REPOST: Planning for a Pool

Like any construction project, building a pool requires careful planning, and various factors – from property size to household preferences – need to be considered beforehand. Some of the most important elements are enumerated in this informative piece on pool planning, construction, and upkeep, from Better Homes and Gardens.

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A pool is a major investment, in many ways. You'll need to invest cash, of course, but also time, energy, and yard space. In this portion of the Pool and Spa Guide, we'll look at the key questions that you'll need to answer before you make these investments.

Things to Consider

• How much pool can I afford?

• Is my yard suited to a pool?

• What zoning restrictions do I face?

• Who should install my pool and how long will it take?

• What should I know about safety and insurance?

Above-Ground Pools

Because these pools are installed rather than built they are more economical than in-ground pools to purchase.

The most basic above-ground pools, requiring no filtration equipment -- also called splasher pools -- will run as little as a few hundred dollars to $1000 for more substantial models.

Larger, more elaborate above-ground pools with filtration equipment will cost between $1,000-$8,000, excluding extras like decking, landscaping and accessories.

In-Ground Pools

Design and construction costs make in-ground pools more expensive to build.

In-ground pools with minimal patio surrounding and basic fencing start around $20,000.

More elaborate designs will run between $40,000 to $100,000+. Choice of pool design and building materials, patio materials, landscaping, lighting and extra features such as spas or fountains determine the cost.

Ongoing Expenditures

Chemicals
The cost for pool chemicals averages between $50 and $100 per month depending on your climate, pool size and frequency of use. Above-ground pools of a similar size will cost the same as in-ground counterparts.

Opening and Closing A Pool
Hiring a professional to open and close your pool each season will run approximately $150-$300. Cleaning and storing your pool cover is usually additional.

Maintenance
The largest maintenance expense is a pool's interior finish. Vinyl liners last approximately 5-7 years, painted concrete needs a new coat approximately every five years; a plaster finish may last 10-15 years. Many of the new cement-coated products such as Pebble Tec are meant to last a lifetime.

Equipment
Equipment lifespans vary tremendously by brand and quality. Other elements such as proper water chemistry and location of equipment can affect lifespan. Because pumps are made to push water rather than draw water, pumps placed at pool level often last longer than those that sit higher and have to pump harder.

Utilities
While utility bills do increase during a pool's open season, experts disagree on how to manage the increase.

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Conditions

Besides determining the best fit for your yard's dimensions consider your yard's slope, soil type and accessibility for construction equipment.

Pools are easier to build or install when a yard is level, however, new technology makes it possible to install a pool in virtually any yard.

Severe conditions such as steeply sloping lots, rocky soil and limited access require special construction and installation considerations and typcially add to the overall cost and duration of the project.

Size

Pool size is primarily a personal choice. Some prefer to eliminate grass entirely and fill the space with pool and patio while others want to include yard in the new landscape.

Be sure you and your contractor have the most up-to-date zoning and building restrictions for swimming pools and spas, and ask your contractor how the permit process is handled.

Zoning is primarily handled on a local level and typically covers such issues as fencing and barriers, pool depth requirements for diving boards, set-backs and proximity to utility lines. Other issues may also be covered.

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Choosing a Contractor

• Get referrals from friends and neighbors.

• Talk to at least three builders.

• Determine number of years in business under present name and ownership.

• Ensure contractor is bonded and insured. Get proof.

• Visit their work firsthand and talk with the homeowners about their experience with this contractor.

• Talk with suppliers about the contractor's status.

• Do they subcontract work or use their own staff?

• Do they have design experience? Do they offer design services?

• It is not customary to pay the full amount up front.

• Get lien waivers for all work completed.

Construction Times

Anticipate a little dirt in your life during construction of an in-ground pool. Your contractor can estimate a project completion date but remember Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate.
An in-ground pool takes anywhere from three to twelve weeks depending on the complexity of the project.
Above-ground pools can be installed in a matter of hours or a few days.

Safety

Safety is a number one concern for pool and spa owners. Proper enclosures and supervision are a must at all times to ensure the safety of children, pets and wildlife that may wander near the pool.

Many specialty safety products are available on the market, including water alarms, high-tech laser technologies, safety covers and personal safety accessories like life jackets and pool floats.

Insurance

Insurance coverage for swimming pools is part of homeowners insurance. Some insurance companies raise premiums for owning a swimming pool and others do not. Speak with your insurance agent prior to purchasing or building your pool.

Blue World Pools specializes in building top-of-the-line, easy-to-install above ground swimming pools. Get to know more about the company: for additional information and list of services, visit this Google+ page.

