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Q and APeople who have never owned a pool often have lots of general questions before they even start focussing on a particular pool or store. Here are a few of them. Which is better, inground or above ground? We sell both, and we don't really think of them in those terms. An above ground pool is a pool-for swimming, playing, enjoying. An inground pool is an addition to your real estate, with everything that goes along with that. It changes your taxes, property values, resale price, etc. It's permanent. Inground pools start at around $7,000. However, once you deck, fence and landscape, you're usually pushing $15,000 to $25,000. If you do a nice job on the landscaping; inground pools are prettier, easier to maintain (we use better equipment), easier to entertain around, and raise your property value. If you do a bad job, it lowers your property value but still raises your taxes. If you're interested in an inground pool, ask for our inground pool folder. An above ground pool is a great place to start. It is not very expensive, it gives you all the pool that you need, and it doesn't affect your property value. If you move, you can take it with you, sell it with the house, or even sell it through a classified ad. At the moment, hardly anyone taxes above ground pools, unless you build such a large, permanent deck around it, that you lose the "portability" argument with the town. Just to be on the safe side, however, check with your own town for their current opinion. 
Which is better, round or oval? It depends on what you want from a pool. The best value (dollars per gallon) will be the largest round pool that you can fit. An 18' round pool holds 7,600 gallons. A 24' round and a 15'x 30'oval both hold around 13,700. The 24' round is generally only a few hundred dollars more than the 18' round, but it's twice as big! The 15' x 30' oval is almost $1000 more than the 24' round, and it has essentially the same amount of space and water. That's because oval pools have an entire apparatus-angular buttresses, hold down plates, underground straps, stabilizing plates-that keep the pool from turning into a round pool from the water pressure. On a poorly-made (cheap) pool, the round pool will conceivably be stronger than the oval version. The price difference will probably be closer, too. That's because the oval pool's support structure won't be as strong. On a well-made (more expensive) pool, the round and oval pools will be equally strong-and you'll pay almost $1000 extra in materials, engineering and installation to make the oval as strong as the round. Price isn't everything, though. You may decide on a pool shape for space, layout, landscaping or your planned usage. An oval pool, especially with a nice deck, can look much like an inground pool-at a vastly lower price. It gives you more length for swimming laps. Depending on your backyard, it may fit better-though it will take up more ground area than the equivalent round. A round pool fits the use that most people give to a pool: playing, talking, floating on one of those chaises with a drink in the arm, and a little swimming. You don't have to swim across a 24' round, you can also swim in a 70' circle! To a large extent, round pools also have more practical space for most activities. Sometimes an activity taking place across the narrow width of an oval pool can block access from one side to the other. Round pools have no corners to block off.
Which is better, steel or aluminum? Steel is stronger, aluminum doesn't rust. When I was growing up, automobile bodies only lasted about four years. Today, ten to fifteen years are not a problem. That's because the automobile manufacturers use much better coatings on their steel. Even so, if you get a scratch that goes down to the bare metal, it will eventually rust through if you don't put some touch-up paint on it. It's the same with pools. A cheap, poorly-coated steel pool won't last as long as an expensive, well-coated steel pool. In any case, if one of the kids scratches the pool down to bare metal, you'll want to sand and touch-up the spot. This doesn't have to be a lot of work-just ten minutes a year to walk around the pool looking for scratches. If that seems like too much work, try an aluminum pool-no touch-up required! Since aluminum is an expensive, soft metal, you'll see a wide price range in aluminum pools. The thinner, less expensive models bend and dent very easily. The thicker, stronger models require much more metal, at a much higher price, to be as strong as steel.
