Thoughts on a pool?

[martyb]

Another re-use idea ? Family reunions could take on a more peaceful tone if swimming [-]being pushed in[/-] with these fish was used as a threat for a punishment for poor behavior.

River Monsters: Bathing with Piranhas - YouTube

Yeah....that's what I'm talkin' about!

 

[NW-Bound]

About the pool expenses, if you do not use the pool at all, then why bother? But think of the time you will use it with your grand kids. How does one put a price on that?

As for me, as mentioned in an earlier post, I will look to use my pool more, now that my children are grown, and we will not have grand children for a long time, if ever. Still, no regrets, considering the fun we had when my children were little.

 

[imoldernu]

No maintenance, no expense...365 days/yr.

 

[martyb]

This is the pool in question.

 

[NW-Bound]

There you go! Fill up the chlorine float, set up the pump timer, then hop on the hammock with a beer. What's there to do?

By the way, that's an interesting "tree" that the hammock hangs from. I would build a treehouse or a platform for the kids on that tree.

 

[martyb]

There you go! Fill up the chlorine float, set up the pump timer, then hop on the hammock with a beer. What's there to do?

By the way, that's an interesting "tree" that the hammock hangs from. I would build a treehouse or a platform for the kids on that tree.

It "was" a tree, until the owner installed the pool and found out about large trees next to and overhanging the end of the pool, and all the leaves that go along with that scenario. He cut the tree down to what you see in the pic, then built the hut-roof-thing, bought the grass material for the top on ebay (said it required 3 60ft. rolls. He's really quite a do-it-yourselfer. If I buy the house, I'd sure like for him to stick around the area...unfortunately he's moving to Michigan. Still undecided about buying the house at this point.

You can see it's not a real big pool. Maybe it would be easier than a larger one to maintain, clean etc?

 

[Pajaro]

I rented a house for 1 year that had a pool and the expense and time for maintenance (yard had too many trees) were enough to convince me that I never want a pool again.

In addition (ome argue that the data is taken out of context) Chap 5 of Freakonomics states that home pools are more dangerous than guns:

But according to the data, their choice isn’t smart at all. In a given year, there is one drowning of a child for every 11,000 residential pools in the United States. (In a country with 6 million pools, this means that roughly 550 children under the age of ten drown each year.) Meanwhile, there is 1 child killed by a gun for every 1 million-plus guns. (In a country with an estimated 200 million guns, this means that roughly 175 children under ten die each year from guns.) The likelihood of death by pool (1 in 11,000) versus death by gun (1 in 1 million-plus) isn’t even close: Molly is roughly 100 times more likely to die in a swimming accident at Imani’s house than in gunplay at Amy’s.

 

[NW-Bound]

I had to go out to measure my pool in the dark. Might as well, as I never knew its exact size. It is rectangular in size at 17' X 37', and takes up nearly all of the back yard, leaving only the side yard for a lawn and swing set for the kids when young.

I have fruit trees in the side yard now, but they are downwind. Most of the maintenance of the pool comes from leaves off neighbor's trees that are upwind. Thought about spraying them trees with something... Other than that, maintenance is not bad, less than what a nice lawn requires, I would say. But then, one does not need a lawn either, and can do low-maintenance xeriscape. YMMV, as usual.

PS. Also measured the depth at the diving board end. It is 9 ft. So, I looked up the Web and learned that's the minimum depth for diving.

 

[NW-Bound]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the danger of a child drowning is very real, and enough for my state to institute a law mandating fences around a pool. I will repeat that post here.

About pool safety, it's my state law that a pool must have a fence around it. I may be wrong, but the requirement can be met if the back door from the house to the pool is self-closing, and cannot be opened by a child under so many feet tall.

With residential pools being so common here, we learned of tragic stories every year of children drowning. Quite often, a family moved in from out-of-state, and while the adults were throwing a party, a child slipped out to the pool and drowned in the few minutes that people inside the home overlooked.

I rented a house for 1 year that had a pool and the expense and time for maintenance (yard had too many trees) were enough to convince me that I never want a pool again.

In addition (ome argue that the data is taken out of context) Chap 5 of Freakonomics states that home pools are more dangerous than guns: ...

I cannot comment about the expenses. If one does not use something, then its expense is wasted. It applies to not just pool, but also gym membership, RVs, etc...

But the pool safety must be taken very religiously. When my children were young, and so were their cousins when they came for a swimming party, I made a rule with my wife that one of us had to be at the pool constantly. No going into the house to get a drink or to pick up the phone. One of us had to be there, all the time.

Note that we do not expect or ask our adult guests to stand watch. Either I or my wife had to be there. No exception!

