Pool Goodies on a Budget

In-ground Pool Goodies on a Budget

An in-ground pool is a big investment in family fun…and money. Hey, I admit it. Pools aren’t cheap. I understand that and I know that about 99% of people getting one have budgets. So, I want to offer some advice on selecting wonderful options. Do you get these add-ons now or wait? Let’s face it. Warren Buffett you’re not. Let’s look at some of our most popular options and help you decide if you should get them at the time of installation or wait until later.

An automatic cover.

These are motorized covers that slide on and off the pool at the press of a button. However, there are two types: Those that ride on hidden tracks below the deck and those that move along a track on the decking above the elevation of the pool.

Under-track: To avoid costly retrofitting often involving removal of concrete decking, do this at the time of installation. Your net cost may be double, even triple the cost if done after the pool is built. This is the only style of automatic cover that Eastgate Pools installs.

Top mount: They are a relatively easy add-on option that can be installed immediately after a pool is built, or years later. Wait and there are definitely additional expenses, so choose wisely.

Either way you choose, a safety cover is a highly desirable option. It provides an incredible safety feature. Gone for the day at work or for a week of vacation? Cover the pool with the press of a button and stop worrying about the next-door neighbor’s kids having a pool party in your pool while you are away. And if a storm is coming, close the cover and keep the debris out. It also helps heat the water early in-season and reduces evaporation. Finally, it is also a winterization cover.

A safety cover.

An alternative to an automatic cover, this is a trampoline-type cover used to winterize the pool. It is manually installed and can be used in mid-summer during vacations, but most people won’t go to the trouble of putting it on then. Brass grommets are installed in pool decking with small hooks that are manually raised, with cover springs attached to them. Let’s say a child or well-lubricated adult walks out onto the safety cover during a holiday party. They may get their feet wet, but they will be safe.

Easily installed post-installation, if you don’t select an auto-cover, I highly recommend this for the first winter season.

A chlorine generator.

If you don’t know what this is, here’s the short version of an explanation. Salt is added to the pool. Through an electrolysis process, the sodium chloride compound (NaCl) is converted into hypochlorous acid. This is a weak chlorine acid that serves as an antimicrobial agent. Simplified, the generator makes pool chlorine. No more buying tablets and only rarely will the pool owner need to add liquid shock. Frankly, we must be crazy to offer chlorine generators as they virtually eliminate a complete sector of the market for tablet and liquid chlorine sales.

Easily installed post-installation, this is probably our most popular and desired option, often going on new and older pools. We have even installed chlorine generators on pools more than two-decades old.

Diving boards.

To install a diving board on a pool already completed, concrete must be jackhammered out and ultimately replaced. Not a good scenario. Plus, if installed with the pool, we can guarantee that it is a pool certified as safe for diving. Not so if retrofitted down the road. We have even opted not to sell diving board systems to pools we cannot guarantee could be safely added.

Want a diving board? Reality says it must be installed when the pool is built.

Robotic pool cleaners.

This is kind of a no-brainer. These can be and frequently are sold over the counter for existing pools. If you want to save some dollars at the time of contracting, delay getting one. Not so surprisingly, they make great Christmas presents. Hint hint: tell the kids.

Pool heaters.

This is another option that can be added down the road if your budget is being tested now. Basically, there are two types of heaters on the market: natural gas or propane fired and electric heat pumps. I highly recommend the heat pump option. Firstly, unlike gas heaters that can be destroyed by bad water balance, water chemistry has no effect on the heat pump. Our titanium heat exchanger carry a five year warranty with no chemical exclusions. While a little more expensive than gas heaters, heat pumps often pay for themselves with a much lower electric cost than the fuel for traditional gas heaters.

As one of our most popular options for existing pools, this is a highly desirable choice for people that want to extend the swimming season both early and late in the year. If you want to save some money now and forgo a heater until later, do this: When your pool is being built, have an extra-large pad poured for the heater on the return side of the filter. And if planning for a heat pump, have the electrician run the electric line for it when running the electric for the filtration system. That will save you money down the road.

Budget smudget!

If you are financing your project, analyze what these options would cost as far as your monthly payment. In short, if delaying isn’t in your blood, splurge now, enjoy your pool, and know you have what you really want in your dream backyard oasis.