New IG pool shopper [Archive]

CarlD

08-16-2014, 10:45 AM

Well, IG pools can run from mid-4 figures up to 6 figures so there IS a lot of choices. Here are some key factors I would consider, but I'm sure there are many, many more.
1) Your proposed site. Is it near or far from your house? Is it very level or will you need a lot of prep work (if you live on a hill)? Is there a high or low water table? Both are easily do-able but the "how" is quite different". Are there a lot of trees nearby or is it clear? Is it a sunny or shady spot? How big an area do you have for it?
2) What are your local ordinances? Can you do what you want without a variance? I couldn't build the pool I wanted because it had to be 10' from the house, yet 50' from the property line if it was attached to the house (being built into the deck). I had to get a narrower pool to fit the town's requirements. Do NOT consider building without a building permit. Your H/O insurance won't cover it, and your town could well force you to tear it down.
3) What is your budget? Are you willing/able to do it yourself (not impossible if you are going with a vinyl lined pool)? Hot tubs and water effects built into the pool add to cost.
4) What are you necessary features vs. the "wouldn't it be nice?" features?
5) Size matters. While lots of people enjoy small pools for dunking, cooling off and goofing around, do you want to swim laps (I do--my pool is 40' long). Some can do laps in 32-33' but I think 40' is the minimum. But neither I nor anyone here I know of has ever heard anyone say "I wish my pool was smaller". So be sure it's not too small, even if you have to give up other features.
6) Who is going to build it? What's his/her reputation? History? Do you know people he/she has built pools for?
7) Do you know if you want a fiberglass, gunite/shotrete/pebbeltec/tile (etc) or vinyl-lined pool? All have advantages and disadvantages of maintenance and longevity--some quite surprising!
8) There are multiple pump/filter choices. The builder's recommendation is NOT automatically the way to go. Many builders push cartridge filters because the home owner goes all the first season without having to change or clean the filter...and when they do, the second season, the builder's gone and his/her warranty is finished. That doesn't mean cartridge filters are bad: Many here use them happily but you have to know the tricks for them.
The other two filters are DE filters (for Diatomaceous Earth, easily found at pool stores and discount warehouses) and sand filters. TECHNICALLY, DE filters, filter best, then cartridge filters, then sand filters, but don't let that throw you. Most of us have sand filters and with a little knowledge they can give just as good a performance and are usually the least trouble and easiest to use.
9) No matter WHAT filter type you select, you MUST make sure its capacity is greater than the pump's output. Don't be taken in by pump horse-power--it's not like a car engine. If its output is greater than the filter's max, it will damage the filter and give poor performance. More HP equals more $$ spent on electricity.
10) If you can, and the pool is over 15,000 gallons, consider a two-speed or variable speed pump. Personally, I'm not sold on the VS pumps as they are more expensive and have electronics that are very susceptible to brown-outs and power-spikes, so you need a surge protector on it. But either, running at low speed, will save SIGNIFICANT electrical use. A 2 speed pump can run 3x as long on low speed as it does on high and STILL use only half as much electricity.
11) Heaters: Lots of people put them in and when they see their gas bill, never turn them on again! Heat pumps, which have a bad rep for home heating are actually very fuel efficient for swimming pools and people seem to like them. Many of us go with solar heating. It's not perfect but it's essentially free heat.
12) "Salt Water Pool": This is a misnomer for a salt-water CHLORINE GENERATOR pool. It's still a chlorine pool, but uses salt (NaCl) to create chlorine for sanitation. I have one, love it but it will NOT save you money.
13) Pool services: If you spend time reading our threads here, especially stickied ones, here and at our sister site, Poolsolutions.com, you won't need or use one.
14) Testing: The MOST important tool in your arsenal is a good, effective test kit. If you look at Watermom's sig above, or at Pooldoc's you'll see a link to "Get the testkits you need". It will be the single most cost effective investment expenditure you will make in your pool. When you are considering spending 4, 5 or 6 figures on a pool, what's another $50-$75 to get the best test kit? We recommend the Taylor K-2006 or K-2006c (larger bottles of test chemicals, called reagents).

good luck!