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We just completed the hot, hot summer here in Houston and we would love to have a pool in the yard. All the pools in Katy close after school begins, but it is still warm enough to enjoy swimming through most of the year. So, those of you with a pool, thoughts or regrets? Do-overs? Any suggestions? I am sold on gunite pools and now have to decide between chlorine or saline. What about financing suggestions? I would appreciate any feedback for making this momentous decision. Must mention that I have never had my own pool; what about the added costs for utilities and upkeep?
Thank you all!!
I love having a pool. Best decision we made when we put one in. Wife was wishy washy about spending the money, then after it was done, she has vowed to never live in a house without one again.
Modern technology makes up-keep a breeze. Virtually everything is automated....Cleaners, chlorinators, lights, water features, its all automated. All you have to do is keep chlorine in the chlorinator, clean the skimmers, and occasionally adjust your acid levels after doing a 5 second water test. It dosent get any easier than maintaining a pool. It takes more time per week to mow where a pool would be than it does to work on the pool.
Saltwater vs. Chlorine, to me is a no-brainer. Saltwater destroys everything. It corrodes your pumps, your pool deck, any metal pool fencing, basically anything metal it touches. It causes patio furniture to corrode, which stains your decks, voids the warranty on all of the pool equipment, and for what advantage? Not buying chlorine? Chlorine just isnt that expensive. Some people prefer the slimy water feel that a salt water pool has, but I personally hate maintenance and there is nothing higher maintenance than something that comes in contact with salt water.
As to cost of utilities - with energy saving variable or dual speed pumps, a normal sized pool will run you less than $40/month to maintain. $10 chemicals $30 electric. That is you doing the labor. If you pay for labor I would budget $75/week.
We are just in the final stages of having a pool built - should get water in it early next week.
We have gone with a saltwater pool as I have eczema and have always found saltwater pools better on my skin than conventional chlorine pools (saltwater pools still have chlorine in them - it is created by the salt).
We have a lot of natural stone which some say can be eroded with a saltwater pool. Time will tell on this for us. We are sealing everything before we start to try and minimize this.
I would say go into the process with your eyes wide open on the cost. Putting in a pool is not cheap.
As for financing, a pool is not a sound financial investment and you will not recoup your money on it so bear this in mind when financing, especially if there is any chance in you moving in the next few years. You could finance with home equity either through the bank you have your mortgage with (assuming you have a mortgage) or with through a specialty company who will source a bank Lyon Financial.
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Originally Posted by marksmu
Saltwater vs. Chlorine, to me is a no-brainer. Saltwater destroys everything. It corrodes your pumps, your pool deck, any metal pool fencing, basically anything metal it touches. It causes patio furniture to corrode, which stains your decks, voids the warranty on all of the pool equipment, and for what advantage? Not buying chlorine? Chlorine just isnt that expensive. Some people prefer the slimy water feel that a salt water pool has, but I personally hate maintenance and there is nothing higher maintenance than something that comes in contact with salt water.
Saltwater pools are known for having lower maintenance than a conventional chlorine pool and although the initial cost is higher, the running costs are lower (salt is a lot cheaper than chlorine). A lot of people choose saltwater pools for the lower weekly pool maintenance requirements and its better inherent ability to reduce algae blooms.
I do not know what you refer to by 'slimy water feel'. That sounds like bad pool chemistry management which is important regardless of the method of sanitization used.
On some equipment certain parts are excluded for saltwater use but it does not blanket void the warranties.
I am on the pool bandwagon as well. I don't mind the maintenance or the added expense. I have chlorine my sister has salt. She complains about the corrosion of equipment and discoloration of her decorative stones and furniture.
I pay for a chemical only service which is 65 a month and they come out weekly or sometimes twice a week if they feel it is necessary (sometimes just to check).