REPOST: How Swimming Pools Work, Part 3 & 4

Whether above or below ground, the system of pumps and filters are the vital heart that makes the pool work, bringing in clean water and keeping it pristine for use. This article, part of a long series on pools from HowStuffWorks.com, explores the complexities of pool pipe and pump systems.

Pool Drain Systems

We've already seen that the water in a swimming pool needs to circulate through a filtering system, to remove dirt and debris. During normal operation, water flows to the filtering system through two or more main drains at the bottom of the pool and multiple skimmer drains around the top of the pool.

The main drains are usually located on the lowest point in the pool, so the entire pool surface slants toward them. Most of the dirt and debris that sinks exits the pool through these drains. To keep people from getting their hair or limbs caught in the plumbing, the drains are almost always covered with grates or antivortex covers (a cover that diverts the flow of water to prevent a dangerous vortex from forming.

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The skimmers draw water the same way as the main drains, but they suck only from the very top of the pool (the top eighth of an inch, typically). Any debris that floats -- leaves, suntan oil, hair -- leaves the pool through these drains. The diagram below shows a common system.

In the system described here, the floating weir, the door at the inlet passageway, swings in and out to let a very small volume of water in at a time. To catch debris effectively, the goal is to skim just the surface level. The water flows through the strainer basket, which catches any larger debris, such as twigs and leaves. In addition to the main inlet, the skimmer system has a secondary equalizer line leading to a drain below the surface level. This line keeps the skimmer from drawing air into the pump system if the water level drops below the level of the main inlet.

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The water is pumped through the filtering system and back out to returns, inlet valves around the side of the pool. This system involves a lot of suction, but if the pool is built and operated correctly, there is virtually no risk of suction holding somebody against one of the drains. The only way the plumbing system could apply this sort of suction is if there were only one open drain. In a safe pool, there are always multiple main drains as well as several skimmer drains, so if somebody or something blocks one drain, the pumping system will pull water from one of the other drains. This eliminates the suction on the blocked drain.

Most swimming pools also have a couple of vacuum ports, which are only used in pool cleaning. These ports attach to pool vacuum cleaners, which work something like ordinary vacuum cleaners except that they suck water instead of air. The vacuum ports may have their own pumping system, but in most pools they are driven by the main pump.

After making its way into the various drains, the water flows on to the filtering stage. In the next section, we'll find out what the pumping and filtering systems are all about.

Pool Pump Systems

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To most of us, a pool is, more or less, a big hole in the ground. We don't see most of the expensive machinery in a pool system, because it's usually tucked away in nearby pump room. But this is the stuff that really makes the pool work.

The heart of the pool system is the water pump. In a typical pump system, an electric motor spins an impeller inside the pump housing. The impeller drives the water from the various drains through the filter and back out to the water inlets.

Just before it flows into the pump, the water passes through a metal strainer basket that catches leaves and other large debris that might clog up the pump.

Next, the water flows into the filter (or, in this setup, one of two filters). In the next section, you'll find out what happens at this point in the system.

Blue World Pools specializes in the sale and installation of above-ground pools to fit the budget and quality demands of discerning homeowners. Visit this website for a wide selection of above-ground pools.

Refurbish or demolish? Learn the value of old swimming pools first

Refurbish or demolish? That’s the dilemma of homeowners with old swimming pools wasting away on their yards. While some of them want to keep these amenities but have apprehensions about maintenance cost, others see the added real estate value of in-ground pools.

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Richard Montgomery, a real estate veteran, says that homeowners’ decisions should depend on their “personal preference, lifestyle changes and finances.” Those planning to reuse old pools could renovate them according to designs that cut maintenance prices. Repairs may also be worth the cost if the property is located in a neighborhood where roughly half of the homeowners have swimming pools.

If an old pool becomes an eyesore to a modernized property, it would be best to demolish it. Homeowners can reallocate the money intended for the pool’s renovation and maintenance to other home improvements that add greater value.

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Meanwhile, homeowners who are planning to sell their property in top condition should survey comparable sold homes with and without swimming pools. If recently sold homes with the same size, style, and amenities command a higher sale price even without a swimming pool, refurbishing the old pool is unnecessary.

Because of the difficult choice between revamping and demolishing in-ground swimming pools, many homeowners are now installing above-ground pools. Homeowners could consult with established installers such as Blue World Pools for removable above-ground pools. This would keep away the refurbish or demolish dilemma in the long run.

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Visit this website by Blue World Pools to check out different models of above-ground swimming pools.