Inground Pool ?? Pro / Con

[TwingleMum]

I have to replace my ing pool. The wood walls are going. So I'm looking to update. I was thinking of solar heat and and auto cover ( no clue what they cost????) . I'd also like to go deeper in the deep end like 10 or 12 feet. I can't afford gunite so it would have to be vinyl. Maybe a L shape or Double Roman with steps across the whole small end. I was also thinking of a salt water system rather than DE or sand. I don't nkow if I'll get a slide or not. Well tell me about your pool. What do you like? Not like? what would you change if you could???? Thanks guys

 

[castleview]

After much agonizing, we decided not to go with the inground pool mainly because of money and we are located in the woods with a brook and lots of critters that would enjoy the IGP. But I remember my research well. The saline system is great - I don't know anyone who doesn't prefer it. Our insurance wouldn't cover a slide or diving board so be sure to check that. As far as depth, most of the contractors we met with did not encourage going too deep. Matter of fact, most IGPs in my area are no more than six feet in the deep end. Conventional wisdom is that it stays warmer and people use it more than they would a deeper area. But that was our experience only.

Good luck with yours!

 

[rie'smom]

We had 2 pools before our current one.
#1 inground concrete with liner and the deep end was 9 ft.
#2 inground L shaped- BIG POOL- deep end again 9 ft
#3 inground abstract vinyl lined -medium sized and 5 1/2 ft in deep end.

The third pool is much easier to heep clean. It's small size keeps it warm throughout the Spring, Summer,and late into Fall w/out needing a heater.
I really cannot think of any cons to an inground pool. Our kids have always loved ours.

 

[DawnCt1]

We got our gunite pool over 17 years ago. This year we lost about one foot of tile along the wall. DH and I repaired it in less than 30 minutes. It stays fairly clean with the bottom drain. We use Bioguard chlorine 3 step program. Vacuum no more than once a week. The deep end is about 11 ft. Its a free form shape. We do not have a walk way that extends around the entire pool so the kids wouldn't run around it. We have a flower garden instead. No slide, no diving board. They can be dangerous unless closely supervised. We love our pool and have enjoyed it from May through mid October. It is heated if we want but it stays pretty warm in the summer with full sun and we have a spa that we can heat separately. We have enjoyed our pool guests and they have enjoyed our pool.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

What I like--freedom to swim 10 months of the year. (well the kids have that freedom, I Can only swim 8 months!).

What I wouldn't change:
1.Solar Heater--increases the swimming season.
2. My husband wouldn't change the screen room--keeps the debris out.
3. Getting the actual pool: I do not regret the purchase and do not mind having one and if we were to move I would get a home with a pool so that we don't have to do construction again.


What I would have done differently--
1. hot tub installed WITH the pool. We really don't have space to retrofit one.
2. Installed over winter time: Our pool was completed over the summer 2 weeks before 1 of 2 hurricanes hit. So we did not get to enjoy our pool for very long as it got too late for the solar heater to heat the pool sufficiently.
3. Perhaps changed its position in the yard. So I would be very meticulous about where you want your pool set b/c clearly--you can't move it.
4. I would have gotten pavers around the pool.
5. I would have gotten a beach step (extended step that you can effectively set down on legs extended.)
6. I would have NOT gotten the Nature II filter. For our climate, it is useless. In cooler climates it does cut down on the amount of chlorine.
7. I would have reconsidered salt water filtration. My friend has this and you can't tell and it is cheaper to maintain.
8. I would have reconsidered free-form.


What I recommend:

A pool cover to further extend your swimming season. It helps maintain the heat in the pool that the heater is generating. We had 80 degree water at the beginning of March with pool cover. Without it--it takes until about late April/May to get that warm.

Automatic pool vacuum/cleaner (not as part of the pool but aftermarket attachment). Truly cuts down on maintenance.

Don't rush to install a pool--make sure you have it the way that you want it.



Our pool is a 15,000 gallon pool. We love swimming in it.

 

[TwingleMum]

Thanks guys. I already have a ing pool. I need to replace it. Its a standard 20 x 36. So I was thinking of going deeper in deep end (DH is 6'8 and 3 boys are already off the charts tall) I don't think I'll get a slide but I probably will get a diving board. I'm really interested in an automatic pool cover.

 

[TwingleMum]

anyone else???

 

[Mouse House Mama]

This thread is very interesting to me as we eventually want to put a permanent pool in. OP- I do have to ask- why 10-12 foot deep end?

 

[DawnCt1]

This thread is very interesting to me as we eventually want to put a permanent pool in. OP- I do have to ask- why 10-12 foot deep end?

