Above ground pools that are "sunk in"?

[Disney Doll]

Why would there be a reason to sink an above grounbd pool 48" into the ground?

 

[poohandwendy]

I think your idea is a good one PD, i think it's a great idea to get a pool if you want your kids to really get into swimming. I don't really think it matters if the above ground pool is sunken or not. I guess it just depends on the landscape of your property.

A word of warning, if your kids really get involved with swimming (especially competitive), you will probably eventually want to go from above ground to below. But, is that such a bad thing? I don't think so, it's a great physical activity.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Why would there be a reason to sink an above grounbd pool 48" into the ground?

Yes... It doesn't get taxed like an inground pool. No tax increase at all, in my area. plus the guy at the store said that once the water warms up, it stays warmer than if the pool is above ground.

 

[poohandwendy]

Yes... It doesn't get taxed like an inground pool. No tax increase at all, in my area.

Ah, I see.

But does it have enough room (depth and length) for swimming laps? I can't remember standard sizes off the top of my head. I wouldn't invest in a pool unless it could really be used for swimming, not just wading around. An above ground may work when they are small, but they will probably outgrow it pretty quickly. Unless above ground pools are now being made bigger than I remember.

 

[poohandwendy]

plus the guy at the store said that once the water warms up, it stays warmer than if the pool is above ground.

That is definitely true. I would probably still want a heater, being this far north, because you can get substantially more pool time than without one. And the water would stay warmer because the air temp is higher than below the ground.

With an inground, you would NEED a heater, no question. In your position, I would probably go with a nice above ground. See what you think of it and how often they use it. Then I would probably end up installing an inground later.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Ah, I see.

But does it have enough room (depth and length) for swimming laps? I can't remember standard sizes off the top of my head. I wouldn't invest in a pool unless it could really be used for swimming, not just wading around. An above ground may work when they are small, but they will probably outgrow it pretty quickly. Unless above ground pools are now being made bigger than I remember.

The one we are looking at is 21' round... 4' deep.

Adding a heater was $2500 extra... we'll pass.

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

I started off with my niece. She was about 4 & I put her in swim lessons at the Y. She learned to not be so afraid of the water, but nothing more than that. My dh and I lived in an apt & had a pool. That summer she came over a lot and the 2 of us started teaching her ourselves. We started her off learning the doggie paddle. The swimmings work great as opposed to lifejackets. You can deflate the swimmies the more they learn. As she learned the doggie paddle we graduated to her doing the doggie paddle back and forth to us and we (with her knowledge and permission) would push her under water to start the swim back & forth to us underwater but end with the doggie paddle. Gradually she got more confident and swam without the swimmies above and below water then we added more things through out time such as floating and actual strokes. We taught her, her two younger sister, and our 3 kids this way.

You will probably be their best teacher. Maybe you could join the Y and swim with them there, but your best bet would be to get your own pool. You will love it. Maybe your wife will be inspired to learn too.

Just be prepared for lots of kids in the neighborhood and lots more play dates once the kids learn about the pool. Stock up on those cheap towels at the stores in FL on your next visit, no one ever brings their own towels. I even had a box of bathing suits that I picked up at tag sales and clearance for visitors to use.

We do this! One of the reasons we bought this house was for the built in pool.


Good luck!

 

[Papa Deuce]

......

You will probably be their best teacher. Maybe you could join the Y and swim with them there, but your best bet would be to get your own pool. You will love it. Maybe your wife will be inspired to learn too.

We do this! One of the reasons we bought this house was for the built in pool.


Good luck!

We are members of the Y... Have been for 3 years, but the closest one with a pool is 10 miles away, and we don't go as often as we should. Also, their "big" day in Tae Kwan Do is on Saturday... the same day as swimming class.

As far as teaching goes? We were actually advised against it UNTIL the kids have a better grasp of what is the right way. I can swim "ok", but my wife doesn't at all, so I certainly don't want to teach them incorrectly.

I think daily time in the pool is what will be best... My daughters have a classmate / friend around the corner who has a pool... same age as mine.... she swims like a fish and learned in her own pool.


Thanks for the good wishes!

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

As far as teaching goes? We were actually advised against it UNTIL the kids have a better grasp of what is the right way. I can swim "ok", but my wife doesn't at all, so I certainly don't want to teach them incorrectly.

The biggest reason you want your kids to swim is in case they ever have to save themselves. The doggie paddle is enough for them to be able to save themselves usually. I'm guessing the people who advised you not to teach your kids are the intructers or just someone who doesn't have alot of patience.

It can take time, but if you are going to comit to getting a pool you should be practicing something with them everyday. They can hold onto the sides to practice kicking and going underwater for example. Also goggles help too, but then you might get kids who refuse to swim without them. Just try to get them to eventually swim without holding their noses. Nothing says they have to learn to swim in one summer, but they will relax and learn something new the more they experiment. How old are your dds?

