Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an above ground pool last?
How long will the liner last?
What does an installation cost?
Do I need a permit for my pool?
How long does it take to install my pool?
Can I put an above ground pool in the ground?
How close to my house/fence can I put the pool?
Can I install the pool myself?
What chemicals do I need for my pool?
My pool turned green. What do I do?
My pool is leaking. What do I do?
Can I have a new liner installed in my pool?
Should I use sand for the bottom of my pool?
Should I use a padding for the bottom of my pool?
What is growing through my liner?
How long should my pump and filter run?
Which pools are the best?
What liner should I get to replace my old one?
I think my above ground pool has a leak. How do I find it?
My pool pump is making a loud noise. What is it?
I feel something sharp under my liner. What do I do?
What kind of deck should I get for my above ground pool?
Should I get an automatic pool cleaner?
Should I get a salt chlorine generator for my above ground pool?
I’m getting a persistent yellow-colored algae in my pool. What do I do?
My pool’s liner is pulling down off the top of the wall. What can I do?

Answers

A good quality above ground pool should last ten to twenty years as long as it is level and in its correct shape.
Good quality, thicker liners have been lasting five to eight years lately. The cheaper, thinner liners last only three to five years on average. It’s worth it to spend the extra on a thicker liner.
The cost of an installation varies depending on the pool’s size and the slope of your yard. The prices sheet will give you a good idea.
Most towns and counties in Central Florida and Orlando want you to get a permit. In most cases it’s pretty easy for you the homeowner to get one. Some people get permits and some don’t.
It typically takes a couple of guys who know what they are doing with the right tools and machines one day or less to finish most above ground pools. It then takes another full day or less to fill.
Yes. Most pool manufactures will recommend sinking it down to about two and a half feet max.
That depends on the town/county you live in and if you are getting a permit. If you install the pool close to your house, then be aware of how the rain water runs off your roof as you don’t want it running directly into your pool. Also, a pool should be installed at least ten feet from any over head power lines.
Yes. A lot of people install their own pools. Make no mistake though, it’s quite a job. Make sure to not give your helper friends much beer until the job is done.
Pool water chemistry is something that is learned over time. To start, I recommend taking a sample of your pool water to a pool store. They will test it and tell you what to buy. Eventually you will test it yourself and learn what chemicals you need to buy and what ones you don’t need to buy.
Nine times out of ten your pool is green because of a lack of chlorine. Test the water. If there is no chlorine reading then go to your pool store with lots of money and buy lots of chlorine with it. If there is a high chlorine reading then your pump and filter may not be working properly. Check the flow going back to the pool.
A leak in a vinyl pool is difficult to find. First check the equipment and the skimmer and return fittings for leaks. If no luck, check around the outside of the pool for moisture. If you see moisture, look in the pool where the moisture is coming from. With the pump turned off(so you can see better), look in the pool at the bottom for any divot or dips usually close to the wall(a leak down low will cause a growing void under the pool that the liner will sink into). If still no luck, then get in the pool with a mask and some dye and squirt the dye around areas that look suspicious. Mainly the bottom.
Yes. Above ground pools typically have new liners put in them a few times over the life of the pool.
The earth in Orlando and surrounding towns is made up of mainly sand, so its typically not a good idea to use sand because it makes the bottom too soft and “footprinty”. We rarely use sand on our installs. If the ground is bad, we use our machines to work it to the proper softness/firmness.
Its OK to use padding as long as it is made with a breathable material. Plastic or tarps of any kind are not recommended because they can cause moisture to get trapped between it and the pool’s liner resulting in a prematurely rusted wall.
The only thing that can grow through a liner is a grass called “nutgrass”. Roots and other things can only grow along side a liner and not penetrate it. It is highly recommended that a quality nutgrass killer is applied to the ground before installing the liner.
The standard run time for a pump and filter is eight hours in the summer time during the hot daylight every single day. Miss one day and you could get an algae bloom. You can run the pump less in the winter months to save some money.
The best pools are made in the USA and Canada. Yay! Some options are not worth the extra money but resin top rails and a service panel are a good idea to have here in Orlando and Florida. Aluminum pools cost a lot more and are good but keep in mind that aluminum corrodes too. Also, I don’t recommend sinking an aluminum pool in the ground very far because the wall is too light and tends to cave in when you drain it.
