Do you live in Ocoee, Florida and are thinking about installing an above-ground swimming pool?
Like most places just outside of Orlando, Ocoee is a popular area for above-ground swimming pools. Here are some things to know.
11 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT INSTALLING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN OCOEE, FL
1 Ocoee is growing. Mostly with new neighborhoods
I’ve lived near Ocoee for thirty years or so. There’s definitely an old and a new Ocoee. The new Ocoee is mostly made up of neighborhoods.
And when it comes to neighborhoods and installing an above-ground pool, there may be HOA, yard size, and access issues to deal with.
2 Most lots are big enough
In some areas, the neighborhoods really cram the houses in. Most new Ocoee neighborhoods have decent-sized lots that will fit a nice-sized pool in the yard.
3 Be aware if you have a vinyl fence
Vinyl fences look nice and many new homes in Ocoee have them. They don’t come apart easily though and many of them only have less than four-foot wide gates.
This can be an issue if you have someone like me come to install your above-ground pool. I use a machine that won’t fit through a standard-sized vinyl gate.
Many vinyl gates are five feet wide, which is wide enough to get a small machine through to do the groundwork.
4 The earth is generally good in Ocoee
In Central Florida, some areas have different kinds of earth. Overall, the earth is mostly sand-based, but there is still quite a bit of variation depending on the area.
Ocoee has decent earth. Some developers will use poor fill to raise an area for a neighborhood, and that can happen anywhere. Generally speaking though, West Orlando has good clean earth for installing a pool on.
5 Most yards are flat in Ocoee
West Orlando is somewhat flat until you get to Clermont. A flat yard is better for installing an above-ground pool because it’s easier to level the ground to install the pool AND you don’t have to worry about any erosion later after the pool is installed.
If your yard has a slope to it, then it can take more time and cost more to have a pool installed.
6 Older homes may have septic tanks, few new ones do
If you live in one of the older homes in Ocoee, then you most likely will have a septic tank. And you can’t install a pool on or too close to a septic tank OR its drain field.
It’s good to know IF you have a septic tank and then WHERE it is before considering putting in an above-ground pool.
If you have a new home in Ocoee, then chances are you don’t have a septic tank, so you don’t have to worry about it being in the way of where you want the pool.
7 Some homes have wells. Many new neighborhoods only have municipal water
Unless on a parcel of land, most of the homes in Ocoee don’t have wells. The new ones don’t for sure and most of the older houses (like off of Wurst rd) don’t have them either.
This means most getting an above-ground pool in Ocoee will use the city water to fill the pool.
8 Nutgrass can be found in Ocoee
Nutgrass or nut sedge is the only type of grass that will grow straight through a pool’s liner. Not every yard has nutgrass and it’s very hard to identify prior to an installation.
Some areas of Central Florida have more cases of nutgrass than others. Ocoee has nutgrass, but about an average amount.
For this area, I recommend putting down a quality granular nutgrass killer before installing the pool’s liner.
9 Ocoee is generally high and dry
As you travel east of Orlando, the ground can get low and wet. Ocoee is on the west side of Orlando, which is mostly higher and dry.
This is good when installing an above-ground pool as the ground can’t be too wet or the bottom will come out poor.
This is also good if you are thinking about sinking the pool down into the ground some.
10 Pool stores in Ocoee
Ocoee has a decent amount of pool stores. Only some will deal with above-ground pool-related things though.
The PinchAPenny store at Good Holmes road and 50 will sell some AG pool-related products like replacement liners.
11 Best time to have an above-ground pool installed in Ocoee
Because the earth is fairly clean, high, and dry, you can install a pool in the Ocoee area any time of year. I do always recommend installing during the off-season, which is October thru February.