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Jim Oliver

Pool Covers: Which Cover Is Best For You?

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People cover or do not cover their pools for many different reasons. The biggest reason to cover your pool is safety. If you have small children or pets that could wander near the pool you may want to cover your pool when not in use. You might want to cover your pool to keep the water warm when the nights get cool. You may want to cover your pool simply to keep leaves from blowing in during the winter months. Their are several different options for covering your pool depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

Here are a few options to consider if you’re thinking of covering your pool.

Solar Covers

solar cover, hampstead, nc

Solar pool covers are just that, they will draw heat from the suns rays and warm your pool water. They are by no means protective and if a child or pet were to try and walk on one the cover would give way immediately. They look similar to bubble wrap and float on top of the pool water. They can be purchased at any pool supply store for usually less than $200 depending on the size of your pool.

They are an inexpensive option during the winter months to keep leaves out of your pool and keep your water a little cleaner. They will also warm up your pool water in the spring so that when you take the cover off your water temp will be a few degrees higher than if you hadn’t used the cover.

Standard Winter Covers

This kind of pool cover is basically a tarp that is held down with water bags. It is not a weight bearing cover and if a child or large pet walks on this cover they would definitely get wet and most likely fall into the pool.

It does a good job of keeping leaves and other debris out of the pool but will need to have rainwater and melted snow periodically pumped off to ensure it does not collapse into the pool. You can pick up one of these covers at any pool supply store fairly cheaply.

 

Safety Covers

safety cover-wilmington.nc

Safety Covers are the most popular type of pool cover for in-ground swimming pools. They are made of a strong mesh material that lets water seep through or with a reinforced solid material that requires the use of small pump periodically to remove the accumulated water from the surface of the cover. These pool covers are built with spring-loaded straps that are connected to anchors that have been drilled into the pool deck.

This pool cover can bear a good amount of weight and does a great job of keeping debris out of your pool. It requires little to no maintenance once it’s on. The one drawback is that since it is made of mesh, dirt particles can pass through along with rainwater and melted snow, which might result in dirty water when you remove the cover. A safety cover fully installed should cost you around $1200 – $1500 depending on the size of the pool. You can usually count on this cover to last 12 to 15 years.

 

Automatic Covers

auto cover-wilmington, nc

There are a few things to think about when considering an automatic pool cover for your in-ground swimming pool. Motorized or crank? Exposed tracks or hidden tracks? What you decide will greatly influence the price of this cover, which can range from $8,000 to over $15,000 depending on the size of the pool and design of the cover.

Automatic pool covers can be used on demand and usually open and close in less than a minute. A built-in safety feature for automatic pool covers is that the switch to open/close the cover must be turned and held in place the entire time the cover is moving. You cannot simply flip a switch and walk away from the cover while it is in operation, this insures that children and pets will not be trapped under a closed automatic pool cover.

The upside is they do a great job of keeping your pool clean, they keep unwanted swimmers (human & critter) out of your pool and they act as a great solar cover.

A minor draw back is that because they are mechanical they require yearly service visits to keep the tracks clean and to administer general maintenance. You’ll want to keep your automatic pool cover in proper operating order, just as you would make sure you get regular tune-ups for your car. Also the vinyl material the cover is made of is not as strong as the mesh safety cover and may wear out sooner than the mesh material as well as not support as much weight as a safety cover.

I hope we have given you some insight into swimming pool covers so that you can make a more informed decision when making your purchase.

What Kind Of Swimming Pool Fits Your Family Best? – Fiberglass vs Concrete vs Vinyl

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Concrete pool w/ infinity edge When I meet a homeowner for the first time they usually have a good idea what kind of swimming pool they want. Most of the time it sounds like this, “when I was growing up my parents had a (fill in the blank) pool so that’s what I’m used to”. And that is perfectly ok because if you had vinyl liner pool growing up you at the very least would still like to know about your other options before you buy. The problem is that if you are talking to a fiberglass pool dealer he will most likely try to steer you in the direction of a fiberglass pool and put down the others, and if you are talking to concrete pool builder…You can see where this is going right?

The good news is that because we offer each of the three types of in-ground pools available to you, we are only interested in making sure you get all the information you need to make a good decision. Each type of pool has its pros and cons. Each type of family has its needs and wants. Our goal is to make sure you get the swimming pool that is right for you and your family. So let’s take an unbiased look at the three in-ground swimming pool options that are available to you.

Vinyl Liner Pools

The Good News:

• The least expensive of the three types of pools.
• It can be built in almost any size & shape you can imagine.
• Works well with salt systems.
• Easy to maintain with a smooth surface.