How deep can I get my pool? Deeper than you should want it. The traditional above ground pool has a 48" wall, which is already 6" deeper than the shallow end of the traditional inground pool. As long as you promise that you will never ever allow anyone to ever dive into your pool, there are two ways to make it deeper: make the wall longer with a 52" wall, or make the middle of the pool deeper with a dish-out, or an expandable liner. With a dish-out, you use the liner that comes with the pool and add 6" to 18" depth to the middle of a 48" pool, with a shallow slope. The bigger the pool, the deeper you can go, although 52" pools can't be extended quite as much (48" pools and 52" pools both use the same liner-it just fits tighter in the 52" pool). With an expandable liner, you can go down 12" to 36", but there will be wrinkles. With both of these options, you at least have the opportunity to keep more shallow water at the edge, for children.
Which filter is better; sand, DE, or cartridge? The purpose of the pool's filter is to keep the water clean and clear by removing dirt, algae, particles, and other stuff that makes the water cloudy. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) takes out much smaller particles much more quickly than any other filter. Take a look at a bottle of filter sand and a bottle of diatomaceous earth. The difference is apparent. On this, there is no question, end of discussion. However, DE filters are more expensive to make, so there are other options available. Cartridge filters clean the water better than sand, and are fairly inexpensive to buy. Supposedly, they are better for the environment, but that's sort of a "Paper vs. Plastic" argument. If you use tap water to wash them off, they put fewer chemicals into the environment. Then, someday, you put the old cartridge into the trash and it goes into the landfill for 1000 years! In my experience, cartridge filters are easily overwhelmed by an algae attack. When they are old and soft, they allow dirt to go right past the cartridge and back to the pool. Most of the owners of cartridge filters that we know (mostly on spas and small pools) are constantly fighting cloudy water. A sand filter is a very simple apparatus-it's basically an empty bucket filled with sand. As water passes down through the sand, dirt is caught in the spaces between the pieces of sand. When the sand is full of dirt, you flush it out by running the pool water backwards through the sand, and out onto the ground. This operation- backwashing-is done roughly once a week, and uses about 50-100 gallons of water. Obviously, how much and how often is variable and depends on usage, etc. Sand can be reused for a number of years, but it's actually cheaper and easier to throw it away in fall and replace it in spring (maybe $5 to $20 per year, depending on filter size). Sand filters are very easy to operate, except when you're changing the sand at the end of the year. A DE filter is internally much more complex, though you rarely (if ever) actually open it up. Diatomaceous Earth is a white powder found in huge beds in the ground on the west coast. It is made of the fossilized bodies of diatomes-microscopic animals that lived in the Pacific Ocean millions of years ago. It is used most commonly by nurseries as a mulch, in restaurants and food service to filter cooking oil and clean grills, and on large commercial pools and hot tubs where absolute water clarity is very important. Most DE filters have two "cleaning" operations. About once a week, you will regenerate the DE, to bring back the filter's efficiency. You simply "bump" a handle up and down, or back and forth-depending on the model. Around once a month, you will drain the filter tank of its water, dirt and DE. Then, simply pour a few scoops of fresh DE into the pool's thru-wall skimmer. Since there are two operations to know, this often seems more difficult than backwashing a sand filter. In practice, though, it's easier and less messy. DE is very inexpensive-about $6 per year should do it. The real differences? Sand filters are less expensive to purchase, though slightly more expensive to operate. They will generally keep the pool water clear, though probably not as sparkling as the water cleaned by DE. If you should develop a major cloudiness or algae problem, the sand filter will probably not develop a major clogging problem. In the same situation, the DE filter would clog up two or three times a day for two or three days-until the pool was clear. Of course, that's because the DE filter was clearing up, in two or three days, what the sand filter was going to take a week or two to accomplish. The new "permanent media" cartridge filters will probably keep the water cleaner than sand-with no backwashing ever. However, all water research suggests that they should still be chemically cleaned twice a year, even if they are not yet overloaded with dirt.