If you have kids that are going to dive, the deeper the better, but then I would also be sure that there isn't a typical "hopper", where a diver could hit their heads. We chose NOT to have a diving board because the extra velocity that someone gets from a diving board can be dangerous. Before the age of 14, most divers can "afford" to hit their heads on the bottom of a pool and swim away uninjured. After 14, there is enough weight and body mass to result in a spinal cord injury. Most injuries occur as the diver hits the upward slope of the pool from the deep end. We chose not to have a pool after spending the day at DH's cousin's home and watching her DS's DIVE off of the top of the pool. Kids do stupid stuff. When I was about 14, I used to do flips off of the tool shed into our family's above ground pool. I always went in feet first, until the time that I didn't flip far enough and landed head first. Fortunately I weighed 113 pounds. The impact resulted in a headache, neck pain, but not a severed spinal cord. Things to think about.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Thanks guys. I already have a ing pool. I need to replace it. Its a standard 20 x 36. So I was thinking of going deeper in deep end (DH is 6'8 and 3 boys are already off the charts tall) I don't think I'll get a slide but I probably will get a diving board. I'm really interested in an automatic pool cover.

I would check with your homeowners insurance first to see if they will continue t insure you if you have a diving board. Many companies will terminate your coverage for certain risks - trampoline included!

 

[PghLybrt]

I have to replace my ing pool. The wood walls are going. So I'm looking to update. I was thinking of solar heat and and auto cover ( no clue what they cost????) . I'd also like to go deeper in the deep end like 10 or 12 feet. I can't afford gunite so it would have to be vinyl. Maybe a L shape or Double Roman with steps across the whole small end. I was also thinking of a salt water system rather than DE or sand. I don't nkow if I'll get a slide or not. Well tell me about your pool. What do you like? Not like? what would you change if you could???? Thanks guys

SAlt in Ny is kind of pointless as we only use our pools a few months a year. I would invest in a good size DE filter (hayward on this coast, parts easy to find) and then either go with a mineral system (like frog by King Tech, excellent product) or maybe Revacil or Pristine Blue. The auto cover you are looking at $5000 to start and depending what brand and WHO installs it you may not be happy.

 

[Lanshark]

My inground pool is around 25 years old. There is up keep but there is substantial enjoyment. Of course, my husband does the up keep and I get the enjoyment.

 

[dejr_8]

We have the salt water system and love it. However we have had several issues with the Pentair Control system and chlorine generator. I would suggest that you stay away from them as a supplier.

 

[golfgal]

We got our gunite pool over 17 years ago. This year we lost about one foot of tile along the wall. DH and I repaired it in less than 30 minutes. It stays fairly clean with the bottom drain. We use Bioguard chlorine 3 step program. Vacuum no more than once a week. The deep end is about 11 ft. Its a free form shape. We do not have a walk way that extends around the entire pool so the kids wouldn't run around it. We have a flower garden instead. No slide, no diving board. They can be dangerous unless closely supervised. We love our pool and have enjoyed it from May through mid October. It is heated if we want but it stays pretty warm in the summer with full sun and we have a spa that we can heat separately. We have enjoyed our pool guests and they have enjoyed our pool.

The ducks remind me of a story-my Dad and step-mom had friends with an inground pool and had a pair of ducks that started visiting. They, stupidly, started feeding the ducks. The next year they had about 10 ducks, still fed them. The year after that they had 100's of them-literally took up every inch in their pool and they could NOT get rid of them--and the MESS they make. We have a back yard, man-made pond and we get a pair of ducks each year-we make sure the dog bugs them just enough that they don't stay long.

 

[SSRFred]

Salt systems are great. Hayward makes one of the better ones. Depending on the system you get, it can be fully automated to control and adjust most everything - chlorine, heat, pH etc.

Deep ends, diving boards, and slides are of personal preference. IMHO I don't find them worth the risk nor the expense.

It has been my experience that deep ends just make a large pool less usable. Most will congregate at the shallow end.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Enjoy.

 

[monorailsilver]

My dad tried to get a new diving board this year as the one in their pool is 37 years old (my age), OK maybe 36. It has a crack on it but on the paint??

A pool guy told him that the pool had to be x amount of feet deep (I am thinking close to 10 as theirs is 8) to get a diving board now in CT. So he couldn't sell him one.

My BIL is considering getting rid of his diving board just because it jacks up the insurance.

OP, my parents original pool from 1971 was a 20x40 rectangle. My dad wanted the biggest one he could get so he wouldn't be splashed by us kids (I was a very tiny baby (like a month old or not even born) when they put it in.

They put in a new liner sometime in the 80's.

Then in 2001 when they opened the pool, the sides caved in on one side. So they opted to get a smaller pool (36x18) since they were older & us kids moved out.

I would love a salt water pool. I told my mother about it recently as she had never heard about it.