I prefer my pool larger and more simple. It has a very basic design and none of the fancy waterfalls or electronics. But it is just over 40000 gallons which is a pretty big pool. I have a powerful Hayward pump and DE filter and use a Polaris 360 to clean the bottom. Easy setup and still very enjoyable.
As far as financing goes if you have good credit check with the credit unions and see what they can do. Unsecured loans and lines of credit typically have higher rates but we have managed to get a few below advertised rates since we are credit union members and have been with good standing forever.
A friend of mine put his on a low rate credit card, was like 1.99 percent or something.
It seems that the salt pool popularity has already started to drop off. Too many people that have them and are unhappy. I personally know of two people who had pools built and have switched from the salt system to chlorine. Salt just never delivered the promise, and has caused funky growth on the grout between the tiles, damaged the flagstone coping, and evidently couldn't maintain proper chlorine levels in the pool.
Don't forget that pool cleaners frequently spray (from the tail) 20+ feet from the pool. So fully expect anything metal within that distance of a salt pool to rust, and rust badly. I've even seen nail heads rust in siding that faced the pool, to the point that the board just fell off the wall.
Saltwater pools are known for having lower maintenance than a conventional chlorine pool and although the initial cost is higher, the running costs are lower (salt is a lot cheaper than chlorine). A lot of people choose saltwater pools for the lower weekly pool maintenance requirements and its better inherent ability to reduce algae blooms.
I do not know what you refer to by 'slimy water feel'. That sounds like bad pool chemistry management which is important regardless of the method of sanitization used.
On some equipment certain parts are excluded for saltwater use but it does not blanket void the warranties.
The slimy feel of a salt water pool is the fact that the water is softer. Its the same as showering with a water softner on your house. It has nothing to do with pool chemistry. The water by adding salt is softer than the water without salt.
I had a 22,000 gallon pool, and used less than $150/year on chlorine/acid/shock. I dont care if salt is cheaper than chlorine because the chlorine was not expensive in the first place. If it cost thousands a year to buy chlorine then it may make sense, but it doesnt. You will never recoup what salt water will destroy when it comes to your decks, furniture, etc. God forbid you drop a washer/screw/nail or anything else metal in the water at night and forget to pick it out....It will rust/stain and you will be swimming with sandpaper sanding your plaster to remove the stains all the time.
Controlling algae is simple. Add chlorine, clean or change filters, or if you have a DE backwash. To get rid of algae all you have to do is brush the blooms off, shock the pool and clean filters. Its that easy. It takes minutes.
I never spent more than an hour a week on my pool except every 90 days when I pressure washed my filters that meant 1 extra hour. I will not get cartridge filters again. I highly recommend DE filter. Just hit the backwash button and be done.
The fresh vs salt debate is not a debate for me. I choose longevity over saving a few dollars every day of the week. Especially when the things that go bad require someone else to service them. I can maintain a pool, but I dont have the time to replace everything that saltwater destroys.
but if you like saltwater and you know the risks, then enjoy your pool. To each their own. I just gave an honest assessment of saltwater vs. chlorine. There is no difficulty in maintaining a chlorine pool, especially with today's modern automated equipment.
I have a few friends with salt water pools. It saves money. It is a lot less work. The chlorine level is steady unlike using chlorine pucks. It takes a lot of work to shock your pool. If you happen to not be home you will get a nice bloom after a rain. There is so little salt in your water. If the pool is done right it should not be an issue. Two of my friends converted their pools and swore by it. The other had a brand new pool built.
As for if you want one. That is up to you. Get a big pool heater or heat pump. It can add an extra two months to your pool system. Not cheap though. lol
I have a few friends with salt water pools. It saves money. It is a lot less work. The chlorine level is steady unlike using chlorine pucks. It takes a lot of work to shock your pool. If you happen to not be home you will get a nice bloom after a rain. There is so little salt in your water. If the pool is done right it should not be an issue. Two of my friends converted their pools and swore by it. The other had a brand new pool built.