Do I need a permit to put up a pool? This is America. You pretty much need a permit to go to the bathroom! I'll be happy to tell you what you generally need, but it makes no difference what I say. It only matters what your town hall says. Call them immediately, and request a copy of whatever their particular regulations are, and follow them. We will not pull permits for you, and we have no way of knowing if you actually pull one. However, we are advising you to do so. The town can make you take the pool down if you put it up illegally. Generally, the town's interest is in preventing you from annoying your neighbors, creating a health hazard, and costing the town money. They will generally want the pool far enough from the lot line so that you can't splash water on the neighbors. If it's an issue, find out if they call the edge of the pool where the deck starts, the pool's frame starts, or the water starts. Sometimes, if you're off by inches, that could make the difference. They definitely won't want the pool over a leach field, and probably not over a water line, sewer line, or other underground utility. Here, they're looking to avoid problems if a utility line ever needs to be dug up. They may or may not care how close the pool is to the house or other building. Often, they will want to know the installer's name. The electrical work is also going to require a permit. If you don't get a building permit for the pool, and your electrician does get a permit for the electrical work, you will very likely get caught. In Nashua, make that definitely.
How difficult is the installation? Round pools are much easier than oval pools. Cheap pools usually have fewer parts to assemble than better pools, but the parts generally fit together better on the better pools. It helps if the directions were written by someone who spoke English as his or her native tongue. If you can get an assembly video, so much the better. Some things are easier to watch in real life than figure from words. Ground preparation is by far the most important part of installation. Take your time, and get it right. We're not talking brain surgery here, just the patience to keep digging up that ground until it really is level. Even using a hand level, you could still be out of level by an inch across 24 feet and never see it until the pool is full. However, the water is going to be perfectly level, and that one inch mistake will be very apparent. The actual pool assembly is fairly easy, and best done with only two or three people. With too many people, you tend to lose control of the situation, and steps get missed. At two steps, wall erection and liner placement, it's nice to have three to five people. Most important, absolutely don't open the first beer until the liner's in. I know of an egg-shaped pool where the help got too drunk too early! If you hire out the installation, look for an installer that the store is willing to stand behind. If the store recommends a specific installer, they have to stand behind him or her. If the store gives you a list and you choose the installer, the store's liability is greatly reduced. You're interviewing the store by shopping. Don't be afraid to interview the installer. Is this a part-time job, or a full-time profession? How many adults are going to be on the job? How much experience do they have? If you're looking for some unusual work or modifications, are they telling you what you want to hear, or are they willing to lose a job that's not done right? Back to the original question, if you're reasonably handy (change your own oil, spark plugs or muffler; hang sheetrock or wallpaper; do minor electrical work) you'll find pool installation pretty easy. There is, however, not a prayer that you'll get the liner in without wrinkles. Even the best professional installers get wrinkles once in a while. About 80% of our customers have us do the installation.
What do I need for electricity? Whatever your local electrical inspector wants, and don't even think of arguing with him or her! I can tell you what is typical, but your local inspector can demand anything. Generally, you'll want a 20 amp 110 volt dedicated circuit with a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI), and a twist-lock outlet. The outlet goes right next to the filter and the pool. You'll probably also need a copper ground wire around the pool, touching every vertical post-most pools have a screw at the bottom of the post to receive the wire. The wire normally also goes to the ground screw on the filter, and sometimes also to the ladder. Then, the ground goes back to the house, or right into the earth via a stake. The twist lock plug is to keep you from using an extension cord someday-it's very difficult to find twist-lock extension cords. The inspector wants the plug that he or she inspected to be the only one that you'll ever use. Often, they will also require you to have a normal outdoor electric outlet between ten and twenty feet from the pool-though they normally won't mind if you put it on the same circuit as the filter. This is also a matter of trust-if you're going to use a TV, radio, or other appliance out there, they don't want you to try to plug it in right next to the pool. The ground wire around the pool is to protect the pool and equipment from stray current or lightning. It's probably also to protect you, but I'd just get the heck out of the pool during a thunderstorm! Most of the filters sold around here won't even pass U.L. (Underwriters Laboratory) inspection, let alone the local electrical inspection. Your electrician will probably have to apply some slight modifications to the filter before the inspection. However, all of our Starbright and AquaTools filters are U.L. listed and don't need any modification.
