Thinking Of Buying A Home With A Pool, Help Please!

[TT32VGT]

Alright guys, I live in Louisiana, and am buying a home in Chalmette within the next couple of weeks. My wife and I have been looking non stop over there..

Anyways, we came across a house with an outside, indoor pool that we really like..

I have read up on evaporation.. It seems that since this outdoor pool is in La, where theres high heat and high humidity there wouldnt be much evaporation.. The house has a wooden fence that blocks wind too..

My mother has an outdoor pool and she says hers drops about an inch a week..

So Im not really sure about the energy consumption..

Im really interested to hear what the normal costs are of running a pool..

I know there is chemicals that need to be added, but they dont seem expensive.. The house is 30yrs old and the pool isnt brand new, so Im not sure if it needs to be refinished sometime in the near future or how often that needs to be done..

Im also aware of algae..

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[AFiremanFirst]

Your pool is like your car. It's an investment that if you don't take care of will deteriorate faster than designed. But let's start from the top. High humidity comes from high heat that evaporates water from the earth, ie your pool. In dallas this time of year, an inch a week is safe. This is more dependent on depth and surface area and sun exposure. It's hard to say. Water will not be your costly item. Chemicals however could be. Chlorine is the most expensive chemical we use. But there are many other chemicals to consider as well. algacides are a waste of money. Okay fine, they have their very specific uses, but I think for the cost, there are alternatives, like maintaining your pool. It's like fuel additives! Electricity is your third expense. Pools are not cheap, and are not free. Lean towards a $100.00 a month for energy, in the summer. Less in the winter. Yeah some are spending $15.00 and they probably don't understand turnover, kw, and amps. Fine others $200.00 for the same reasons. With all of that said. The entertainment purposes and enjoyment you recieve from your pool is far better an investment than say going to see a movie on a friday night. Let us know if you buy the house and we'll point you in all the right directions. Your first investment will be a taylor k-2006 test kit!

[Kelbra]

Hi- energy - $50.00 - $100.00, chemicals - $50.00 per month. I have owned a pool for 29 years 16x32 inground It is a lot of work, but you will love the relaxation Water evoration will be 1/4 inch per day. Do you have any other questions? I will be glad to help you.

[fullspectrum]

I was in the same boat some years ago, just have someone check everything out condition wise because repairs are not cheap. Check the liner, pump etc. I'm trying to redo all my pool lines now because they were repaired and butchered many times. My liner will be next on the list and the concrete pool deck is developing some cracks. If I could do it again I wouldn't have bought this house. If everything is sound with the pool condition wise chemicals are not to expensive but you need to pay attention to the pool occasionally cleaning it and then there is the opening of the pool and the closing. I suppose in Louisiana it could stay open all year round which is one less this to worry about. Think of it like a new family member that you can't neglect for too long or they will fall ill...

[codebrown]

You either need to pay someone to maintain it (bad idea imo unless it's cheap and dependable) or be the sort of person that enjoys maintaining your home and surroundings. If you don't you'll likely neglect the pool just enough that it deteriorates. A few minutes every day or two during high usage is critical to stay on top of chemical balance but the payoff is worth it, and the learning curve is simple, especially if you just get a good test kit. Bleach, muriatic acid from the mason supply store, and some borax will be all you need other than some extra dough to pay a little extra in electricity.

[wsommariva]

Buy a good test kit and read up on maintance so you will know what to do from day one. If you have problems, ask them here.