Above ground pools

[thecfarm]

I also think the more it is used the easier it is to keep clean. Used as in 2-3-4 kids keeping the water moving in it. The wife did have hers deeper in the middle,it was a round one.Wife can't really remember the size,but it was a big one. Plenty of room for 4 people to have some fun it.

[Ken]

It was not something I wanted but my wife was consistent in her conviction that I would not have a garage until she had a pool.  Pool installation is nearly done so hopefully I will have a garage this fall.   

 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Looks good Ken.  8)

[thecfarm]

A pool for garage? A man has to do what a man has to do. 

[Magicman]

Choose your battles wisely.  (old saying)

[Mooseherder]

Working in the garage and around the house today and jumping in the pool to cool off.  Couldn't have done it otherwise.  I have never been much for the pool up until now. 

[LeeB]

How many of you heat your pool and what does that cost?

[Jeff]

Lee, I would think you should not have to heat a pool down there.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Working in the garage and around the house today and jumping in the pool to cool off.  Couldn't have done it otherwise.  I have never been much for the pool up until now.

;D Looks like you need to tighten up on your back stroke.



 

[LeeB]

Lee, I would think you should not have to heat a pool down there.

Probably not in the dead of summer, but the months and after July and August it is still pretty mild at night. My daughter has a small pool that they just set up a few weeks ago and even it is still quite cool, tolerable but cool non the less. I also would like to possibly be able to use it in the winter some. We have certainly been known to get in the hot tub in the dead of winter while it's sleeting and snowing.

[Jeff]

The worst culprit against keeping a pool warm is night time cooling.  They are like a wide mouth coffee cup. You leave your cup set for a couple minutes and it is cold. You cover it, and it stays hot a long time.  Having a solar cover that doubles as a blanket at night is far cheaper than a heater (heating is expensive, why we personally don't do it up here) and probably as productive if you live where there are warm sunny days.  They are just kind of a pain in the butt to put on unless you have a roller to roll them up. and pull them back out.

[LeeB]

I actually figured a combination of solar and a propane heater with a cover for sure, with propane as a backup to get the temps up on a winter day if we decide to use it.

[WmFritz]

I actually figured a combination of solar and a propane heater with a cover for sure, with propane as a backup to get the temps up on a winter day if we decide to use it.

Jeff would have to spud through 4+ feet of ice to use his pool in the winter.  :D

If you heat the house with an OWB, you could easily tie into the pool and heat with wood.

[sprucebunny]

Might want to insulate under it if you heat it.
They make electically heated mats for electric radiant floors that might be something to look at if electric is cheap for you.

[clearcut]

When I moved into my house, the 30,000 gallon pool had a propane heater. It burned through 300 gallons of propane in about 3 weeks to heat the pool in early May. The pool went from 65° to about 72°.

It was disconnected by June.

The owner of the local propane dealership used to own this house, explaining the heater.

I now use a solar (bubble) cover and it works great. Bought a reel for the cover and it is much easier than dragging the cover on and off. In June we went away for 5 days with the cover on. The pool temperature rose from 73° to 85°.

Using just the solar cover, we open the pool in April. Once the weather gets a bit cooler, even though the pool stays warm through October, the kids lose interest in swimming.

[LeeB]

Old topic but Lindy still hasn't given up on getting a pool. Any new opinions? any reviews on brands? There seems to be almost no reviews online.

[TKehl]

Depends if you are talking inflatable or the type with the metal ring and a liner.  I was around three of the latter growing up.  Wasn't enough difference between them to mention.  I can say I prefer a sand filter above replaceable ones.

I find the inflatable/water filled sidewall ones don't work well on our farm.  A loose sow took out the last one...  Also difficult if you have a large dog.  

We are so redneck, that we fill a cattle stock tank a few days before a heat wave to let the kids play in.  When it starts turning green, we drain it in the garden.   :D

[DelawhereJoe]

Everything will really depend on what your budget is. DoughBoy pools seem to be one of the better quality ones that I have worked on, you can also get them with a deep end. Sand filters have less maintenance to them then other types and you can get an alternative media over just the sand that will reduce the filtration size I think its called zeolite. If you go with a variable speed pump it will pay for itself in 2 or 3 years with power savings.

[LeeB]

Looking to spend a max of $6k on the pool and install myself. I tried to sell her on a big stock tank but she just won't go for it.  :D

[JJ]

Hi LeeB
After I move to NH, I found lakes big enough to use my boat too far away; so I traded (sold) the boat for a pool.  My 3 kids (all teenagers now) didn't like going on the boat with me anymore anyway, and all wanted a pool with the new house (we passed on many homes which already had pools).

Went with Kayak pool: Kayak Pools | The Trusted Name In Above Ground Swimming Pools Since 1958

Wanted a rectangle pool so would flush up against my deck, and could have a deeper end going from 48" to 66".   Was about even trade for my boat, and didn't want the expense of in-ground; so if I don't want it anymore I can just take it down, and maybe sell it.

It has nice construction, all aluminum so I could use the salt water generator.  I have it in good location, no trees over it, and gets sun all day long.  70-80 degree water last summer.

Size is 16' x 24' with 2' surrounding walkway and 6'x20' aluminum deck on back end. 
Total footprint 20' x 32'

Under installation, had to square up my odd shape deck, as there was once a round pool here.  You can see the deeper end.


 

All full, and fixing my landscaping


 

New fire pit area.


 

Right now pool is completely frozen, but looking forward to those extreme hot days of summer.  Totally changes how you deal with the heat.

         JJ

[DelawhereJoe]

Any metal pool will have an issue with the salt water, even deck screws will be effcted by it. My boss used the premium deck screws and they only lasted 7 years around his pool. It got so bad ehen you would walk around the pool the heads would pop off and land right into the pool. He has rust stains from the screw heads from when we closed his pool down. Last year we replaced all his decking with that trex stuff and used stainless hardware to hold it down, well see how long it takes for that to rot.

[TKehl]

Looking to spend a max of $6k on the pool and install myself. I tried to sell her on a big stock tank but she just won't go for it.  :D

That budget should be pretty easy.  I'd look for a used one and buy a new liner and call it good.
I actually have one sitting here at the farm that we got free for taking it down.  (I'm 35 and still can't tell mom no...  )  It's 21 or 24' round with sand filter, pump, and deck...  If you pay more than a couple hundred, it's too much!

Put down good base for it.  Last one we put down a couple inches of sand and had everything packed "real good".  Then when we filled it, we could see every gopher tunnel.   :D  If we do put this one together (maybe after the house is done), I think I'll lay down some 1" to 1/2" limestone gravel, then 1/4" and finer, then sand.

Oh, and when putting up the metal ring, make sure you have at least 3-4 buddies (don't have to be strong, just need hands) there and plenty of cold drinks.   ;)  And make sure the round part of the bolt head is on the INSIDE, not the nut and bolt side.  You could ask me how I know, but I think you already know the answer.    :

[LeeB]

@Jeff What brand is your pool? I'd say 20 years is a pretty good run.

[Jeff]

It's a lowmart pool Lee. I think this is actually the 24th year.

[LeeB]

Hmm, haven't seen that brand in my searches. Wonder if it's still made?

Again I ask before I google. Yep, they still make them.