It may seem counterintuitive to think about swimming pools as fall is arriving, but for people considering adding a pool to their backyard, the cooler weather months are the ideal time to start the process so it will be ready once spring comes.
Earl Hardouin, owner of Paradise Pools and Spas, said the installation process, if handled by a well-run company, will usually last about eight weeks. He said the majority of pools cost somewhere between $60,000-$100,000 to install. However, fancier pools can run as high as $500,000.
Installation should take into account how the owner plans to use the pool. According to Hardouin, people want pools for different reasons. The installer should ask the owner for their goals. Will the pool be used mainly for exercise? Or is it there for aesthetics? Do they want a shallow, kid-friendly pool? If the owner loves to grill, an outdoor kitchen area would be a good add-on to the pool.
Pools can be either saltwater or freshwater. Hardouin said 85-90% of the pools Paradise installs now are saltwater. A saltwater pool will be more expensive upfront to install but offers some benefits over a freshwater pool. Because saltwater pools do not have chlorine, it is gentler on the eyes and skin. It also requires fewer chemicals to maintain, so maintenance costs will be lower.
For Hardouin, many customers have the misconception that a saltwater pool will have the same concentration of salt as, say, the Gulf of Mexico. But in reality, a saltwater pool has a much milder concentration of salt.
Saltwater pool owners should be aware of their surroundings when installing the pool. Hardouin noted that if there is natural stone surrounding the pool, owners should seal that stone. This is because the salt does not evaporate.
Pool owners should be aware of maintenance considerations. Uptown resident and pool owner Jason Sanchez said people should have their pools inspected for leaks. And that last year’s drought caused the ground to settle due to a lack of water, which can lead to cracks in a pool.
“You should have professionals inspect for leaks because they may not be obvious,” he said.
According to Hardouin, skimmer tablets and pump baskets should be cleaned out weekly, filters and salt cells should be cleaned quarterly, and homeowners should test the pH in their pool every one to two weeks. This can be done with a home testing kit. If you host a big party with a lot of people in the pool, you should shock (decontaminate) it the next day. Many pools now have switches to make shocking easier.
Having a pool can boost the owner’s social life, Sanchez said, noting that if you own a pool, people are often eager to visit. He added that your friends will start expecting you to host every party.
Hardouin agrees that the social aspect can be good for families as well. When children are in their teen years and getting ready to leave for college, a pool is a way to encourage them to spend more time at home with their parents. It is also a great way to get to know your child’s friends because they will want to come over and swim in the pool.
“It [a pool] will create some great memories for that time in your children’s lives,” Hardouin said. “It’s also a way to get to away from our computers and our phones and really talk to our friends and family.”
A pool can also provide fitness benefits. While this is true for people of any age, a pool can be especially useful for older people. Aquatic exercise is easier on the joints than jogging or walking. It is also a way to stay cool while working out even though New Orleans’ climate features five to six months of summer. And it allows you to exercise without leaving your home.
“It’s a constant reminder to exercise,” Sanchez said.