Considering putting in a swimming pool....any advice?

Mark Howard · 10-10-2006, 12:16 PM

My wife and I are looking to put in a pool behind our home with landscaping and other outdoor ammenities. Our girls are 10 and 3 years old, and we are looking to get about 10 years of enjoyment out of it before we sell this house to move on to a house with a smaller yard, less maintenance etc.

I have had several sales pitches from some pool companies and am about to hire a landscape architect to master plan the yard and design the pool and layout, etc. I know all about the new saltwater technology, gunnite process, polaris, etc and have a construction background. What I am looking for is real advice from pool owners. I've already had enough 'don't do it' and 'biggest mistake you'll ever make' advice, but would like to hear recommendations on making the pool better and reduce maintenance time.

Can anyone help?

Halm · 10-10-2006, 12:29 PM

Our kids were about 10 and 8 when we built a pool many years ago. For us, the experience went like this. Year 1, we were all in in it every day. Year 2 we used it probably 5 time per week. Year 3, we were in 2-3 times per week and by year 5 it was a nice place to go sit and drink a beer. They loose thier appeal pretty fast. And buddies have told me the same story about their experiences being pretty much the same.

charleskieffner · 10-10-2006, 01:04 PM

pebble tech instead of plaster, in floor pop up system, BIG SAND FILTER, unichlor chlorine type system(ie. salt/water +electroylysis= chlorine. face pool east to west for max useage.

i live in mine during the summer! high wall offers privacy and a WINDBREAK from storm debris. no none nada zip nicht NO trees or bushes anywhere close and your maint. will be minimal.

without landscaping thought YOU WILL BECOME A PRISONER TO A POOL! if you have 2 large dogs like me...............they WILL TAKEOVER POOL DURING SUMMER!

buy all plastic drink cups.................no glass bottles glasses around pool. dogs steal beer cans, dogs knock over cups to steal drinks...............bad dogs!!!!!!

(1) yellow rubber pool ducky for chlorine shock treatment.

be scuba certified for any repairs underwater or recovery of items like diamond rings and earrings.

Jims5543 · 01:09 PM

One of our requirements when shopping for our house 10 years ago was it had to have a pool.

10 years later I will admit it does not get used like the first year but, it still does get used a lot.

We do our own maintenance on it, my wife does the chemicals during the week and is a pro at it now. We are looking into switching to the salt water setup as well.

We also have 8 solar panels on the roof and a good "bubble wrap" cover for it. We swim in it year around and can keep the temps in the 90's in it during Florida winters. Our 3 year old wants to be in it every day and usually manages to convince one of us to go in with him.

Get your little one swimming lessons now. She will be swimming in 10 lessons. Best money we spent, our 3 year old can swim across the pool or, if he fell in, back to the side without any panic.

My pool is almost 20 years old now and its beginning to give me little problems, I replaced the entire pump filter system 5 years ago with a DE setup. My light was never installed correctly and springs a leak every 5 years or so. Right now my pool is drained as it started to leak again. I should be able to fill it after 5-7 days, once the 3-M marine adhesive cures. It was loosing about 2 inches avery 36 hours.

Since you getting a brand new pool with lots of the new goodies you will not have a lot of upkeep. I say go for it, your kids will love it.

masraum · 10-10-2006, 01:20 PM

My parents used the saltwater system in their pool. I don't live with them, but I've used the pool plenty. It's great. The salinity is much less than sea water, but enough to noticably change your bouyancy (sp). You don't smell bad after getting out of the pool, it doesn't bother your eyes as much as chlorine, and it is cheaper in the long run compared to buying the chemicals.

I'd very much recommend it.

They also use a solar heater. They live in the pan handle of FL and, if I remember correctly, the thing would get their pool to the 80's as early as March or April and keep it there until Oct or Nov.

charleskieffner · 10-10-2006, 01:38 PM

rule of thumb on solar heating systems................adds one more month useage end of year, and one month earlier beginning of year. I KNOW MR SOLAR! hes my neighbor tom bonner of sun systems phx. his cohort/partner in crime is leslie neilsen( that funny canadian actor ). remember solar only works when ambient temps are to your liking. they work very well when its 115 degrees ambient.................they work very poor when its 28degrees ambient. ie. they FREEZE! soooooooooooooo to avoid headaches you get a grundfos pump and thermastat to turn on pump when temps plummet. when its xmas day and temps are 40 degrees...............your pool will be 40 degrees!

