Owning a Pool: Is it Worth it?

There are many benefits owning a swimming pool. Buyers may see them as an opportunity to make long-lasting memories or a place to throw great summer parties. Pools can even be a great alternative for when going out on the lake isn’t ideal.

For some, however, pools bring to mind bring various safety and maintenance obligations.

While there are many pros to owning a pool, it’s important to acknowledge the cons.

So let’s dive in. Owning a pool: is it worth it, or not?

Children and Safety

When it comes to owning a pool, child safety is at the forefront of every parent’s mind.

Pools that are easily accessible, like uncovered underground pools, present a potentially fatal hazard.

If you’re buying a home with a swimming pool, or are thinking of installing one at your current residence, consider building a fence around it.

swimming pool with lake view at dusk

Fence posts should be buried and reinforced with concrete for maximum stability.

Younger children, particularly those who cannot swim such as toddlers and crawling babies, are at the highest risk for accidental drowning. To prevent unsupervised access, equip fence your gate with a child-proof latch.

In life, accidents do happen. Babysitters get distracted, moms run to the bathroom and sometimes children are just sneaky. By installing a fence around your pool, you decrease the chances of something happening to someone you love.

No-return investment

Pools are expensive, and sometimes homeowners are unable to earn back the money put into them when their home sells.

Under the right circumstances, a swimming pool can add as much as 7 percent to your home’s value; however, this is more the exception than the rule.

Installation alone can cost more than $30,000. After installation, pool owners must factor in upkeep, seasonal filling/draining and electricity used by the pump and heater.

These reoccurring costs that could potentially add thousands of dollars to your expenses annually.

Additionally, many states require increased liability coverage on homeowner’s insurance when a pool is involved, which can get pretty costly.

According to Dave Ramsey, many buyers see swimming pools not as a luxury but a liability. Instead of thinking of a pool as an investment in your home, Ramsey suggests considering it an investment in your lifestyle.

Health risks

In order to maintain a pool, chemicals must be added to its water.

An average swimming pool should contain sanitizers, oxidizers, water balancers (for pH) and other specialty chemicals like filter cleaners and stain removers.

If not properly handled, these chemicals could cause a variety of medical issues.

Too many, or incorrect amounts of, chemicals can cause poisoning and burns to swimmers’ eyes and skin. Additionally, mishandling concentrated chlorine at above-average amounts can even cause death.

pH levels affect algae and bacteria growth which can also lead to illness.

 

Of course, pools are not all bad.

Their biggest benefit is the joy they can bring to you and your loved ones. But before adding one to your back yard, consider these factors to determine if owning a pool is worth it to you, or not.

 

For more stories on personal swimming pools give our “Brush up on Pool Safety,” and “Long-Term Pool Maintenance” articles a read!

Long Term Pool Maintenance: What You Should Expect

Child in pool

Having an in ground pool can be something really fun for you and your family. You can have loads of summer outings and fun events at your home when you have one.

It can add almost 10% to your home’s value if you ever decide to sell. It is important to keep your pool clean and well-maintained.

However, a lot of people do not know proper in ground pool maintenance. Adding a task here and there to your list of chores is not going to do anything but make your pool easier to maintain in the future.

Check levels of chlorine

Checking your pools chlorine and pH levels twice a week will help keep your pool save to swim in.

Most experts recommend that the pH range stay at 7.6 and the level of chlorine stay at about 1.0-3.0 parts per million. When you do check these levels, make sure you do this at dusk and several hours after someone has been swimming in the pool.

Cleaning

Pool cleaningYou should clean your swimming pool at least once a week to ensure cleanliness every time a swimmer enters the pool. The skimmer baskets must be emptied and any leaves, grass, or other debris also needs to be removed.

Make sure you put surface cleaner in your pool to keep waterline stains from forming; it will keep your in ground pool looking as good as new.

Filtration System

You definitely need to run your filtration as often as you can, but only during the months over the summer. This will rid your pool of dust, pollutants, dirt, and bacteria which nobody wants inside of their pool.

Off season maintenance

There are some things that you may need to do during your off-season to keep your pool in excellent condition. Make sure you clean your pool and check all of the settings before you close it for the fall and winter.

Check all of your levels beforehand so you know everything is where it should be. Make sure all items are out of the pool such as ladders, slides, or diving boards.

You must drain all of the water from the pool pump and then cover your pool with a heavy cover in order to keep the elements out of the pool. Check your pool cover once every couple of weeks to make sure there are no holes or tears.

It is crucial that you keep your pool in excellent condition no matter what the season is. Some of these tasks may be inconvenient, but the luxury of having a pool definitely outweighs all of that.

If you need to, you can hire an individual or a company to take care of your pool maintenance needs. This will eliminate one of your biggest chores of the summer. The cleaner it is, the more fun you will have in the long run.