I could just cry!! Budget related

[tikilyn]

So this weekend my dh and I have been setting up our intex metal frame pool. Cleaning it up and getting ready for the spring and summer. I spent all day making sure I had everything just right. It took aprox 4 hours to fill that pool with aprox 4000 gallons of water.

Three hours later the seam busted wide open. Now my yard is flooded, my pool is empty and I'm praying that the salt water doesn't kill my grass. On top of it all my water bill next month is going to be larger than normal and we have nothing to show for it!

So now I'm trying to decide if I want to purchase a whole new pool or just order a new liner.

 

[Granfan]

So sorry. A third option better for the budget might be just don't replace it.

 

[gk90]

Sorry to hear it...I remember the excitement we felt as kids on seeing my dad preparing our pool for the summer.
It's 37 degrees here right now so I envy your pool weather...hoping you get some good suggestions.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Oh dear! That's terrible. Sorry.

 

[mgbench]

Salt Water? I not an expert in pools by any means but I haven't heard of salt water in a residential pool before....it this a new trend?

Just Wondering,
Mike

 

[tikilyn]

Thanks everyone!

The pool is our life line in the summer. We're down here in South Texas and it gets hot. If we don't get a new pool the kids will want to go to the beach and mama ain't having any of that! I hate the beach and live in fear of the ocean taking my kids and not returning them. I know that sounds crazy but it is what it is. And I know bad things can happen in a swimming pool but I have way more control over that situtation. I hope that makes sense.

Now I just need to see how to approch this. Buy a whole new pool 250.00 - 350.00 or buy a replacement liner for 150.00? Budget wise it would just make sense to buy the replacement liner.

thanks again!

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Salt Water? I not an expert in pools by any means but I haven't heard of salt water in a residential pool before....it this a new trend?

Just Wondering,
Mike

No just a healthier one. It's been around for awhile. We have a salt water pool as well.

 

[SeansMom]

No just a healthier one. It's been around for awhile. We have a salt water pool as well.

How do you do this? We have a pool but didn't set it up last year because I hate the chemicals...info for home pools anyone?

OP: Sorry to hear this; maybe ebay??? or CL???? to replace it?

 

[MistressMerryweather]

How do you do this? We have a pool but didn't set it up last year because I hate the chemicals...info for home pools anyone?

OP: Sorry to hear this; maybe ebay??? or CL???? to replace it?

I only know of the intex brand that you can purchase for the intex above ground pools, but check with your local "pool city" or similar. I'm sure they know all about it. The difference is amazing.

I found this site that has a lot of good info on how they work, etc.
http://www.poolplaza.com/C-Salt-Chlorinators.html

 

[tikilyn]

you'll need to buy a salt generator and bags of pool salt. You can buy the intex salt generator at walmart, target, academy ect. They cost aprox 169.00.

The way I can describe the salt water is like when you have a water softener for your house. Your hair will be softer and your skin wont be sticky like with chlorine water. Your eyes won't burn or turn red in the salt water pool. My pool was an intex metal frame pool.

 

[brat]

We do not have a pool now but in our last home we did.Too much of a safety risk for us right now to have one, but for some haveing one saves money on cooling their homes, gas to go somewhere to swim or hours of therapy from kid issues.

As far as pool vs liner you need to inspect your remains of the old one to see your damage.Then I would look for deals/coupons ect.

 

[seashoreCM]

The frame needs to be repaired and/or strengthened.

Water is very heavy.

If you keep the existing structure as-is, without added reinforcement, you probably should not put in more than 3/4 the water you used the last time.

 

[java]

My friend isgoing through the very costly conversion of her salt water pool over to chlorine. The salt is eating away at her pool.

 

[okeydokey]

How old is the pool? I would go with a new one.

 

[lucigo]

This isn't going to be great for your budget short term, but we struggled with Intex pools for 3 years before we broke down and bought an above ground "real" pool. We live in the FL panhandle and I'm with you, the pool is our lifeline in the summer. A round pool is much cheaper than oval, and the larger sand filter makes life SO much easier. We also have a salt system. We spent approximately $4000 in total, pool (24 ft round x 52"), sand, installation, salt system, water, chemicals, solar cover and auto cleaner. We are going on our 3rd year with it, don't have to "close" it in the winter just turn the pump down to about an hour a night.

 

[akenneson]

similar thing happened to us last year. we had two holes (from mice) that we were able to patch and it seemed to fix it but then we noticed the pool was leaking and we weren't sure if the patches weren't working or if there was another problem we couldn't locate. So this year we are probably going to buy a new one. For a new liner it would cost us $300 thru Intex plus $65 shipping and we can buy a new one for $500. Major bummer in the budget, but worth it to us considering we have to travel at least an hour to get to the beach or spend money and travel going to a waterpark. We were hoping to find one on clearance at the end of the year last summer but none of the stores had what we wanted. Good luck!

 

[tlbwriter]

The frame needs to be repaired and/or strengthened.

Water is very heavy.

If you keep the existing structure as-is, without added reinforcement, you probably should not put in more than 3/4 the water you used the last time.

But the frame wasn't the problem - the liner burst.

We've had Intex pools for a few years and switched to the salt water system last year - it's amazing! Paid for itself in one summer!

 

[hoosiergirl7]

My in-laws live in S. TX (San Antonio) and if we were ever to move anywhere in TX and the house we bought didn't have one, we'd invest in an in-ground pool. My parents have one and we love using it. Above ground wasn't an option because their neighborhood doesn't allow it. And my parents decided that when they did get a pool they wanted what they consider a "real" pool, not one that's put together. They've replaced the liner 2x's in the 21 yrs they've had it. So for the most part the upkeep has been easy. It is expensive to maintain in the summer because of chemical expenses but now that they have grand kids who come over and use it every day during the summer they love don't mind. There was a period for about 4-5 yrs where the pool only was used 1 or 2 times a week.

I know it's expensive but I would invest in either an in-ground or above ground pool rather than spending money over and over again replacing a $300 pool or the liner for it. Especially if it's hot every day and it gets used every day.

 

[jgdsoarin]

We have an Intex metal frame pool that we haven't put up in two years because we hated messing with the chemicals. I found a salt filter at Target last August marked down to $75, so I bought it and we are hoping to use it this summer. After reading this, however, I'm worried that our liner will not be in great shape after being stored for 2 years!! My cousin has a salt filter on her above ground pool and my kids LOVE it--doesn't burn their eyes! We are hoping ours works out well! I'd just buy a new liner if I were you. $150 divided over a couple of years (if it lasts) isn't that bad.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My in-laws live in S. TX (San Antonio) and if we were ever to move anywhere in TX and the house we bought didn't have one, we'd invest in an in-ground pool. My parents have one and we love using it. Above ground wasn't an option because their neighborhood doesn't allow it. And my parents decided that when they did get a pool they wanted what they consider a "real" pool, not one that's put together. They've replaced the liner 2x's in the 21 yrs they've had it. So for the most part the upkeep has been easy. It is expensive to maintain in the summer because of chemical expenses but now that they have grand kids who come over and use it every day during the summer they love don't mind. There was a period for about 4-5 yrs where the pool only was used 1 or 2 times a week.

I know it's expensive but I would invest in either an in-ground or above ground pool rather than spending money over and over again replacing a $300 pool or the liner for it. Especially if it's hot every day and it gets used every day.

I'd love to have an inground pool, but that's not an option for us. I'm hoping we can get an intex one this summer.