Pool Hunting

[cgraham]

What is the best Above Ground pool on the market? All of them claim to be the best, so what do ya'll say?

I am in the process of trying to find the best Above Ground pool for the $$. I have look at one call Radiant Pools. Does anyone out there have one or know much about them?

Also, I have been looking at DoughBoy. We live out in the country and no large towns near by that services DoughBoy. I will be putting up the pool on my own. I have put one up before and it lasted 14 years, it was a Muskin and do not want another one of thoes.

Thanks for the help, Cliff

[Hot H2o]

What is the best Above Ground pool on the market? All of them claim to be the best, so what do ya'll say?

I am in the process of trying to find the best Above Ground pool for the $$. I have look at one call Radiant Pools. Does anyone out there have one or know much about them?

Also, I have been looking at DoughBoy. We live out in the country and no large towns near by that services DoughBoy. I will be putting up the pool on my own. I have put one up before and it lasted 14 years, it was a Muskin and do not want another one of thoes.

Thanks for the help, Cliff

DoughBoy is your best shot. Look on the internet or find a dealer if you can within 100 miles and just go get it.

[Trigger]

Esther Williams is considered to be a premimum manufacturer. (I doubt we all be able to agree on "what's the best").

I'm not a salesman, just a customer who went through the same thing last year. I was pretty impresed with this unit, (Compared to the old steel pool I had, and the other pools I saw at the home shows and such).

Consider the main components of the pool: Wall, liners, rail/supports.

Esther williams offers one some of the best liners available on the market. Check them out for yourself. The are heaver than most. Esther Williams Liners are not cheap, but they are regarded as one of the best you can get.

I am lead to belive that aluminum is the best choice for above ground pools . It's more exspensive, but if you are looking for the best materiral Aluminum is the way to go., and that's one of the reasons I went with Esther Williams. It wont rust like steel, or crack like resin /vinyl. However, when buying alluminum pools, ensure the aluminum for the supports and rails are extruded, not stamped. this makes a big difference.

For the walls Esther Williams offers either rolled aluminum for the wall or aluminum slats. The slats are incrediable. (once again, a few more $)I don't think you could get a stronger, more durable A.G pool wall. I went with a round pool with heavy corithian collums for the supports,and rolled alluminum for the wall. The ground brackets are aluminum as well. These wont corrode over the years.

If you are considering oval desighns never go with a square or rectangle design. The corners have very little structual integrity. Ovals are more expsensive, (a proper installation takes about 2x as long as round) but if you go with an oval, get one that supports the walls via an uder the ground strapping system. This is good insurance for the intregity of the pool walls. PErsonally, I went with round.

Don't forget that a proper install is also critical to the pool. Proper leveling, adequate sand, proper blocking, tight no wrinkle liner, and expereiced install crews (not day jobbers). It makes a difference.

Esther Williams are a bit more than other pools, but the quality is definatly there . Ie in my neck of the woods a decent 21' round pool averaged $3500 installed with filter/pumps. A Middle of the road E.W unit cost $4500 installed, plus extra $900 for the filters /pumps/ladder/ packages. However, the liner, the wall and the supports, I'll have this pool for the next 25 + years, so the extra few bucks was well worth it. I plan on building a very exspesive deck around 1/3 of the pool and there was no way that in 10 years I wanted to change out the pool because the wall or supports failed.

On a more personal note, I decided that having a consistent depth for the whole pool was desireable. It's safer, nicer when folks are playing volly ball and is overall more enjoyable.

anyhow....Good luck and let us know what you decide.

IF you are in MA - RI I can recomend the folks I used (PM me for deatils).

[Trigger]

Cliff, I'm not famailliar with Muskin. but 14 years doesn't sound too bad for an A.G., economy model. What didn't you like about it?

Hot H20, why do you think Doughboy is his "best shot". I've heard the name before, but am not aware what makes it better than others? Are you a dealer?

I'd do a bit more research than "just go get it". After all, this thing is going to be sitting in your back yard for many many years and be the center of attention. I am learly of advice like that, without reasons why. Can you elaborate?

[fred]

I am looking for an above ground swimming pool. I am very interested in a Radiant pool.

Radiant Pools used to be known as Trojan Pools. They are the only ones I have found to have insulated wall panels. The walls are made of two layers of acrylic coated aluminum sandwiched between 2" foam insulation and are supposed to be stronger than 12" of concrete. I would suppose the pool would be able to hold up to "kicking" off of the sides by big kids.

Does anybody out there have an insulated above ground pool? And is it a Radiant, Trojan or other?

We want an large oval pool but want a sturdy, long lasting pool also. Round may be the way to go.

Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

[fred]

Cliff,

If you want to discuss pools, you can just call me Andy on the phone.

[Trigger]

Cliff,

If you want to discuss pools, you can just call me Andy on the phone.

I checked out Radient on line and it was interesting. I was impressed with the transferable life time warrenty. I'd like to see the details of it.

The pool walls caught my eye. Very slim apperance due to the minimal top rail. I wish the site had better pictures.

A couple of things got me wondereing though...

1) How much will the insulation extend the swimming season? Given the huge surface area of pools, most heat escapes off the top. Perhaps an insualting blanket could help out (if you like taking those off and on). And inversaly, how hot will the pool get sitting in the August sun? My conventaional pool can reach temps into the 90's. Would an insulated pool wall be a drawback in heat waves?

2) STructual intergrity of the splines and wall panels. Convential pools have a continious sheet of steel or aluminum typically supported with uprights. The Radient pool has smaller interlocking splines between many indivdual panels. with no visable uprights. It gives the pool a very clean look, but is sidewall intergrity compromised? Many indivuadal panels, no uprights supports. Are there any warrenty restrictions on these walls? Can they handle heavy snow on the cover during the long winter?

It's an interesting pool. like cliff, I'd be very interested to hear from owners.