Replace your old liner with one of the thicker ones made. A 25ga. liner will cost more and in this case its worth it. Thicker liners can last two to three times longer than the thin solid blue liners.
It’s sometimes tricky to find a leak in an above ground vinyl pool. This article may help. Begin by inspecting the pools equipment. Turn the pump on and check everywhere for moisture. Check the hoses, fittings, lids, filter base, under the pump, and the skimmer and returns. If that’s all dry, then look around the outside bottom track of the pool for wetness (you might have to clear away any landscaping or over-grown weeds to see the track well). If you find a lot of moisture, then look inside the pool and down at the bottom. Inspect for any divots or ruts on in the bottom where maybe a leak is washing earth away. If you can’t find anything yet then it’s time to get in the water.
Make sure the pool is clean, the water is clean and clear, and turn off the pump before you get in. Acquire a larger syringe needle or an ear dropper and fill it with a dark food color. With the pool water as calm as possible, sink to the bottom and look for any area that has a rut and squirt the dye closely around those areas watching to see if the newly colored water draws into any hole. A mask and weight belt is very helpful during this process.
If you find the leak, congratulations. The hard part is most likely over. Go to a pool store and purchase a underwater patch kit. Boxer is a good brand. Follow the easy directions and patch the hole.
The bearings in your pump are going bad. You can have just the bearings replaced or get a whole new motor for the pump. In most cases, a whole new motor is the way to go but in either case, make sure you install a new water seal for the pump/motor.
Usually, sharp things under the liner have been protruding since water was initially added to the pool. Sharp objects typically don’t “work” their way up over a period of time. Take a small piece of wood and a hammer, go under the water, and tap the object down until smooth with the pool’s bottom. Don’t worry much about making a hole in the liner as it doesn’t happen often. If your tapping does make a hole the liner, that’s ok as the object would have probably made a hole later anyway. Simply patch the hole with an underwater patch kit and you’re good to go.
First off, decks are expensive but they do make your above ground pool so much nicer. There are a few kinds of metal type decks made just for above grounds and they work well. The drawbacks are that they don’t have much area and usually have to be attached to the pool at the water level which is sometimes high up when you are looking for privacy from neighbors. The pluses are that they last forever and can be assembled quickly.
Custom wood decks can be made any size or height and can add a nice “softer” look and feel to your above ground pool. When it comes to wood decks, its all about how much money you want to spend.
Caution: when putting a deck around your pool, make sure not to deck over the top rails as most pool models require disassembling the top of the pool when replacing the liner.
Auto cleaners for above ground pools don’t cost a lot and many new pool packages include them. In the beginning they work well and aside from them getting caught up by the ladder, will make you happy. Typically after the first season they begin to not work as well and they get a little worse as time goes by. The vast majority of auto-cleaners that I see in the field only worked the first year and are then set aside and not used anymore. My thinking is that if your pool comes with one then fine but don’t go out of your way to buy one cause even at only a hundred and something bucks its not worth it.
Chlorine generators have come a long way and have come way down in price in the last few years. I have seen them for under $300 for above grounds which is extremely inexpensive. These cheaper units haven’t been out there long enough for me to have made a judgement yet but I can express some things about chlorine generators. When they are working, they work great and people love them. Keep in mind though that when they stop working, they are expensive to repair so factor that in when deciding to purchase one to “save money in the long run”. A working chlorine generator will mostly prevent mustard algae from growing in the pool. Mostly. A chlorine generator is the same thing as a “salt pool” or “salt generator” so don’t think you are avoiding chlorine because chances are there will be more chlorine in your pool’s water with one than without.
Mustard algae is a real pain in Orlando and elsewhere. My advice is to purchase a sodium bromide product like Yellow Treat or Mustard Knockout and follow the directions to the tee. Just adding more shock won’t do the trick as this algae has a protective coating and must be opened up in order for the chlorine to get inside and kill it.
Usually a pool liner won’t just start coming off the wall from just age. The culprit is most likely the pool was drained and left drained too long to the point that the liner shrunk. At that point when the pool is re-filled, the shrunken liner pulls off the top of the wall. Not good. Nine times out of ten the liner will have to be replaced. You can drain the pool way down, take the pool top apart at the “coming down” spot and try to re-secure the liner over the wall with something heavy duty. If you can re-fill the pool and keep the liner over the wall, then it should stay.