Aren't pools unsafe? Compared to ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, quarries, swimming holes and the ocean; pools are very safe. The water is clear, you can see all the way to the bottom, there are no waves, and the edge is no more than seventeen feet away. Owning a pool encourages everyone to learn to swim well-and regular swimming is the best aerobic exercise. It's also low impact. Safety is an important issue, and I have no intention of ducking it. First, some focus. Swimming pool accidents are very rare, but there are two relatively common types. The first is a two or three year old boy who falls into the pool. The second is an intoxicated eighteen to twenty-five year old man who is injured diving. Both of these accidents are much more likely with an inground pool than above ground. A two-year old can't fall into something that's four feet above the ground, and most people, no matter how drunk, know enough not to dive into an above ground pool. The National Spa and Pool Institute has developed pool safety literature that is available FREE in our store. We have pool safety coloring books for the kids. We even carry pool alarms (which we include in our Premium Maintenance Package). Most important, though, is that you use the safety equipment. Don't drink and swim. Don't ever dive into shallow water. Keep the safety ladder up, or the gate latched. When you're out watching the kids, bring a cordless phone so you don't have to run back into the house "just for a minute". The pool comes with safety signs that warn others not to dive. Use them. If they fall off, we'll get you more. It's just common sense.
Aren't pools difficult to maintain? Not necessarily. You can be a slave to your pool, or it can be a tremendous source of joy and fun-with maybe ten minutes a week in maintenance. It's certainly way easier than owning a boat! Some people vacuum twice a week, some vacuum once a month, and some (with automatic pool cleaners) never vacuum. On the physical "housekeeping" side, pools are pretty easy. Keep an eye on the water level, have a quick look at the filter, brush or vacuum whenever you feel like it (or let the pool clean itself). Here's the short answer: use a DE filter, a biguanide chemical system (Baquacil or SoftSwim), and an automatic pool cleaner. You're at ten minutes a week, and you can skip the rest of this discussion. Here's the long answer: Most pool maintenance is chemical, or straightening out what happened because you didn't use the chemicals properly. There are three major chemical systems, plus a few non-chemical or semi-chemical systems. They each require different amounts of work. First, the non-chemical or semi-chemical systems: ozone, ionization, magnets, the dark blue mystery liquid, and voodoo. When they are sold as eliminating the need for an EPA-registered sanitizer to kill bacteria, it is not true. When they are sold as reducing the need for a sanitizer it probably is true. However, the only method I've ever seen for keeping an effective amount of sanitizer in the water is by using close to the same amount as the people who didn't have the "gadget" on their pool, and testing at the same levels. Systems that work by activating oxygen are working primarily while the water is in the "gadget", for a few seconds. They can meet drinking water standards, but swimming pool water standards are more difficult to meet. The difference? In drinking water, we are killing bacteria before it enters a sealed pipe, and preventing new growth until it comes out the other end of the pipe (your faucet). In swimming pools, we are trying to prevent the transmission of disease between two people in the same water. Killing bacteria in a pipe next to the filter is only helpful in preventing green water, and preventing disease when the sick person stands right in front of the skimmer, and the not-yet-sick person stands only in front of the return, and the filter is always running. I'm not saying that they don't work, or that they don't save you money. I just haven't seen a Board of Health or the EPA define how I could tell they're working. Yes, I have heard that NASA uses one of the systems, but if they had swimming pools in outer space, I just think I would have seen that in the Globe or the Union Leader. Chlorine is the cheapest of the