The Pros and Cons of Installing a Swimming Pool

The neighbors that have a swimming pool always seem to be the ones who also have the best parties, and everyone always wants to spend time in their yard. Maybe you want to host your own completely awesome parties this summer, so you’re thinking about putting in a pool. But is it worth it? Do you really want a pool, or is it just the idea of everyone enjoying themselves at your house that you want? Here’s the pros and cons to having your very own swimming pool.

Pros

It’s a lifestyle

Spending time outside is always an amazing thing: you can soak up the sun; enjoy a really great book; spend time talking with friends or enjoy a BBQ and some drinks. It’s basically a lifestyle that everyone wants to have. A pool just fits right into that vision of the lifestyle you want.

It’s luxury

Let’s face it – people with pools are seen to be living a slightly higher quality of life than people without them. They just seem like people who have more in life and it will make you feel like you’re living a life of luxury when you don’t have to leave your home to enjoy all that swimming offers.

It’s a built-in baby sitter

Well, maybe not quite – but when the kids are out of school for the summer you’ll have activities right in your backyard to keep them occupied. No more whining that they are bored and have nothing to do – your family will be entertained for hours and it will get everyone up and away from the TV.

Cons

Maintenance

The first time you purchased a home, you may have come to the realization that no one really tells you about the ongoing maintenance necessary to keep your house running and looking how you like. It’s the same with pools: they look like they’re an easy and enjoyable addition to your home but when no one is looking they’re actually a lot of work. Depending on whether you have chlorine or salt water, you will have to constantly check levels in the pool, add chemicals as needed and make sure it’s running smoothly. If you have lots of trees or plants in your yard you might find debris consistently ends up in your pool and you’ll have to fish it out daily or weekly.

Cost

There is, of course, the initial cost to installing a pool if you purchased a home without one but there’s also ongoing costs. Things like pumps, chemicals and heaters will run continual maintenance costs up. You will also have to take into consideration the aging of the pool. If it’s brand new, little structural maintenance is needed. As it creeps up in age, things like liners or even foundations may need work done and that’s really expensive sometimes. Further, if summers tend to run dry in your area the cost of draining and refilling the pool may go up in price when water is a precious commodity.

Safety

During both the on and off season for your pool, safety is an issue. Children should never swim unsupervised and if you have very young children, you will need to take measures to ensure they can’t get out of the house when your back is turned and go to the pool.
There are other safety issues to consider as well. For example, is it possible for your dog to accidently get caught up in the liner when you let him out in the winter? Does the fence around your pool meet building codes and municipal by-laws? Is the area around your pool a non-slippery surface?
When it comes down to it, a pool can be a wonderful addition – but you must look at both the pros and cons to determine if it is really the right choice for you.