 

[cinman2000]

Pool is like a pet but more expensive and harder to get rid of. I can't wait to divest of the stinking fountain in the backyard

 

[Rambler]

We've had our pool for 8 years this coming summer. We've spent maybe 10 bucks a year on salt (auto chlorinated) and maybe 10 bucks a year on muriatic acid. Add to that new brushes here and there. The photovoltaic system makes the electricity for it. Pump and chlorinator run 5-6 hrs/day in the summer when in heavy use and1.5 hr/day in winter. The auto sweeper thingy does pretty much the rest. I have been brushing it a couple times per summer. Probably should have been done more, but I stayed in Tokyo to work while wife and kids came home for summer. We are now retired, and I intend to use the pool daily from late May thru Sept or early Oct (central CA). We have an automatic cover (protection and heat) and a fence. Pool size is 38' x 18' rectangle. If we had the option of a community pool it would have been the preferred choice, but it wasn't an option where we wanted to be.

I say go for it. Protect it...protect yourself. Enjoy it daily in swim season. Add salt chlorination if you can. If I could get a nice place with a pool for 185k along with a place to park the RV (incl hookups) in a place I wanted to live, I'd do it.

R

 

[obgyn65]

I would agree with this. As an LBYM person, I would not get a pool even though I can easily afford it.

Marty...

The three things not to have...a pack of dogs...a boat too big to trailer...and a swimming pool.

 

[cardude]

That small pool would be easy to take care of, and that tiki tree is the sh*t !

How old is the pool? After 10 years it may need resurfacing, pumps, etc.

Start reading up on pools at www.troublefreepool.com

 

[freebird5825]

Yeah....that's what I'm talkin' about!

Having seen the pics, that is a nice small size pool.

Have you calculated the optimal number of pirhana per cubic liter yet?

Or perhaps you could find a remote controlled fish (or a school) to freak out your guests. The possibilities are endless.
I used these keywords "battery powered pool toys" on a google search and found only benevolent pool toys. No pirhanas.
UPDATE: google "swim ways swimming fish". Lot of choices.

I'm still ruminating over what to actually do about my non-functioning 8 person outdoor hot tub. Replacing the heater did no good. I suspect it is the control panel (big $$$$ to replace), or the circulating pump, or who knows what else ? I think it will make a fabulous summertime water hole. I still have enough chemicals to keep it sanitary. If it gets icky, I simply empty it and start over.

 

[MuirWannabe]

We've had our pool for 8 years this coming summer. We've spent maybe 10 bucks a year on salt (auto chlorinated) and maybe 10 bucks a year on muriatic acid. Add to that new brushes here and there. The photovoltaic system makes the electricity for it. Pump and chlorinator run 5-6 hrs/day in the summer when in heavy use and1.5 hr/day in winter. The auto sweeper thingy does pretty much the rest. I have been brushing it a couple times per summer. Probably should have been done more, but I stayed in Tokyo to work while wife and kids came home for summer. We are now retired, and I intend to use the pool daily from late May thru Sept or early Oct (central CA). We have an automatic cover (protection and heat) and a fence. Pool size is 38' x 18' rectangle. If we had the option of a community pool it would have been the preferred choice, but it wasn't an option where we wanted to be.

I say go for it. Protect it...protect yourself. Enjoy it daily in swim season. Add salt chlorination if you can. If I could get a nice place with a pool for 185k along with a place to park the RV (incl hookups) in a place I wanted to live, I'd do it.

R

Rambler,
Can you elaborate on your automatic pool cover? Pictures? Just wondering how this works. We have a pool cover but it is quite manual to install and uninstall each year. Any additional info might be useful for me. Thanks.

 

[Katsmeow]

This is the pool in question.

The pool looks a lot like the pool we had at our second house...maybe a little smaller.

Looks like maintenance wouldn't be difficult. The 2 questions I would have:

1. It doesn't have a spa. If you wanted a spa you would have to have a standalone one. For lots of people they use the spa more than the actual pool.

2. For someone without kids who never has kids present the pool may be OK (I would put locks on the gate to the backyard though) for safety, however, if you think you will have grandchildren or other younger kids around then I would put a 6 foot wrought iron fence around it. As it is, there is no protection at all from a younger child getting to the pool if the child comes outside.

 

[Rambler]

Here are two pics of the pool, covered and uncovered, from different angles. We have a wood fence behind the pool and mesh fencing around the front so we can monitor pool activity from the porch if we aren't sitting right at the pool.

The cover slides out of the end of the pool on rails, powered by a hydraulic pump that turns the roller shaft on which the cover is stored. The roller shaft also pulls a set of nylon ropes hidden inside the rails, that pull the cover out by pulling a tube at the head of the cover. It all works with the turn of a key to open or close. You can open it only partway or just a crack if you are just checking water chemistry in the winter. If you have heavy rain in the winter, the cover comes with a pump to pump off any water. We get 10-12 inches of rain per year, mostly in the winter, so I use the pump 3-4 times per winter on a sunny day after the rain. This must be done or the cover can tear. It can tolerate a couple inches, but not a foot. That said, it is strong enough to protect a toddler or even a large man from drowning by falling in.