three common chemical systems, but it requires the most work. If the pH drifts out of range, or if ammonia products build up in the water (sweat, urine, body oils, etc.) or if too little shock is used, the chlorine doesn't work. Heat and sunlight pull the chlorine right out of the water, so that it may not even be there at 4:00 in the afternoon in a heat wave (with the pool full of kids). Chlorine pools should be tested every day right before sundown, and shocked every seven to ten days. If you've ever had a friend complain about how much work a pool was, it is quite likely they were using chlorine. Bromine is a halogen similar to chlorine, except it is not affected as easily by pH shifts or ammonia build-up. It's more effective in heat, and doesn't smell as bad. Testing every few days is acceptable, and shocking every two or three weeks is fine. However, bromine is the most expensive of the three systems, requires a machine to add the bromine, and is the only one that you can't get off of without draining the pool. Biguanide is the medium-priced alternative. Unlike chlorine and bromine, which come in hundreds of strengths, forms, formulations and brands; there are currently only two brands of biguanide in the United States: Baquacil and SoftSwim. In Europe, Africa, and Australia, where the patent ran out years ago, there are many more brands. Biguanide was originally developed years ago for hospitals. As the Stuart Pharmaceuticals product Hypocleanse, many surgeons wash their hands in it before surgery. It is very gentle to human skin while killing harmful bacteria instantly and effectively. Biguanide is also used in contact lens solution to kill bacteria without harming the eye. Imperial Chemicals (the owners of Stuart Pharmaceuticals) developed Baquacil for use in swimming pools in the 1970's, and brought it to the United States in 1983. We've carried it since 1984. Biguanides are totally unaffected by pH, ammonia, heat, sunlight, or most other chemicals. They don't smell, bleach bathing suits or liners, dry out skin or blow up! It can take three weeks for the level to go down enough to add more-and almost two months before it's entirely used up. Testing once a week is plenty, and shocking once a month is fine. Chlorine is great for people who have more time than money or view their pool as a hobby. It's inexpensive (Say $70 to $100 for a 10,000 gallon pool), and it works just fine if you keep up with it. Adding an ionization purifier will add $70 a year, but will greatly reduce the chances of problems. Biguanide is best for people who have more money than time-or just want their pool to be more fun and less work. It'll cost more-$110 to $140 for a 10,000 gallon pool.
How much does it cost to fill and maintain a pool? Filling's easy. If you have any form of town water, use that. To get the exact cost call the water company, give them the amount of gallons, and they'll tell you. Generally, a 10,000 gallon pool holds about $14 worth of water. If your town has a separate sewer tax that's based on your water usage, tell them what day you filled the pool, and ask for a waiver on the sewer tax-since you're not flushing the water into the sewer. This works in some towns, but not in Hudson. If you don't trust your well, it will cost about $200 to fill a 10,000 gallon pool using a good water company that will deliver drinking water. Be careful, some water delivery people will back up to a local pond to fill up. It's cheaper (they're getting the water for free), but it'll cost you in time and chemicals to clear the water in your brand new pool. For the same reason, don't use a fire hydrant. The stuff is full of rust! Electric costs to run your filter are difficult to predict-there's such a wide range of pumps. You'll be running five to twenty-four hours a day, so figure maybe $15 to $60 per month. A two-speed pump on a large filter can save you lots of money. Our biggest filter costs about $20 per month. Chemical costs can vary, as I discussed in the previous section. With balancing, winterizing, and miscellaneous costs, we're hoping the owner of a 10,000 gallon pool will drop about $150 here every summer. Total for the summer; with chemicals, water, electricity and miscellaneous maintenance, most above ground pools probably cost about $250 a summer to maintain.
