The swimming pool supplies you choose can significantly affect how well your pool functions. The most important are the filtration system and the pool pump that circulates water.
For safety reasons, you’ll want to invest in a high-quality ladder instead of the basic one with a standard above-ground pool. You’ll also need a quality test kit to check the pool water regularly.
Table of Contents
Type of Pool
Choosing the best pool type depends on several factors, including your budget and lifestyle. You must also consider whether you’ll hire a pool maintenance company or do the work yourself.
The most common type of pool is an above-ground pool. These are usually constructed with aluminum, resin, or steel sidings and vinyl liners; some have patterned walls. They’re a good choice for people who want to avoid the cost and hassle of digging a hole and installing a concrete or fiberglass pool.
Above-ground pools can be upgraded with various accessories, such as a salt or ozone sanitizer, automated water testing and balancing systems, and upgraded ladder and entry systems. These features may add to the overall cost of the pool, but they’re a must for many families. A skimmer net is another essential accessory for picking up leaves and bugs, which can stain your pool if they sit too long.
Cover
A cover shields the pool from leaves, bugs, toys, and other things that can clog up the water. It also helps keep out rain and other precipitation that could carry organisms or swell the water volume, throwing the chemical ratios out of balance. It reduces evaporation, saving you time and money by keeping the pool water from losing much of its importance.
Many pool covers include standard tarps, mesh safety, and solid and automatic covers. These can be purchased from a swimming pool supplies retailer, and other accessories like solar blankets and air pillows.
Some covers are primarily designed for safety, like the mesh or solid varieties that have specific weight limits and anchors to help prevent someone from falling into the pool by accident. These covers look more sociable and have a more finished appearance than a water bag winter cover. Safety covers can be secured to the deck and require a key or remote to open them.
Equipment and Accessories
Once you’ve figured out the pool model and size you want, you’ll need to choose equipment and accessories that will allow you to enjoy the best possible experience. Depending on the type of pool you purchase, this can range from simple cleaning supplies like a backwash hose and telephone to a full-on robotic pool cleaner.
A key piece of equipment is the pump/filter pair. This is what causes the water to circulate and enables heating and filtration. During installation, your installer can help you determine your pool’s correct pump/filter combination.
It’s also essential to have basic safety supplies, such as a rope and float line to cordon off the pool’s deep end, a ring buoy, and a rescue hook. And remember a pool alarm, which can keep swimmers safe by sounding an alert if someone attempts to open the gate. This will also be helpful if you have young kids in the pool.
Liner
It’s also important to decide what kind of liner you want since liners can come in endless patterns. This includes everything from ceramic tile prints to flowing water and speckled designs. Some liners even feature shimmering or metallic inks that sparkle and shine when sunlight hits them!
Choosing the right thickness is another consideration, as thin liners are more likely to crack and puncture. Also, thinner liners show dirt and debris more quickly and may need to be cleaned more often.
To be sure you’re buying the correct size, have someone help you measure from inside to inside of your pool walls, accounting for ground shifts or bowed walls. Please make sure the person doing the measuring is familiar with the layout of your yard and how your pool sits within it. Accurate measurements ensure a good fit that saves you money and time in the long run. You’ll thank yourself later! Lastly, consider whether you prefer an overlap or beaded liner. Overlap liners drape across the top of your pool, while beaded liners click into a track on the top of your pool wall.
