Buy now and install in spring or buy later?

[Kari_MA]

It seems there are some good prices on pools right now. Do they typically get even lower in the fall? At this point in the season (in Mass) we know we won’t be able to swim if we buy now. But I’m worried about warranty stuff if I buy now and install in the spring and then find something wrong or missing. I could just wait until spring to buy but I imagine the best deals are now or soon. Does it make sense to install and then winterize immediately? Seems wasteful. Thoughts?
Thanks

 

[Wobblerlorri]

They go on sale at the beginning of the season, too. We bought our little 14' AGP in March.

If you see the perfect pool at the right price point, I think I'd go ahead and buy it.

 

[Newdude]

Dont get too concerned about warranties. Most companies have 97 loopholes to get out of any responsibility anyway. Like WobblerLorri said, if you see something you must have, go for it and there will be deals in the late winter/early spring too.

 

[frogabog]

There's still a few weeks left of swimming, so if you really wanted to... You could install now and enjoy the rest of the season and then winterize. At least you'd know if the pump/filter was broken.

What brand are you thinking of buying? The one that I've seen here with warranty issues I believe is the Summer Waves with the skimmer/cartridge filter. At least two members recently have had leaking pump covers that I can recall. Normally an Intex pump/filter will work out of the box, but you never know.

 

[Casey]

I bought mine n had it shipped in March. It st in the boxes til near August.

 

[Wobblerlorri]

Yeah, mine was ordered and delivered in March, sat in the garage until early June. Didn't hurt it one little bit.

 

[aboykin2269]

I bought mine in the winter and it sat in the garage for months.

 

[cj133]

I bought mine on January and it sat in a pellet under a tarp all winter.

 

[Kari_MA]

Ok thanks! That makes me feel better about ordering now.

 

[Kari_MA]

There's still a few weeks left of swimming, so if you really wanted to... You could install now and enjoy the rest of the season and then winterize. At least you'd know if the pump/filter was broken.

What brand are you thinking of buying? The one that I've seen here with warranty issues I believe is the Summer Waves with the skimmer/cartridge filter. At least two members recently have had leaking pump covers that I can recall. Normally an Intex pump/filter will work out of the box, but you never know.

Looking at a Lomart or Saltwater 5000 from the Pool Factory.

 

[frogabog]

Those both look nice, although I like the idea of the resin frame on the Saltwater 5000. No metal except the stainless steel skimmer plate. No possibilities of rust. Plus 60y prorated warranty. The other is only 20 years.

They both have a 3 year 0% to the owner warranty though, so a few months in storage won't be much of a big deal.

 

[cj133]

Those both look nice, although I like the idea of the resin frame on the Saltwater 5000. No metal except the stainless steel skimmer plate. No possibilities of rust. Plus 60y prorated warranty. The other is only 20 years.

They both have a 3 year 0% to the owner warranty though, so a few months in storage won't be much of a big deal.

Be careful with the warranties on those. They're not what they appear to be. Here's a snip from my Melenia's "50 year warranty"

The Pool Factory is by far one of the best places I've ever dealt with. And I will continue to buy all of my pool stuff from them. But that warranty from Wilbar is very misleading in my opinion.

 

[frogabog]

Both pool warranties are prorated after the first 3 years, but the 20y prorated warranty will go much faster than the 60y prorated warranty.

 

[cj133]

Both pool warranties are prorated after the first 3 years, but the 20y prorated warranty will go much faster than the 60y prorated warranty.

I can't find a pool with a 20 year warranty at The Pool Factory, but here's 30 year vs 60 year.
That, and it seems manufacturers try to do everything they can to get out of it made the warranty less important when I made my decision.

 

[cj133]

It seems there are some good prices on pools right now. Do they typically get even lower in the fall? At this point in the season (in Mass) we know we won’t be able to swim if we buy now. But I’m worried about warranty stuff if I buy now and install in the spring and then find something wrong or missing. I could just wait until spring to buy but I imagine the best deals are now or soon. Does it make sense to install and then winterize immediately? Seems wasteful. Thoughts?
Thanks

I think The Pool Factory had something like 40% off when we bought in January. They always have a sale going on but it seemed to peak in the winter.
If I was going to buy now, I'd leave it packed in a dry location until next spring. If you install it now you'll never get the water temperature up to anything comfortable unless you use a heater.

 

[frogabog]

If you install it now you'll never get the water temperature up to anything comfortable unless you use a heater.

Not to promote buying now and installing vs buying when there's a great sale in the winter... Which realistically is a much better option unless you can get 40% off right now...

But I filled at around 60F, and after a few days of 80-82F degree weather the pool was up to 78 on a 82 max day and has stayed over 74F since, even with our wintery summer this year.

I've found that if the under 14 set want to swim, they'll even do it at 54F. Blue lips and all...

 

[cj133]

Not to promote buying now and installing vs buying when there's a great sale in the winter... Which realistically is a much better option unless you can get 40% off right now...

But I filled at around 60F, and after a few days of 80-82F degree weather the pool was up to 78 on a 82 max day and has stayed over 74F since, even with our wintery summer this year.

I've found that if the under 14 set want to swim, they'll even do it at 54F. Blue lips and all...

That depends on your local weather.
Mine, while warm during the day gets too cold at night. We often have temps in the 50s at night and it just seems to make the pool struggle unfortunately even with a solar blanket.
The water was finally in the 80s, but it's back down into the mid to upper 70s again. I saw mid 80s during a heat wave.

I assume Ma has similar weather but perhaps their nights aren't as cool, I don't know.

 

[frogabog]

Good point @cj133. I don't think our nights have dropped much below 60F even though the daytimes might not actually reach 73F on a lot of days (so far). We might reach 83F today. Maybe... doubt it. My poor pool sees very few swimmers as a result.

I always assume the east coast is hot and humid all the time, based on my limited 1988 summer I spent in Poughkeepsie. Night cooling in the northern regions is clearly a factor.

 

[Newdude]

I've found that if the under 14 set want to swim, they'll even do it at 54F. Blue lips and all...

When we first filled my pool with my irrigation pump (55degree ground water) the kids hopped in and kept saying how hot it was and that it burned. I joined them pretty quickly not wanting them to have all the fun. I instantly realized the ‘burning’ was hypothermia/frost bite. We got out soon after that. If you swim that cold, Make it quick.

 

[frogabog]

Adult swim vs 5-10yo swim is much less "aerobic". They will live. We won't.