Don't want pool right now -- what are my options?

[nitroamos]

We just bought a house (first time homeowner) because we love it, even though we don't want its pool (first time pool owner). We're too busy taking care of our newborn & toddler. I don't know if/when we'd want to start using the pool (next year, 5 years, never?). It's an above ground pool, not sure of dimensions, but let me know if anything specific might factor into this decision. I don't know how old it is.

What are my options for minimizing maintenance time/costs?

1. I could remove the pool. This would include removal costs and whatever loss to home value if we sold. We'd also have to re-sod. Using the pool would of course require purchasing another, but at least the ground would be level.
2. Could I semi-permanently drain the pool? Would this require purchase of a hard cover and, when/if the pool is reopened, some expensive repairs?
3. Could I keep it closed and just dump chemical(s) in there every month/year? This would involve extra cleanup/repair when reopened?
4. I could just open/maintain the pool as if we were using it.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Mr Bruce]

Of course we are going to be biased toward 4. Here are some things to keep in mind, once you get it opened and levels corrected, you are looking at 10 minutes every other day, maybe 30 minutes to an hour once a week, and $10/week in costs, averaged out.

I suppose you could drain, cover, disconnect all the electricity etc until you did think you want to use the pool. Unused pools are very sad

 

[OTPirate]

That is a decision you will have to make on your own. You are smart to realize that a pool does take time...it is like owning a pet. Without water in it, vinyl can dry out and crack easily. You will get rain water in it without a cover, so unless you want a mosquito breeding ground, you need to cover it.

 

[zea3]

You have to leave it at least half full if you intend to keep it. Water provides the structural integrity of the pool, if you empty it a strong wind could cause it to collapse. Taking it down would not affect the home's value since above ground pools are considered temporary structures. If you do decide to take it down you have a couple more options than those you listed.
1. Offer the pool for sale on Craigslist- Keep the price low $200-400 depending on the condition of the pool and how much equipment goes with it, require the new owner to take it down and haul it off. Believe it or not a lot of people are willing to buy a used above ground and install it themselves.
2. Take it down yourself and store it for later use. When the kids are a little older you may wish you had a pool. If you go this route take pictures of each step of the removal process, put all the little nuts and bolts in baggies and label them, bundle larger pieces together with twine or duct tape and label, then roll up the side wall and secure with duct tape. Drain the pump and filter and store the whole thing in a dry location.

If you remove the pool, you can cover the area with pavers to make a patio in the yard. it will preserve the space if you decide to put up a pool in the future. Since your children are very young, you may decide you want a small kiddie pool in the future and that would be the perfect spot to set one up. Leveling the yard is one of the hardest things about setting up a pool so if you preserve that level spot you will be ahead of the game.

If you keep the pool in place, fill it to just below the returns and cover it with an above ground pool cover. Since you have young children and the pool may be covered for an extended period of time, you can get a roll of winter cover wrap to seal the cover and reduce the chances of anyone accidentally accessing the pool.

 

[Jamison04]

Being that it's an aboveground pool it requires water to stay in it, otherwise you run the risk of it collapsing or blowing away/buckling in strong winds. Not to mention a cover with any weight on top of it would pull thr pool down with out water in it.

As previously stated, once you've got it opened and water balanced it's not very time consuming to maintain. It's the unknown right now of what condition the liner and equipment is in as well as what shape the water is in.

I would first assess the condition of everything and if it all appears to be in good shape than I'd probably consider getting the water I'm good shape and if you still decided to not want it this year than go through the closing process and cover it. Then just periodically check the water level and chemicals and adjust accordingly until you decide to finally use it.