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Category: Pool Options & Accessories

Should I Buy A Cover For My Pool?

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Pool covers are common in areas where pools have an “off-season” or when they close during the winter months. If you expect to winterize your pool for some time, we recommended that you buy a pool cover. Keeping your pool covered Inground Poolduring winter months will protect your pool and make getting your pool ready for use easier. If a pool is left uncovered, the leaves and debris will not only be a hassle to remove in the springtime but will break down over the winter months and cause havoc on water chemistry and possible staining.

There are three basic types of pool covers: tarp covers, safety covers (both solid and mesh) and automatic safety covers. Tarp covers are tarps that are made to fit over your pool and rest on top of the water. They are secured by being weighted down. Often, they are weighted down with water tubes (vinyl bags filled with water).

Safety covers are available in mesh and solid. Safety covers are anchored to the perimeter of the pool deck using grommets and steel springs. These are made to suspend freely and fit snugly over the pool. Mesh safety covers allow water to filter through the cover into the pool. The solid safety covers do not. Any pool cover that holds water must be accompanied with a cover pump. Cover pumps continually keep the water pumped off the top of the pool cover.

fiberglass pool covers
Automatic safety covers are built into a set of tracks that run the length of the pool and when closed rests on top of the pool water. An automatic safety cover provides all the benefits of a safety cover in 60 seconds or less. Not only are they perfect for the wintertime, but they will protect your pool on a regular basis.

Pool covers that meet ASTM safety cover standards are considered safety covers as well. When installed and used correctly, safety covers prevent children from accessing the pool water. Pool safety covers can be seen as one layer of protection. Thursday Pools supports the idea of providing multiple layers of protection to prevent drownings in pools or hot tubs. You should never rely on only one means of protection, and there is no replacement for constant adult supervision. 

Our Thursday Pools fiberglass pools will fit with any type of pool cover. Find all our fiberglass pool designs here!

Saltwater Pool vs. Chlorine Water Pool

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Choosing how to sanitize your inground swimming pool can be confusing when you are comparing a saltwater pool vs. a chlorine water pool. Overall, salt water pools and traditional chlorine pools are very similar. The differences lie in the method of adding chlorine to the pool. Salt systems use the dissolved salt in the pool water and a process called electrolysis. The dissolved salt passes through the salt cell to produce chlorine. Traditional chlorine pools use chlorine tablets or pucks that are made to dissolve as water passes over them.

Pros of Salt Water Pools-The Benefits of Owning a Saltwater Pool

  • Convenience. Pool owners don’t have to handle or store chlorine. With traditional chlorine options, you have to add chlorine granules, tablets, or pucks manually.
  • Reduces the amount of chlorine needed to maintain a properly sanitized pool. Salt systems work as both a sanitizer and an oxidizer. Traditional chlorine pools will require a weekly or bi-weekly oxidizing shock.
  • The pool water feels noticeably better on the skin and eyes. The chlorine water that the unit produces is very pure and does not have any irritating chloramines, unlike traditional chlorine pools.

Cons of Salt Pools-The Disadvantage of Owning a Saltwater Pool

  • Salt is naturally corrosive. It’s corrosive nature can cause premature aging on metal parts and equipment and can be harsh on the natural stone decking. We would recommend adding a sacrificial anode to the pool. For instance, an easy example would be adding a zinc ball to your skimmer basket. The sacrificial anode like the zinc ball is a weaker metal. It will sacrifice itself and corrode before all other metals in the water.
  • Salt systems inherently drive up the pH levels. We recommended incorporating a system that automatically detects pH levels and introduces acid as needed.
  • Salt systems can cause calcium build-up. Properly maintaining your pH and Total Alkalinity levels will help prevent calcium buildup.  
  • Costly start-up costs. While you will save money on chlorine over the life of the pool, the initial unit cost of a salt system can range anywhere from $1,500-$2,200 or more, depending on the system and size of the pool. The cell inside your salt generator should last an average of three to five years depending on how well you maintain it. The replacement cost of the cell ranges $500-$800.

