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Thinking about buying a pool

K

kd2777

Golden Member
I am looking at buying a round above ground pool, probably 27 foot. What all to I need to keep in mind. Also what are good specs on a pool? I don't know anything about one so try to be as specific as possible with replies.

Thanks

KD
 
if you have a local pool and spa store near you, go there and check out the pools. i'm pretty sure google can help you too in finding info.
 
Originally posted by: TechnoKid
if you have a local pool and spa store near you, go there and check out the pools. i'm pretty sure google can help you too in finding info.
Click to expand...

Went to the store today and they looked great. However I have problems taking a lot of advice from a salesman, since he is...making a pitch. I was wanting to get some perspectives from people that own them.
 
What sense does that make? If he's willing to spend $xxxx on a gym membership he wants a pool for himself and his family, not one where he can swim laps in other people's urine.
 
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
What sense does that make? If he's willing to spend $xxxx on a gym membership he wants a pool for himself and his family, not one where he can swim laps in other people's urine.
Click to expand...


Perfect point.

Actually it is my wife that wants the pool. I was just told to get it.

I just want to know if there are any surprises with the pool ownership that I should know about. The salesman said that I would be out about 500 per year for supplies and as long as I did the work myself (opening and closing) I shouldn't go over that.

If there is anyone out there that has actually put one in before how hard is it?

Thanks

KD
 
Before you get a pool, have you checked to see how much your homeowners insureance will go up? This can be a significant, and prohibative costs in some locals. Also check your local ordinances, you may have to have fences/gates beyond a normal fence to keep people out of your yard/pool. Also may have to use some sort of pool alarm.

Other than that, you pretty much get what u pay for. More $$$ generally means thicker, better steel walls and a better liner.
 
I work for a pool store, a small family run 3 store chain. They pride themselves on quality and try to take a higher approach than your mass merchant pool chains.

Anyway, in terms of pool hardware, how long do you see yourself using this pool? Assuming you do go above ground, if you see yourself using this pool more than 8 years, I'd recommend you investigate aluminum wall pools. Steel, however much you treat with TLC, will eventually rust rust rust (especially with chemicalized water splashing on it all the time). For liners, be sure that when they quote you a millage (thickness) that it includes the floor AND wall. If they give you one number (e.g. 20 mil) ask if that is both wall and floor. The wall is what takes the most pressure, but often times cheaper liners will quote a millage that represents the floor and the wall is actually thinner.

A 27' RD has about 17,000 gallons of water that you have to sanitize and filter. I'm personally an advocate of bromine for sanitation, but usually is overkill for an aboveground pool. Chlorine is common, but alot of people make the mistake of thinking they can put chlorox into a pool and be done with it. There is also a chlorine / bromine free sanitizing system which is great if someone is allergic to chlorine or if you simply want to avoid a halogen based system. A truly concerned pool owner will want to properly maintain a sanitizer level as well as make sure your pH, Alkalinity (pH buffer), Calcium Hardness (mineral demand) are all in proper balance. When these are off (low means your water is corrosive | High means you water would be prone to scaling) bad things happen SLOWLY. And this slowness is what makes lazy pool owners; they don't see the problem until it has had weeks or months to compound and then manifests itself with common problems being cloudy water, clogged filters, algae, metal stains, corroded heater tubes, tears / holes in liners. Yes, all these problems can be linked to improperly balanced water.

For filtration I'd recommend either a sand or D.E. (diatomaceous earth). A sand filter will offer the longest filter cycles and superior ease of use, while the D.E. filter will filter smaller microns of particles than sand. E.g. a sand filter will filter particles down to 30 microns, whereas a D.E. filter does as small as 7 microns. Now before you go leaping to the conclusion that a sand filter sucks, think about how small a micron is to begin with!!!! 30 microns is not that large at all.

If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

EDIT: I'm not a salesman either, I'm a lowly water tester 🙁
 
I wouldnt get a pool. My parents had one and after 2 years pulled it down. Maintenance is really high on them and it costs a bunch of money to keep baquacil in it or chlorine. I would, if it were my money... spend it on something like a hot tub if she wants to get in some water.
Or, I would take the money and take her on a cruise or a trip to the Caribbean Islands... something she will never forget and benefit from.
 
Originally posted by: Twerpzilla
Before you get a pool, have you checked to see how much your homeowners insureance will go up? This can be a significant, and prohibative costs in some locals. Also check your local ordinances, you may have to have fences/gates beyond a normal fence to keep people out of your yard/pool. Also may have to use some sort of pool alarm.

