Common mistakes with a new pool and how to avoid them

Mistakes in the location

A pool in the shade or under trees

A pool that stays in shade for much of the day warms up slowly, while trees above it fill the skimmer with leaves and needles. See how to choose where to put the pool in your garden.

Poor drainage

If the pool goes in the lowest part of the garden, or the paving around it slopes towards the water, every rainfall washes in soil and mud. The paving needs to slope outwards, and water from higher ground has to be diverted before it reaches the pool.

A skimmer facing into the wind

The skimmer works best when the prevailing wind pushes the leaves towards it. If it goes on the side the wind comes from, it collects very little and the leaves gather in the opposite corner. The role of each fitting is explained in pool inlets and fittings.

Mistakes in the equipment

A filter at its limit

A filter that is only just big enough for the pool volume runs for more hours, needs backwashing more often and struggles on hot days with lots of swimmers. A filter with some margin keeps the water clean with less effort; see the pool filter.

Forgotten electrics

The pump, the lighting and a future heat pump need a suitable power supply and protection, designed by an electrician. If you are thinking about heating or underwater lights in the future, plan the supply line and cable conduits now; once the liner and the paving are in, every addition means digging.

A pool without a cover

Without a cover, the water loses at night the heat it gathered during the day, evaporates faster and collects dust and leaves. A simple solar cover for the night makes a difference from the first week. The options are in pool covers.

Mistakes in planning for how you will use it

A pool too deep for young children

With 1.50 m panels the water is about 1.4 m deep, where young children cannot stand anywhere. For a family with children of preschool or early school age, 1.10 m panels are usually more practical. See pool depth.

No space around it

A pool that fills the yard right up to the boundaries leaves no room for loungers, for walking around it or for the plant room. Often a slightly smaller pool makes for a much more pleasant garden.

Mistakes with the paperwork and the timing

• A pool of exactly 50 m². For the small-scale works approval, the water surface must be under 50 m². A 10×5 m pool does not qualify, while a 9×5 m pool does.
• Work before the engineer's declaration. The engineer's signed declaration is filed before any work starts, not along the way.
• Deciding in June. People who start looking once the weather turns hot usually swim the following year.

Mistakes in the first weeks

• Granular chlorine straight onto the liner. Granules that settle on the floor can bleach or damage the lining. Dissolve them first in a bucket of water, following the product instructions.
• Draining the pool. A liner pool is never emptied completely; when needed, the water is partly renewed.
• Judging "by eye". The water can look clear while the pH has drifted outside 7.2–7.6. Test the pH and free chlorine regularly; free chlorine should be 1–3 mg/l.
• Forgetting to backwash. When the pressure on the filter gauge rises, it is time to backwash.
• Leaving the pool uncovered at night. A cover in the evening keeps in the heat and keeps the water cleaner.

Questions

See also