49 years living in the dez w/a pool! without a pool and beers.........................YOU WILL DIE HERE!

Jims5543 · 10-10-2006, 01:54 PM

I was careful to point out my solar panels are used for a Florida pool. Even with daytime highs in the 55-60 range I can still maintain 90°+ in my pool. The key is to keep the bubble wrap on and only take it off when using the pool. This applies to any heating in colder months. It keeps the heat in.

Before I put a controler on my solar panels, I forgot to turn them off and we did not go in the pool for a few days. This was in the spring when temps are in the low to mid 80's. The pool was 100°. Oops!!

charleskieffner · 10-10-2006, 02:01 PM

pool covers are nice.............for keeping heat in. the sun is brutal on vinyl here and they dont last, 2-3 yrs tops. plus where cover rolls up becomes rattlesnake condo during summer months.

cegerer · cegerer's Garage

Best reason to own a pool? They keep me employed. Install 2 if you've got room. Here's a small sample of the failed pools my company investigates each year .....

charleskieffner · 10-10-2006, 02:22 PM

my dogs would be very very very ANGRY, if they saw those pictures!

Hugh R · 10-10-2006, 02:28 PM

Make sure someone knows CPR!

While your putting it in, look at energy efficient pumps. Some utilities even give rebates for installing them. The salt water chlorinators make sense when buying new and you should consider them.

motion · 10-10-2006, 02:33 PM

A pool is a large hole into which you throw a lot of money. Truer words were never spoken.

johnco · 10-10-2006, 02:54 PM

that's what I do for a living.. I've installed 2 in Baton Rouge a few years ago but have been on this side of the Mississippi since.. finished one last week and put another in the ground today.. I can probably answer a few questions for you. I've done a few vynyl liner pools and plenty fiberglass pools. 20 years working in the mud and rain.

M.D. Holloway · 10-10-2006, 02:57 PM

convince your neighbors and/or friends to get one instead

HardDrive · 10-10-2006, 03:03 PM

How in the world did those first two happen?

Quote:

Originally posted by cegerer
Best reason to own a pool? They keep me employed. Install 2 if you've got room. Here's a small sample of the failed pools my company investigates each year .....

teenerted1 · 10-10-2006, 03:06 PM

ok i understand the above ground coming apart but whats the story on the in-grounds?

motion · 10-10-2006, 03:07 PM

In ground FG pools pushed up by freezing/thawing?

id10t · 10-10-2006, 03:12 PM

I'd say get a half-in and half-above ground setup if allowed where you live. That way in a few years you can take it out, fill in the hole with not a lot of dirt, and only be out $3-4k toal (dig hole, pool, fill hole). We've got an above ground with a nice deck around it (PO put it in) and replaced just the pool ($2k kit) when it rusted thru after 15 years. I didn't want a house with a pool 'cause I'm lazy and the springs are a 10 min drive (72 year round!) away, but the wife wanted it... now, 7 years into it, 3 with the new pool, I've made the ultimate threat to the wife - let it stay green for a month during swimming weather, and it becomes my new fish tank. Maybe next year I'll be posting about my new 12k gallon tank

I like it, kids like it, I don't like the taking care of it (wife's job I end up doing, but she mows the lawn occasionally), and I really don't like swimming in chemicals. The saltwater may be ok though...

When you do get a pool, call your water provider and ask if they can do a flat rate for you on a one-time fill.

johnco · 10-10-2006, 03:12 PM

gunite pools someone emptied most likely. fiberglass buckles at the sides or bottom. everything can be fine one moment and the next you have an aboveground instead. never empty a pool unless you know what you're doing or have good insurance, preferably both

rfuerst911sc · 10-10-2006, 03:27 PM

From a maint. standpoint I would think a fiberglass pool would be the way to go but initial cost is higher than a conventional pool. From what I have been told by pool owners they have to do some type of partial to total refinish every 7-10 years. I would also think a fiberglass pool would require less chemicals?