In-Ground Pools

[Aeolius]

I am considering the installation of an in-ground pool, this year. Anyone care to share any stories/suggestions, regarding their own pools?

My hit-list thus far includes a saltwater generator and ozone generator (should end up with little to no chlorine), freeform design, tinted gunite, a heater fed from my existing propane tank, and a slide/water feature of some sort.

 

[jaerdaph]

My parents have an in-ground pool at their place they put in for all the grandkids a few years ago. It's a bit of work for the maintenance, but there are pool cleaning services (not to mention it's a ideal responsibilty to give to one of the older kids). One lesson learned: forget the slide, unless it's something really fancy that sprays water to keep it "lubricated". There is nothing sadder than seeing a little kid all excited at the top of the slide only to be stopped half way down the thing.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

My parents (in FL) just put one in. 25x10 or thereabouts. Pre-formed fiberglass. It's nice. I like it better than the concrete and marsite pool at the old house. It doesn't seem to get as dirty, and it's easier on the feet. This one is chlorine; the old one was salt, which was a *ton* better IMO, and Dad's already said he's going to yank the chlorine system out and replace it with salt this summer.

They found an never-used electric heater for dirt cheap at an estate sale. With a thermal blanket covering the pool when they're not using it, it runs for a couple hours a day and keeps the pool in the mid 80s. He did about have heart failure when he got the first electric bill, but that included the additional time needed to raise the temp from the low-60s it started at. Since then, it loses about 4-5 degrees at night and doesn't take as much effort to warm up.

Their neighbor has a propane heating system with no thermal blanket, and they said they spend $400+ a month heating it, which is probably more than double what Dad's will be when it settles down.

 

[kenobi65]

Their neighbor has a propane heating system with no thermal blanket, and they said they spend $400+ a month heating it, which is probably more than double what Dad's will be when it settles down.

And that's in Florida. I wonder if the air temperature's cooler enough where Aeolius is (North Carolina) to make it more expensive there.

OTOH, in most of Florida, the pool's a year-round item. Would you be using it in the winter in NC?