Do I need a fence? Probably not. Most towns require a four foot "barrier" around a pool. If the pool is sitting flat on the ground, the sides of the pool are all you need to keep children out. Fences are available to add to any pool if you wish to do so-and they can be added at any time. I'm personally not a big fan of fences around pools unless they are attached to an 18" walk-around. A fence makes it a little more difficult for a child to get in the pool-and a lot more difficult for an adult in a hurry. Now you have to run all the way over to the deck or ladder. Plus, vacuuming, skimming, and putting on a solar or winter cover becomes much more difficult with a fence. Yes, you can walk on the top rail of a well-built pool, but it's still difficult to balance. Walk-arounds cannot be added to most pools after they are built. If you think you may wish to add one later, you should find out before you build, if it's possible.
Which is better, a wood or metal deck? Many people seem to like wood decks better-they seem heavier and more substantial. If you build a wood deck, you can get exactly what you want, for a very custom look. If you're concerned with your property tax rate, though, you may wish to check with town hall before you start. You could end up turning a "portable" pool into a permanent addition in the assessor's mind. Some people have been concerned with the chemicals that are injected into pressure treated wood-specifically the thought that splinters could hurt a child, or run off would hurt the pool water. I have personally never heard of either happening, but an inexpensive indoor-outdoor carpet would probably solve that. A metal deck would also solve that potential problem, while giving the pool a very nice "finished" look. A steel deck would probably require some maintenance, while an aluminum deck would maintain its looks without maintenance for longer than steel or wood. In any case, a deck does add lots of enjoyment, and a nice place for adults to catch some rays while watching the kids.
What about heaters? Start with a solar cover. It's inexpensive, easy to use, and it will pick you up four to eight additional weeks of swimming-that depends on how you use the pool. Gas heaters are now available for around $1000, but that may be a lot of money for an above ground pool that normally heats up pretty quickly anyway. Inground pools heat up much more slowly because of their depth and the ground's insulating ability, so active heaters are more necessary there. An excellent alternative for a smaller pool is an active solar heater that works off your existing filter. They're around $500 to $1000, and the heat's free!
What's a virgin vinyl winterized liner? A liner. They're all virgin vinyl and winterized. Non-virgin vinyl (reprocessed) would have dirt and pieces of different vinyl mixed in, which would leave little holes in the vinyl. Even the worst liners made are still pretty virgin-maybe with some scraps of brand new liner melted down and mixed in. There are, however, some very important differences in liners. It's nice when the pool manufacturer also makes the liner. It will fit better. Generic liners are more likely to wrinkle because they are made to a wider tolerance (to fit pools with differing shapes and final sizes). If a defective liner causes a wall to split, it's a lot easier to collect when they're both from the same manufacturer. Companies that only make generic liners (without pools) are under tremendous pressure to make them as cheaply as possible. Liners are not made just out of vinyl. They have colorants to make them blue, U.V. inhibitors to keep the colors from fading, and plasticizers to keep the vinyl from becoming brittle with age and cold. Mildewcides and algaecides keep microscopic plants from forming roots into the vinyl. Elasticizers allow the liner to stretch smoothly for a wrinkle-free fit. Some seaming techniques are much stronger than others. A pool manufacturer who is making a well-made pool is more likely to specify the highest quality additives than a manufacturer who is trying to make just the cheapest liner. Gauge has no real meaning in measuring a liner's quality. To a large extent, neither does warranty unless you read the warranty carefully. If it's prorated properly there's not much warranty left after three years-whether it's called ten years, thirty years, or triple lifetime! Years ago, 20 gauge meant at least 20 thousandths of an inch thick, or 20 mil. Today, that same 20 gauge liner weights 30% less that it used to, and probably measures at most 15 thousandths of an inch thick. The best way to judge a liner these days is to ask for the liner's weight-and weigh it yourself when you get it. Ask to see and feel a sample of the liner that comes with your pool. These days, most 20 gauge liners actually measure about 14 to 16 mils thick, and a 24' liner weighs around 70 pounds. A 25 gauge liner will actually measure about 17 to 20 mils thick, and a 24' liner will weigh around 95 pounds.