 

[agentpleakley]

I think the only way my girls are going to learn to swim is if they have a reasonable sized pool that they can be in a lot. We've done the YMCA 8 week swimming courses 2x now, and they are no better off than before they started, except that maybe they are less fearful now...

Anyway, we are looking at these above ground pools that get sunk in the ground most of the way. They take a 52" high pool and sink in about 42" deep.

Anybody have that, and what do you think about them? Any recommendations regarding filtration? The pool store is recommending something called the "frog system".

I've never had a pool before - one of any real size - and I really don't know anything about them. Heck, I'm not even sure I want one, but I do want my daughters to learn how to swim.

Any and all thoughts welcome.

What you are describing sounds like an "on-ground" pool to me. Basically an above-ground pool that is buried in the ground - you have to put decking around it as you would an in-ground pool. We looked at these 4 years ago. The price was the same as an in-ground pool.

We have a 27 foot 52 inch deep above ground pool. The way our lot sits - we walk out our back door - onto our patio/deck -- and down to the pool - so that it does not look like an above-ground pool - of course, your lot would have to slope down for this to be feasible.

Before getting a pool, we belonged to Golds Gym and used their pool and swimming lessons. When I was pregnant with DD, we put our first pool in. DS learned at Golds - did not "really" learn to swim until 5/6. DD was in the pool at 8 months and was swimming at 3. Having a pool really helped -- this and the fact that we now live 25 minutes from Golds or any other public swimming pool.

Here's a link to the on-ground pool that we looked at
http://www.swimaloha.com/pools_on.htm

The price of the onground in 2004 was close to $20,000. We paid $5800 for our pool, installed, wedding cake steps and upgraded pump.

 

[mdrob214]

Papa, do you want the girls to be able to play in water above their heads? Or do you want them to actually learn to swim a proper stroke? If you just want them to be able to play without fear of sinking, then I'd say go with a backyard pool.

But, if you want them to do a proper freestyle stroke, then put them on a swim team. With my kids, the lessons were too passive. But, with swim team, it was "go go go" and their strokes improved 1000% percent because they were motivated to be like the "big" kids. (8+ ) Generally speaking, a 5 or 6 yo really only needs to be able to do one length of the pool in a breastroke style in order to make a "rec" swim team, like at the Y.

I have no idea about pools, but generally speaking swim teams here ask that the kids to have passed Red Cross level 3. But swim team is the best way to learn to swim. My kids started out on the team to get to be better swimmers, and have stayed. One will be on the high school team next year, the other was 2nd in our region in his age division! HTH

 

[Papa Deuce]

What you are describing sounds like an "on-ground" pool to me. Basically an above-ground pool that is buried in the ground - you have to put decking around it as you would an in-ground pool. We looked at these 4 years ago. The price was the same as an in-ground pool.


The price of the onground in 2004 was close to $20,000. We paid $5800 for our pool, installed, wedding cake steps and upgraded pump.

Right now, the inground is about $10,000 - $12,000 more, at least... including the decking for what you are calling "onground"....

One reason we like this style is that it "may" make it easier for certain people in our families to actually access the pool...

 

[agentpleakley]

Right now, the inground is about $10,000 - $12,000 more, at least... including the decking for what you are calling "onground"....

One reason we like this style is that it "may" make it easier for certain people in our families to actually access the pool...

The "inground" look of the onground pool is what drew us to this style too. For us, however, the slope of our lot did not work for an inground or onground pool. As far as access, how our "above-ground" is set up, it is no different access than an inground. The wedding cake stairs are a must. Love them.

I can tell you that this has been one of our best investments - we use the pool every day in the summer. I can tell you nothing about maintenance and cost of maintenance -- that is DH's area. We do have one of those automatic pool cleaners that practically does the work for you.

 

[Cantw8]

I learned to swim after my dad threw me off the side of his boat into the Chesapeake Bay I don't recommend this method

 

[Papa Deuce]

The biggest reason you want your kids to swim is in case they ever have to save themselves. ....


It can take time, but if you are going to comit to getting a pool you should be practicing something with them everyday. They can hold onto the sides to practice kicking and going underwater for example. Also goggles help too, but then you might get kids who refuse to swim without them. Just try to get them to eventually swim without holding their noses. Nothing says they have to learn to swim in one summer, but they will relax and learn something new the more they experiment. How old are your dds?

Almost 7... and they have been taking classes off and on for 2 years. If I could see ANY REAL advancement in their skills I would be thrilled.

Besides the Y, they also took "classes" from their Godmother this past February. She has an indoor pool, and while my kids visited her in February, she sort of gave them "lessons" every day for 8 days. She used to be a very talented swimmer in her younger days.

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

:Almost 7... and they have been taking classes off and on for 2 years. If I could see ANY REAL advancement in their skills I would be thrilled.

Get the pool, you'll be happy you did!