Hope that helps. PM me with any more questions or if you need more detailed pics.

R

 

[martyb]

That small pool would be easy to take care of, and that tiki tree is the sh*t !

How old is the pool? After 10 years it may need resurfacing, pumps, etc.

Start reading up on pools at www.troublefreepool.com

I'll have to ask. I know the current owner bough the house in 2004, and the pool was installed sometime after that...so not 10 yrs old yet, but headed that direction. Do all pools get resurfaced, or does it depend on the type of surface?

 

[45th Birthday]

When we bought our current main residence 10 years ago, we didn't want a big yard or a pool. Turns out we ended up with both. The pool is an in-ground 40X20 with an attached spa. We live in the Chicago area and open it the first week of May and close it the first week of October.

During that time, we are away about 10 weeks, living in a different house. So, we have a service that takes care of it. Sometimes if I'm around, I will fix or troubleshoot stuff that's broken for fun and to save money, but it's still expensive. We keep it heated so it's warm enough to use when we want.

The kids used it when they were younger, but now they are away so only use it a few weeks. We use it several times a week when here, totally private so late afternoon skinny dips are often in the plan. Would I do it again? Probably not. Do I regret having it? Not really.

 

[cardude]

I'll have to ask. I know the current owner bough the house in 2004, and the pool was installed sometime after that...so not 10 yrs old yet, but headed that direction. Do all pools get resurfaced, or does it depend on the type of surface?

Plaster lasts about 10-15 years, depending on how good it was done initially. Replaster maybe $6000-8000 for that size pool. I say enjoy the pool for 5-10 years, and if you don't want to replaster then just fill it in.

 

[clifp]

Had one, filled it in 2 years ago. Hadnt opened it the previous year and rarely used it after the kids became teenagers. What I remember most was it was a pita to keep clean, particularly if you dont use it much.

I prefer pools to lakes and oceans....but I dont think I would ever want to overhead of a pool again.

Disclaimer - we live in New Hampshire. Season's pretty short here.

I had pool growing up, and spent much of my teenage years doing a pretty lousy job maintaining.

So I when I bought my first house it came with a pool which I though would be cool. My god what mistake, filters get clogged, pumps time, covers get ripped. Algae grows, ducks try to make a home and even in California the are of little use in the winter time.

When I sold the house I offered a 5K credit to the buyer, for either replastering the pool, or filling it in. I told the guy (who was also a single guy with no kids) that he should fill it in, but he thought he'd want the pool.

I stopped by my old house earlier this month and peeked in the back the pool looked better than when I owned it but still pretty lousy.

 

[Idnar7]

A JPatrick mentioned in the south you may have to cool the pool. When I lived in Austin, TX my neighbor liked to have pool parties and would routinely have 500 lb blocks o ice delivered and dumped in his pool. Having grown up in MN where the lakes have natural ice six months of the year, that flabbergast me.

 

[NW-Bound]

Here in the SW, there are areas where you will be locked out if you do not want a pool when buying an existing home. In my area, about 85% of homes have a pool.

I have no plan to move, but will give preference to a home without a pool in the next home, now that the need for it is gone. But while I stay here, the maintenance of it is something I am used to.

About pool water temperature, it is never that hot here, even when the air temperature is broiling. Due to low humidity, the evaporation keeps the water temperature low. I never measured it, but when the air temperature is 120F, it is most comfortable taking a swim. And you always get a shiver when you get out! The evaporated water off your skin is chilling. Never fails!

 

[deserat]

Ahh - we are pondering the same thing here - I grew up in AZ and now live back here. Had two pools growing up....ended up having to do the maintenance - PITA - especially after a dust storm and if you let the chemicals go awry.

If you don't use it, then it's not worth it. My parents have on in FL and I was the only one using it ...Dad would jump in after doing yard work, but they did not swim much.

For me, I go to the local community pool and take water aerobic classes and may start doing open swim laps....for my home, we are looking at a spool...we'll see. May not be worth the hassle.

 

[davemartin88]

We've had pools added to 2 houses and loved them. In season, I swam most every day, if only for a few minutes to cool off in the afternoon. Our second pool was a salt water set up (salt is introduced to make chlorine) and the maintenance was about $50-$60 per month as we did all cleaning, testing and adding chemicals ourselves. We don't have a pool at our current house, miss it but decided that the season just wasn't long enough here in WV to go to the expense. I don't like community pools and find that I don't go swimming at all now that we don't have a pool.