As for if you want one. That is up to you. Get a big pool heater or heat pump. It can add an extra two months to your pool system. Not cheap though. lol
I would love to know how it can be alot less work, when maintaining a pool in the first place is not alot of work?
Have you ever owned a pool? I have never once had an algae bloom appear after a rain. Not even one time. I have had an algae bloom appear after a 2 week vacation where I ran out of chlorine, but it was cleared within 48 hours of scrubbing the walls and shocking the pool.
Here is how you "shock" a pool. Measure out the appropriate number of cups/pints/etc of pool shock (highly concentrated chlorine) and spread on the surface of the water. Total amount of time needed to shock the pool....60 seconds, max. I guess you could spend 3 minutes if you had to calculate the number of gallons in your pool, but assuming you are having it built they will tell you when its quoted the number of gallons.
I think all the hooplah over saltwater pools is from people who have an old pool, with old equipment, where things are not all automated. The new controllers do everything for you. No valves to turn, buttons to push, nothing. You dont even have to change the clocks with daylight savings time.
As to the comment that there is so little salt its not an issue. 100% untrue. The salt is sufficient to cause everything it touches to start corroding. If you think I am wrong just throw a screw in the water overnight. Watch how fences near pools have the screws fall out, the heads of nails corrode off...heck just goto places that use them. Kingwood Country club has a 5 year old rod iron fence that is need of 100% replacement b/c of the saltwater pool causing it rust out.
Saltwater pools are sold to folks as less expensive to operate, which they are, if you don't mind ignoring the higher costs of replacing everything near them.
Wait til you have a hurricane and the power is out over a week and pool companies can't get to you, pool supply stores are closed...
Chlorine pools you can shock the hell out of,without fear of damage,yourself with no issues. During Ike, my neighbors with salt water pools had a hell of a time. i was told over 500 dollars to fix once power was restored by several people. Some even had to drain and clean and refill, which together is close to a 1000 dollars.
Me..I hate pools. Even with a premium service company, the leaf choke in the winter causes all sorts of havoc if you aren't cleaning it out twice daily.In the city pools don't effect value one way or another. If you like the house and location, and it has a pool, you just buy it. Either you deal with the pool or fill it in. I've lived with enough of them, that I just fill it in. Pre-teens and teens don't use them except once or twice a year.Either they are far too busy or they'd rather go to the club and hang.
Its all a personal thing. Personally, I'd rather not deal with one issue or another from the Polaris, or pumps, or filters...more yard , no frigid water to clean during the December leaf drop, and less floating dead bunnies and squirrels.
Last edited by EasilyAmused; 09-10-2013 at 07:15 AM..
No, you won't get an algae bloom after a rain if your pool is properly maintained in the first place.
No, it's not alot of work to shock a pool.
Saltwater pools corrode standard pool pumps and heaters.
Saltwater chlorine generators are notoriously unreliable, and the cell will fail and need replacement, it is just a matter of when.
That being said, many people love and will swear by their saltwater pools.
The main issue with using chlorine pucks is that the stabilizer (cyanuric acid - CYA) slowly builds up as a by-product of using the pucks. This renders your normal chlorine dosage more ineffective the higher it builds up, so it becomes a merry-go-round of more shock and chlorine to maintain the same algae control as you go along. Eventually you come to a point where it's time to drain at least half the pool, as that is the only way to get rid of the excess CYA and get it back to a preferred level. 95% of pool owners don't understand this and thus spend ****-tons of time and money on chemicals and pool services while getting discouraged with their pool. This summer I've been pucking it and shocking about every 10 days and only have to brush my walls about once per week, but my CYA is inching up towards 100 so it's getting close for me to have to drain some.
An alternative to this is to add liquid bleach daily (10 or 12.5% strength) which does not contain CYA, but is just a pain in the ass. I did it a few summers ago and while my pool hardly needed any maintenance, it's a hassle buying crates of bleach with a short shelf-life.
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