While there are some definite benefits to a salt pool, they do not equate to a no maintenance pool.  Salt pools still need to have their water tested at least once a week and adjusted accordingly to ensure all chemical levels are within proper range.  

Top Five Pool Options Every Inground Swimming Pool Buyer Should Consider

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The market for inground swimming pool options is enormous and can be overwhelming, but there are only a handful that every inground pool owner should consider. Here are some important swimming pool options that you should consider and why. We have also included some budget saving tips.

  1. pool optionsAutomatic Pool Covers. Automatic pool covers do more than protect your loved ones and pets; they make owning your own pool easy. Automatic safety covers protect your inground pool from water evaporation loss which aids in keeping heat and chemicals in; helping you keep pool chemicals and heating costs down. They also aid in keeping debris out allowing you more time for fun and frolicking rather than vacuuming or skimming leaves. For those folks who winterize their pool, it can double as your winter cover which allows you to avoid the hassle of dragging out the water tubes and tarp or strapping down your safety cover. Who doesn’t want to avoid that hassle? As a side note, most pool companies charge less for winterization when pool owners have an automatic safety cover.
    Pool Budget Saving Tip: Adding on an automatic safety cover when purchasing your inground pool options is a large expense and often is not in the budget. In lieu of a complete purchase, ask your pool builder about prepping for a future automatic safety cover install. Many times pool builders can set the box and tracks laying the groundwork for a future install that will be easy and more cost effective than a retrofit.
  2. Heater. For those of us that don’t live in the sunbelt, we are always looking for ways to extend our swim season. A heater is a great way to do that. Yes, they can be costly to run especially gas heaters, but you likely will only run the heater in early spring and late fall. Electric heat pumps are more efficient and less expensive to operate, but they are slower to heat and have a higher initial cost. If you decide to go with a heat pump, they offer a chiller option that you might consider.
    Pool Budget Saving Tip: Heaters are easy pool options to add on later and don’t necessarily have to be installed at the time of your inground pool purchase. Just be sure that you leave enough room in your equipment area. The heater must be a minimum of 8 feet away from a window so plan ahead.
  3. Inground pool lighting. Inground pool lighting can elevate the entire mood of your backyard patio area and provide safety for late night swimmers. This is one of those inground pool options that if you are considering it, now would be the time to opt for it. In-pool lighting is difficult to add on to an inground pool later and will cost you a lot more after the fact.
  4. pool optionsWater Features. The sound of moving water is mesmerizing and provides health benefits such as stress relief and relaxation. The best part about adding a water feature as one of your pool options is it allows you to enjoy the pool without even being in it. Adding a water feature to your inground pool can be as simple as a deck jet or as elaborate as a custom waterfall. Water features that circulate the pool water are not easily added on later and should be planned for during the construction phase of your project.
    Pool Budget Saving Tip: If it isn’t in your initial “pool options budget” to add a water feature, ask your pool builder about pre-plumbing and stubbing up for a future water feature addition.
  5. pool optionsSlides and Sports. Slides and water sports can bring out the competitive spirit in any family and raise the fun level. The options for inground pool slides have grown tremendously over the last decade. Extreme slides such as SR Smith’s Turbo Twister® or Inter-fab’s X-Stream® are some popular pool slide choices. Because all pool slides operate using a water line installed during construction, they are not easily retrofitted to existing pools. There are a lot of options for on deck applications for inground pool sports like volleyball and basketball; the best most unobtrusive pool options require an anchor socket to be installed in the deck during construction.
    Pool Budget Saving Tip: You can pre-plumb your pool with a water line for a slide to add later on but it does take some planning. You will want to decide what slide you will want in the future and make sure that you have the footprint large enough on your patio area to accommodate it along with the proper size plumbing line. You will also want to make sure that it meets the slides safety requirements for depth and entry.  You can hold off on purchasing the basketball and volleyball units, but I would strongly recommend at least having the deck anchors installed.