Best Practices
6 Eco-Friendly Tips for Creating Your Dream Pool
A pool is a dream for many homeowners. Unfortunately, swimming pools aren’t exactly known for being good for the environment.
Pools tend to consume a lot of water and energy. They also are filled with chlorine, which isn’t very good for the environment. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can install a pool in a way that is good for the environment.
Creating an Environmentally Friendly Pool the Easy Way
If you live in a hot area and have ample backyard space, installing a pool is a great way to increase your home value. However, some homeowners are hesitant because the upfront cost is so much.
Green homeowners can be even more reluctant. They realize that swimming pools aren’t great for the environment. The good news is that the Sierra Club points out that they can be eco-friendly.
James Robyn points out that using natural swimming pools can be a great idea.
“What we do with a natural swimming pool is we use that same process that Mother Nature uses, and we do it in an optimal fashion, so we do it very efficiently.”
But there are other options to create a green pool as well.
You don’t have to be a millionaire to have an eco-friendly pool. In fact, you can even build your dream pool on a budget. Here are a few tips to keep in mind. You can also read these ideas about environmentally friendly swimming pools from Care for more inspiration.
1. Understand Your Budget
Eco-friendly pools are not always going to be cheap. That can be the cost of helping the enviroment. If you want to limit your expenses, you need to know exactly how much you can spend and you need to keep track of every dollar. Are you getting financed? That will all add extra complications to your plate.
Make sure that you leave room in your budget for accidents and unforeseen challenges. Working with a contractor is notoriously tricky because projects are often delayed. When that happens, you may have to pay more than you originally intended for your pool. This situation should be worked out in your contract before any work is done.
According to a group of pool remodeling and repair contractors in Orange County, CA: “Our typical customer has a 15,000-gallon pool, makes between $75,000-$100,000 in household income, and spends between $5,000-$15,000… we cater to people who can afford to do the job right the first time. People who want the job to outlast their lifetime, and we don’t want to save a few dollars by using cheap materials and labor instead of quality products and experienced craftsmen.”
2. Choose the Right Builder
If you choose the wrong contractor, you’ll end up spending too much money and being unhappy with either the process, the results, or both. Bad contractors cause a lot of trouble. They’re extremely stressful to deal with. Some builders also aren’t going to care as much about the environment.
When you’re ready to hire someone, read reviews. Speak to people you know who have had a pool built. This is a big decision so it’s worthwhile to take your time. There’s absolutely no need to rush.
Of course, you want to work with someone who is licensed and insured. Otherwise, you’ll have a world of trouble on your hands if something goes wrong.
3. Make a Choice: Pool, Spa or Hot Tub
Do you know what you want? Do you know what your family wants? Before you start getting quotes, the entire household should sit down and make a plan regarding the pool. Perhaps everyone actually wants a hot tub but they’ve been using the wrong term.
There are also many different pool styles to choose from. Above-ground, in-ground, indoors, etc. Your pool company can help you create the design. Spas and hot tubs are not necessarily more environmentally friendly, because they use more energy to stay heated.
4. Be Flexible
If you want to stick to a budget, you need to be flexible about your design options. Building an elaborate pool will obviously cost more money than building a simple one. You don’t have to settle for something that you don’t like. But, unless you have experience designing pools, you should work with company suggestions.
5. Save Energy
Energy efficiency is the most important thing if you want to have an eco-friendly swimming pool. An energy efficient water pump can save you a lot of time. There are other things that a pool company can do to save you as money well. The type of chlorine that you use, for example, can make a strong difference. This is one of the advantages of working with a well-reviewed company. Its crew will know the tricks and tips hidden in the trip.
You can save money by opting for choices like an above-ground pool.
6. Start Soon
Building a pool takes a lot of time. If you keep putting the project off, you’ll never finish it. The easiest way to resist the temptation to put it off forever is to get started right away. The moment that you work out your budget and determine that you can afford the expense, it’s time to start seriously planning for your pool. The process won’t be quick but you can perform it in a methodical and well-mannered way.
You can completely transform your backyard by building a pool. If you have kids, they’ll love it. If you don’t, you can host parties for your friends. Or your can use your pool for low-intensity exercise. You have a ton of options.
Even if you have the option of going to the community pool, it’s still more enjoyable to have your own private pool. You can lounge around without worrying about people looking at you or having to drive anywhere.
Make the Right Call When Getting an Eco-friendly Swimming Pool
Are you planning on getting an eco-friendly swimming pool? You need to make sure your choice carefully. These tips will help you install a swimming pool that will be good for the environment.