When purchasing a fiberglass, polymer, or steel swimming pool or pool accessories, there is a tremendous amount of information available to help you make your decision. One of the most compelling sources is the recommendation of a pool contractor or pool care provider. However, as an employee of one of our business partners found out, you can’t trust just anyone.
The Story of a Pool Gone Green
Our heroine, we’ll call her Sara, and her husband bought a home about a year ago. Thrilled that it had an inground pool, they couldn’t wait to show the house and their backyard oasis to their family and friends. The pool did not have a cover or pool care supplies when they moved in, but the contractor who had renovated their home arranged for the pool to be cleaned. So, they felt that would give them a great head start into pool ownership.
Unfortunately, within a week the clear water in their pool had turned a murky green. Eager to correct the problem since they’d been talking up the pool to everyone they knew, they enlisted the help of the company that had serviced the pool in the past. The fix? One of the company’s pool experts inexplicably told new pool owner Sara and her husband that debris blowing into the pool was the problem and that getting a solar cover would resolve the issue.
From Bad to Worse: A Quick Fix That Was No Fix
Their pool ownership experience then went from bad to worse. The solar cover did not arrive designed for the dimensions of their pool, so they had to lay it out on the water and cut it to size by hand. In the process, they accidentally cut their vinyl liner.
And, according to Sara, “Despite our best efforts, the end product didn’t look great. In fact, the solar cover wasn’t much more visually appealing than the green water.” What’s more, using the solar cover did nothing to correct the problem with the water.
Saved by a Second Opinion
Ultimately, Sara and her husband sought a second opinion from another pool expert and learned that the problem with their pool wasn’t how it was covered but rather how they were managing the water chemistry. “I’m not a pool expert, but I’m familiar with how pools are maintained,” says Sara. “And, I should have known better. We probably should have done more research on our own.”
In addition to getting a fresh perspective from another pool care provider, Sara and her husband took advantage of the many valuable resources for pool owners on the Latham website. “Bottom line: be sure you consider the source when you are getting pool maintenance advice!” Sara adds.
Having corrected their water chemistry issues, Sara and her husband rolled up the solar cover and haven’t used it since. Instead, they bought a solid safety cover as a stopgap solution and are planning to have an automatic safety cover installed. With a new baby in the house, safety and simplicity are priorities when it comes to opening and covering their pool.
And now they are thrilled to show their pool to family and friends. A true happy ending.
Have questions about installing a pool or adding accessories? Get advice from builders you can trust. Contact your local independent Latham Independent Builder today.
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