or broken. We also install gutter washers which continually wash settled dust from the gutter bottom. Our gutter is adaptable to steel, new concrete or gunite, and existing concrete or gunite walls. The latter is a common practice when renovating a pool with a deteriorating gutter and/or piping system.
Gutter
Because our recirculation system is one of the few on the market with a truly integral return tube and gutter, there is virtually no possibility for an external leak of the supply tube. We can say this because we incorporate our leak proof “wrap around” gutter design. We size our gutters according to the needs and surge capacity required for each individual project. Surge weirs may be installed in the top of the return tube to allow for constant skimming of surface water during non-use periods. The grating is the same 12 gauge stainless steel as the rest of the pool, with ¼ inch diameter holes spaced on 3/8 inch staggered centers. Because of the strength of the combined components, no external or internal bracing members are required. Since the grating is usually welded in place, and remains so year round, the owner will never have the hassle of removing and replacing fiberglass or plastic grates, which may become lost or broken. Also we install gutter washers which continually was settled dust from the gutter bottom.
Gutter Adaptability
As seen in the details, our gutter may be adapted to steel, new concrete or gunite, and existing concrete or gunite walls. The latter is a common practice when renovating a pool with a deteriorating gutter and/or piping system.
Maintenance Free
Low maintenance is the key to successfully operating a commercial swimming pool. With our design, only the concrete floor needs painted which means the paint is never exposed to the elements of summer and winter. Our 12 gauge, 304 stainless steel does not rust or deteriorate, and a 2b finish will not show scratches and smudge marks the way shinier finishes do. All exposed welds are accomplished using the heliarc method. This type of weld fuses the material together and eliminates the unsightly weld spatter of bulging weld seam of stick welding. All our design standards are completely patent free and non-proprietary. This means that all contractors desiring to bid a project have the opportunity to bid and identical system, without having to buy from a single supplier.
Welds
All exposed welds are accomplished using the heliarc method. This type of weld fuses the material together and eliminates the unsightly weld spatter and bulging weld seam of stick welding.
Competitive Swimming
Our competitive gutter design offers a wave quelling backboard which virtually eliminates wave rebound. This design has been proven to provide the calmest and fastest swimming surface available.