Other than that, you pretty much get what u pay for. More $$$ generally means thicker, better steel walls and a better liner.
Click to expand...

Thanks never thought of the insurance cost.

KD
 
Another thing to investigate is zoning laws for your municipality / township. Many have laws that require that a pool be so many feet from your property line and that a fence be around the pool (beit a full fence around the yard or bolted to the pool itself). Check to see if a 27' RD will fit on your property given your local offset laws.
 
Originally posted by: Corsairpro
I work for a pool store, a small family run 3 store chain. They pride themselves on quality and try to take a higher approach than your mass merchant pool chains.

Anyway, in terms of pool hardware, how long do you see yourself using this pool? Assuming you do go above ground, if you see yourself using this pool more than 8 years, I'd recommend you investigate aluminum wall pools. Steel, however much you treat with TLC, will eventually rust rust rust (especially with chemicalized water splashing on it all the time). For liners, be sure that when they quote you a millage (thickness) that it includes the floor AND wall. If they give you one number (e.g. 20 mil) ask if that is both wall and floor. The wall is what takes the most pressure, but often times cheaper liners will quote a millage that represents the floor and the wall is actually thinner.

A 27' RD has about 17,000 gallons of water that you have to sanitize and filter. I'm personally an advocate of bromine for sanitation, but usually is overkill for an aboveground pool. Chlorine is common, but alot of people make the mistake of thinking they can put chlorox into a pool and be done with it. There is also a chlorine / bromine free sanitizing system which is great if someone is allergic to chlorine or if you simply want to avoid a halogen based system. A truly concerned pool owner will want to properly maintain a sanitizer level as well as make sure your pH, Alkalinity (pH buffer), Calcium Hardness (mineral demand) are all in proper balance. When these are off (low means your water is corrosive | High means you water would be prone to scaling) bad things happen SLOWLY. And this slowness is what makes lazy pool owners; they don't see the problem until it has had weeks or months to compound and then manifests itself with common problems being cloudy water, clogged filters, algae, metal stains, corroded heater tubes, tears / holes in liners. Yes, all these problems can be linked to improperly balanced water.

For filtration I'd recommend either a sand or D.E. (diatomaceous earth). A sand filter will offer the longest filter cycles and superior ease of use, while the D.E. filter will filter smaller microns of particles than sand. E.g. a sand filter will filter particles down to 30 microns, whereas a D.E. filter does as small as 7 microns. Now before you go leaping to the conclusion that a sand filter sucks, think about how small a micron is to begin with!!!! 30 microns is not that large at all.

If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

EDIT: I'm not a salesman either, I'm a lowly water tester 🙁
Click to expand...

Thanks never thought of the insurance cost. The one I am looking at is the Regatta made by Atlantic. It has is 27' x 52" and has Galvanized Steel walls. The top rail is 7 inch and the vertical rails are 6 inch (I don't know why the rails matters, the salesman just told me how big they where). It has a 19" sand filter (made by Jacuzzi) and a 1 hp pump (also Jacuzzi). He said the liner is 20 MIL but didn't clarify if it is the side, bottom, or both.

Thanks for the input.

KD
 
ehh, to put up a fence around the pool basically means, put up a smalll little wire fence, as cheap as you can,m and call it a fence, if it becomes that.


my grandfather has an inground pool, 45K gallons i think. 18" think walls, 6' deep in some areas, 4' in the shallow. Keeping the pool warm is when it starts to suck, get a heater for it, it will keep it more comfortable at all times.

MIKE
 
Originally posted by: kd2777

Thanks never thought of the insurance cost. The one I am looking at is the Regatta made by Atlantic. It has is 27' x 52" and has Galvanized Steel walls. The top rail is 7 inch and the vertical rails are 6 inch (I don't know why the rails matters, the salesman just told me how big they where). It has a 19" sand filter (made by Jacuzzi) and a 1 hp pump (also Jacuzzi). He said the liner is 20 MIL but didn't clarify if it is the side, bottom, or both.

Thanks for the input.

KD
Click to expand...

In regards to the specs you mentioned, I'd suggest that you get a 1.5 HP pump to go with that 19" sand tank. It will only pump about 10 gallons / min more than a 1 HP, but from my experience, anything over 15,000 gallons doesn't get turned over (passed through the filter) enough while running 24/7 on a 1HP above ground pump.

Bigger rails mean sturdier construction... though like I mentioned earlier, if you plan on using the pool longer than 8 years, find a dealer that sells aluminum wall pools. (A nice benefit of the Al wall pool is its the only one that you can walk on the top rails; steel walls will buckle)
 
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