How important is the warranty? Very, and not at all. Don't ever buy a pool just because of the warranty, especially if you haven't read it thoroughly and understand all the details. You can buy a $100,000 automobile and get a three year warranty. We have $1,000 pools with a lifetime! That doesn't make the pool better than the automobile-it suggests that competition has driven all pool warranties to ridiculous lengths. They no longer have anything to do with the pool's quality or longevity. First, most warranties cover defects in materials and workmanship, on a pro-rated basis. That means the defect has to be the manufacturer's fault-not yours, or an Act of God. Second, they are of descending value (like automobile tire warranties). You don't get a new pool in ten years-you get a discount on parts or a new pool in ten years. When comparing two different manufacturers, a pool with a ten-year warranty could easily be a better made pool than another with a thirty-year warranty. Depending on how the warranty is written, the ten-year warranty may well give the customer better protection. Even within the same manufacturer, a thirty-year pool may not necessarily last three times longer than the ten-year pool. Most important to any warranty is who stands behind it and how do you deal with them. How do you actually get the parts? I'd rather pay full price for a part that I can get, than get a 35% discount on a part that I can't get. Your questions are: How long has the manufacturer been in business? Does anyone else around here deal with the same manufacturer? Can you deal directly with the manufacturer, or do you have to go through the original dealer? Do you have to deal directly with the manufacturer, or will the dealer intercede on your behalf? Is there any labor included, or just materials? As I write this, I just finished scheduling two pool repairs. One is for a two-year-old Sharkline pool that was damaged by a storm, and not covered by the warranty. The repair is still being done for free, because the owners of Sharkline and I agreed to split the cost, anyway. The second pool, right down the street, is also two years old, and was damaged by the same storm. We're providing the labor, because the pool owner won't go back to the original dealer (except for the $500 in parts that are unavailable anywhere except through that dealer). That dealer and that manufacturer are not doing anything wrong-if a tree falls on your car, GM doesn't replace your car. It just shows that there's more to protection than the warranty.
How do I know if a pool will fit in my yard? Above ground pools are easy. If you can measure a space the size of the pool, it will fit. If the ground isn't flat, it can be fixed. First, read the Sharkline Landscaping and Site Selection Guide, and think about the different factors that may affect your placement of the pool. Then, mark out the pool's outline. Figures one and two will show you how the installers mark out a pool for ground work. Using these numbers will give you an outline slightly larger than the pool. Scratch an outline in the ground, or fill a plastic bag with flour, cut off a corner, and use it to mark your outline. We also have a yard measuring kit that you may borrow at no charge. It contains a 100-foot measuring tape, stakes, string, an outline marking bag, and very good directions. If you are still unsure, or if a couple of inches makes a big difference, we'll be happy to have a salesperson come out (at no charge or obligation) to help you. Practice walking around the pool. How does it feel? Can you get the lawn mower around it? Is there room for patio furniture in one area? Visualize where the ladder, deck, and filter will go. Is this convenient? Try a few sizes or shapes. As pools get larger, their cost rises more slowly than the size-so a larger pool is quite often not much more expensive than the next size down. Round Pools Oval Pools
Using Figure 2 for your size pool, insert pegs marked A the correct distance apart as shown in A to A box. Connect with string. In the appropriate A to B box see what measurement is needed to insert the B peg. Insert B peg as shown at each end of pool. To install C pegs look in box under A to C for your size pool. The intersection of the A to C arc and the A to B arc is point C. NOTE: The arc made from the A to B measurement is the area for the sod removal. Area shown is slightly larger than actual pool area to help in installation.
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Seasonal Specialty Stores 120 Route 101A · Amherst, NH · 03031 Tel: (603) 880-8471 · Fax: (603) 595-8497 E-mail: webquestions@seasonalstores.com Mon. - Fri. 10am - 8pm, Sat. 10am - 5pm, Sun. 12pm - 5pm Designed by Gull Group Advertising and Mouseclicks Copyright 1999, 2007 Gull Group, Inc.
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