Apopka has a lot of homes with above-ground swimming pools. And since it’s growing (like everywhere else in Central Florida), many more pools are being installed there.
Installing an above-ground pool in Apopka is usually a straightforward job. The earth there is mostly sand-based, high and dry, and most yards are big enough to accommodate any size pool.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT INSTALLING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN APOPKA
1 Most of the area north of Orlando is high and dry
When installing in Apopka, I have very rarely had issues with the ground being wet. This is good because the ground has to be fairly dry to properly install a pool on.
Even though they are called “above-ground” pools, they are not above the ground. A better name would be an “on-ground” pool, but that usually wouldn’t be accurate either.
Most above-ground pools go in the ground some, so it’s important for the earth to be dry at least during installation time.
2 Apopka is mostly flat, but there are some sloped areas
Above-ground pools have to be very level. This means that if your yard isn’t level, then the pool site will have to be graded to perfectly level.
Some areas of Apopka, especially as you head north towards Sorrento and Zellwood, can have some elevation. This can mean that extra grading will have to be done when installing a pool.
3 Apopka is mostly sand-based
All of Central Florida has sand-based earth, but some areas have more sand than others. Apopka usually has good sand-based earth to install a pool on.
Some newer neighborhoods that were raised by their developer may have used filled dirt from other areas. If so, then your yard may not be sand-based and may have clay or darker dirt.
4 There is an average occurrence of nutgrass
Nutgrass can grow through your pool’s liner and damage it. Any yard can have nutgrass and it is very hard to see as it looks exactly like other grasses.
The area of Apopka has the potential for nutgrass. I always put down a quality granular nutgrass killer for my installs and you should too.
5 Most established homes have wood fencing, and newer homes usually have vinyl fencing.
If you are having your pool installed professionally by someone like me, then you may need wider access to the yard than the width of a standard gate. When that is the case, a section of fence has to temporarily come down.
Wood fence sections typically come apart easily, vinyl fencing doesn’t.
My machine is 48” wide, which means that I need at least 4.5ft wide access. If your gate isn’t that wide and you have a vinyl fence, then I would need you to have a section taken down prior to me getting there.
If you have a wood fence, then I will take down a section (if there’s one open for straight access).
6 The type of grass in Apopka is mostly Bahia
St Augustine-type grass is prettier to look at than Bahia, but it is thicker.
When installing an above-ground pool, all of the grass and its roots (sod) have to be removed from the site. Installers don’t take this removed sod with them, so you are then stuck with a pile of sod to deal with.
The nicer the grass you have, the thicker and heavier it will be. This is where having Bahia-type grass is better than St Augustine.
7 Yards are usually big enough
As Orlando has grown, the home lots have gotten smaller. Apopka has a lot of older homes and bigger lots, which is great for installing the size pool that you want.
This is also good if wanting a semi-inground pool as it takes more room and you can possibly place the dirt that comes out of the hole.
8 There are a lot of big trees in Apopka
Big trees and established landscaping are really nice to have. When installing an above-ground pool though, these big trees can have big roots in the way.
If you have large trees in your yard and are wanting to put a pool within 15 feet of one or more of them, then you may hit some big roots during the installation.
You may not too, but no one knows until you get into the earth and see. Root systems are as unpredictable as where a hurricane may go when it’s only just in the Lesser Antilles.
POOL STORES IN APOPKA
Pinch A Penny
1813 E Semoran Blvd, Apopka, FL 32703
Pinch A Penny
1685 Rock Springs Rd N, Apopka, FL 32712
Leslie’s
3855 Wekiva Springs Rd, Longwood, FL 32779