Things To Think About:

• Liner will most likely have to be replaced in 10-15 years at a cost of about $3500.
• Must be careful of having pets in the pool and other sharp objects damaging liner.
• Lack of built-in seating

Fiberglass Pools

The Good News:

• Pre-built at manufacturer, so install is quick, usually about 3 weeks.
• Most models built with steps, seats and walk around safety ledge.
• Works well with salt systems.
• Easy to maintain and extremely low monthly chemical expenses.
• No resurfacing or vinyl liner replacement needed.
• Less expensive than a concrete pool.

Things To Think About:

• Limited styles, sizes & shapes.
• No wider than 16’
• Lack of backyard access could hinder placing of pool shell.
• More expensive than a vinyl liner pool (about $5000).

Concrete Pools

The Good News:

• Like vinyl, it can be built to any size and shape.
• Can be adapted and incorporated into your yards landscape.
• Great features like a tanning ledge, infinity edge & beach entries.

Things To Think About:

• More expensive to build and maintain.
• Longer install time (8-12 weeks).
• More chemical use due to porous surface of concrete.
• Concrete will need to be re-surfaced in about 15-20 years.

As you can see there are a few things to consider when deciding which type of swimming pool to have installed in your back yard. We love building all three types of pools and want to make sure that you not only get the pool you want but also the pool that is right for you.

It’s Your Backyard. Use It, Live It, Love It!

Backyard Vision – Wilmington, NC

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Fiberglass Pool Prices: How Much Should You Pay?

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pool:stone deck: wilmington, nc
The first question on every homeowner’s mind from the moment they start thinking about installing a new swimming pool is how much will it cost. The reason for this is obvious, in many cases the price of the fiberglass pool is the make or break factor that will determine if you will actually purchase a new swimming pool for your home.
There are many factors that go into determining the price of installing a swimming pool in your backyard.  Do you want a vinyl liner pool? A fiberglass pool? Or a concrete pool? For the purpose of this article we’ll focus on fiberglass but since we install all three types of pools we’ll touch on them all a little bit.

Fiberglass:
People who aren’t familiar with fiberglass pools tend to think that they are limited in what they can choose from but fiberglass pool manufactures have made amazing strides in the last few years in regards to sizes, shapes and colors.
To say a fiberglass pool is going to cost you x amount of dollars is impossible. You have to start somewhere and usually that somewhere is size. You can get a pool as small as 8’ x 14′ or as big as 16’ x 42’ and the price is directly related to size. An 8’ x 14’ with 4’ of concrete decking, 1 LED light & a salt chlorinator can cost as little as $17,000. A 14′ x 30′ might cost about $33,000. A 16’ x 42’ would be closer to $40,000 – $45,000.

Options, Options, Options!
Here are some of the variables that can drive a price up or down depending on if you include them or not:

• Salt Chlorine Generator: Like the fiberglass pool, Salt Chlorine Generators have become very popular over the last few years. They have a higher upfront cost but much lower yearly chemical costs. Prices can range from $750 – $1500 depending upon pool size.

• Concrete Deck: A beautiful concrete deck is almost as important as the pool itself. Many homeowners make the mistake of treating the deck as an afterthought. You will spend as much time on your deck as you will in your pool. Most pool builders will include 4’ of concrete deck (with a cantilevered edge) in the cost of your pool. Chances are you will want more deck than this and it will cost you per square foot. Decorative stamped concrete, integral colored concrete, flagstone and pavers are all deck options that can dramatically enhance the beauty of your pool deck and the cost as well.

• LED Lights: Multi-colored LED lights are a great addition to any pool and could cost from $400-$600 per light.

• Waterline Tile: Waterline Tile will make a pool look stunning, especially on a white shell. You pay for the tile by linear foot so depending on the tile chosen and the size of your pool the cost can be from $1300 – $2000.

• Water Features: Deck Jets, Spa Jets, Sheer Decents, Waterfalls, etc. The price depends on what you do and varies greatly.

• Automatic Pool Cover: Open and close your pool with a push of a button. Keeps, leaves, critters & the neighborhood kids from falling in your pool. Can cost from $8,000 – $13,000 depending on the size of the pool.

• Safety Cover: This cover is anchored to your deck and goes on in the winter and off in the spring. Usually about $1,500 – $3,000

• Heat Pumps or Gas Heaters: $2,000 – $5,000 plus electrical and/or gas connections.

• 2 Speed or Variable Speed Pump:  These are a great energy saver and offer a 1-2 season pay back on the initial investment. $350 – $1,200 (above base pump price).
These prices are by no means written in stone but it should give you an idea of what a new fiberglass pool installation will cost you as you begin the pool buying process. I hope this has helped and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us. Happy Swimming!
It’s your backyard. Use it. Live it. Love it!