Mistake #1: Not having the pool installed correctly.

This is great. An improperly installed pool is almost always more difficult to maintain and may also be unsafe for your children to swim in.

If you are doing the installation yourself, be sure to follow all instructions and be sure to ask questions if you have any questions. This is the computer age, all your questions have probably already been asked and answered, it’s just a matter of finding the right information.

No matter who installs the pool, start checking the level early on, when there are only a few inches of water in the pool. Take a tape measure from the top rail to the top of the water. Do this around the pool. The measurement should be within one inch. There is no point in continuing to fill if the pool is not level.

One of the most common questions I get is “my pool is unlevel x number of inches, is it safe?” There are too many factors to give a yes or no answer. For example, if the pool is three feet deep, it wouldn’t matter much. But the thing is, don’t fill a pool that is not level, don’t waste the water, because whether the pool is safe or not, you won’t be happy with it.

I’ve written a lot about what to look out for with professional installers and how to get the job done right if you decide to do it yourself. No matter who builds the pool, watch it fill up. Not only do you want to monitor the level, but you also want to watch for anything that doesn’t seem right. In oval pools, look for indentations under the liner in the area of ​​the pressure plates. Also look closely at the side braces, they should stay upright and not start to bend.

With a round pool, notice the studs, they should all be straight up and down in all directions. If they start to change, there could be problems. Look at the bottom rails, are they all sitting on solid ground and do they stay that way? Look inside the pool for crevices, especially in the inlet area. Anything short of a perfectly installed pool could be a red flag.

Mistake #2: Not learning to take care of a pool.

After the installation comes all the questions about why my filter is not working, why is my water green, why are there holes in the bottom of my pool, etc.

Now that your pool is installed, you need to learn how to care for it. Does your filter not work? Will, most of them do. True, many pools come with underpowered units and upgrading is a priority. But before you do, try running the filter more hours a day. Some units need 24/7 to maintain a clean pool. Try different runtimes before giving up on your filter.

Certain types of algae will pass through most filters, this is not your filter’s fault, it should kill the algae. If you vacuum the pool and find the bottom just as dirty ten minutes later, that’s your problem, the algae.

To properly maintain your pool, you must learn about filter maintenance and water chemistry. Not becoming an expert in either will lead to high expenses at the pool store for years to come. Gaining knowledge in these areas will reward you with a clean, sanitized pool that you and your family can enjoy for years and years, without breaking the bank with repairs and buying chemicals.

Mistake #3: Not landscaping around the pool.

This is so important and yet so often not done. You need three feet around your pool that is free of grass and weeds. The best way to do this is with decorative stones and landscaping plastic. You can build a barrier, line the inside with plastic, and fill it in with rock.

Doing this will help prevent cove washout, weeds and grass growing through the liner, critters getting in and under the liner, and many more pool mishaps.

Landscaping is another expense, but it’s worth it if you plan to enjoy your pool in the future, like beyond the next month.