7 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had a Pool That Would Have Changed Everything
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/know-before-getting-pool-GettyImages-1253642661-fdaabe48544e469bb8f4a2e7feab1dc7.jpg?w=780&resize=780,470&ssl=1 "7 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had a Pool That Would Have Changed Everything")
I grew up spending every summer in my pool until my hands were pruny and my hair felt like straw from the chlorine. So when we started house hunting and we found one with a big old pool in the backyard, it felt like I was coming home.
Of course, there’s a distinct difference between being a kid with a pool and being an adult responsible for a pool. And I soon found myself in over my head as I tried to figure out how to keep the pH balanced and get those leaves (all of those leaves!) out of the pool. Before you dive in, consider these things I wish I knew before you decide to invest in a backyard pool.
It Can Take Up a Lot of Real Estate
We have a petite suburban yard, and even with the smallest possible pool, it takes up nearly a third of our space. It’s meant that we’ve had to get creative about how we utilize the rest of our backyard—including finding ways to max out our garden, have space for outdoor entertaining, and still give our dogs some room to roam.
I’d Get to Use My Chemistry Skills
That crystal clear water doesn’t just happen on its own. While it’s a lot easier with test strips than when my dad had a literal set of test tubes and chemicals to measure pH and chlorine levels, you’ll be constantly tinkering with a small army of different products to help keep the pool pristine. (And inevitably—a short vacation away could throw it all off again and result in a green pool.)
Water Safety Isn’t Just a Concern for Kids
Getting real about the pool situation here: A pool—especially an inground pool—is a death trap for an array of wildlife. Bugs go there to die daily, but we’ve also had to fish out birds, mice, chipmunks—and once, a rabbit (who lived to tell the tale). We’ve installed critter stairs and a pool alarm, which seems to have cut back on the carnage, but I still feel bad about the lightning bugs and bees that sometimes meet a watery end in my pool.
It Can Be Part of Your Design Aesthetic
This probably isn’t a surprise, but there are a load of different products out there that you can install to upgrade your pool’s aesthetic—from in-pool lights to create a gorgeous glow at night, to solar-powered fountains that give your pool a park-like vibe. And don’t forget the chaise lounge poolside for relaxing (or a cool pool float for lounging in the pool).
Upkeep Can Be Pricey—and Time Consuming
When you’re determining whether a pool is right for you, you’ll need to think about both the time and money commitment. Opening and closing the pool can take hours (or a few hundred bucks a pop for a service to do the work), and the chemicals can add up to hundreds of dollars a year. Robotic vacuums have helped reduce the workload of removing debris, but you still sometimes need to give it a good old-fashioned scrub.
At one point, I priced out the cost of a membership in a local pool vs. the costs of the upkeep—and it’s still a bargain, at least in my area. (And plus: We get the whole pool all to ourselves!)
You Need to Watch Out for the Sun and Shade Levels
Obviously, in the hotter parts of the country, shading off the pool so it stays cool during the scorching summers can be essential. But in more temperate areas, a shady spot can mean a chilly pool all summer long—which can be a hard sell for all but the most hardy kids. Make sure that you can locate your pool in an area that provides the right mix of sun and shade for your pool temps—or that you can invest in a pool heater to warm it up for you.
All the Memories Make It Worth It
I’m always looking forward to when we can open the pool again in the summer. We’ve hosted countless pool parties, taught our kids to swim, and I’ve spent many a lazy day on my favorite float, just chilling with an old paperback and a tall glass of iced tea. The pool is my little slice of heaven—and worth every bit of work we put into it.
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