Building a custom pool is no small decision. From the material to amenities to special features in your pool, there’s a lot to consider. As if it wasn’t overwhelming enough, the process is made even more complicated when factoring in the various myths and legends told about custom pools, such as the infamous hour-long wait before getting back into the water after a meal.
To help sort through some of the noise, we’ve created a list of the most common misconceptions about custom pools as well as how true (or untrue) they really are.
This is completely true, if you fall way behind on your regular daily and weekly maintenance, as we’ve discussed in previous blog posts. When your pool gets really dirty, it can be time-consuming and difficult to clean.
However, cleaning a pool routinely and safely can take as little as 1-2 hours a week, if not less. Plus, with the right company, a maintenance plan can be an easy way to alleviate this issue.
Many people wonder if pools are the right option for them because pools are known as an exciting part of summer, but nothing more. This is simply not true, especially in Oklahoma.
First of all, one of the best elements of a custom pool is that, if you want your pool to be a functional, year-round part of your home, you can make it so. From hot tubs for the winter to advanced heating elements for the whole pool to be used during spring and fall, there’s no limit to yearly pool usage.
Purchasing your own custom pool does indeed cost money. We’re not going to pretend it doesn’t. Anything created custom to your desires and needs is going to cost money. However, many people also believe that owning and maintaining a pool costs so much that even the initial expenses are no longer worth it.
This part is definitely not true. With updates to modern technology, heating your hot tub and pool doesn’t cost anywhere near as much as it once did. Aside from that, the maintenance we mentioned also costs much less than most people typically imagine, even if you decide to hire someone to do it for you.
This one might sound like it’s the same problem as the one you just read, but this one refers to the actual cost of building the pool. Many people are turned off by the idea of a custom pool because of an ongoing belief that it will simply be too pricey to partner with a group of designers and builders to construct the pool of your dreams. While custom pools do cost more than your average pre-shaped options which go into the ground as-is, the price isn’t so astronomical that it’s going to truly make it a dealbreaker in most cases.
One of the bonuses of making a custom pool is that you can keep it on the simple, cheaper side by choosing less options. It’s usually worth it to wait and get your dream pool instead of settling on one you don’t care as much about.
There are countless myths floating around about chlorine, from the effects it has on hair (turning blonde hair green) and how much it hurts your eyes (not quite accurate) to it simply being bad for you.
Many of chlorine’s negative traits are the result of other issues in the pool. For example, if your eyes are hurting after swimming, it could mean your chemicals aren’t quite balanced. The truth is, chlorine is an excellent way to keep your pool clean and safe; you just need to make sure it’s properly administered.
Like any construction around the home, building a pool does in fact take time. That part is unavoidable. However, the myth concerning this is that pool construction takes absurd amounts of time, so much that you won’t even be able to use your backyard for years. (Okay, so it’s not that extreme).
While building a pool will take a bit, modern technology enables it to happen much faster, even a matter of a few months, depending on what you’re considering and customizing. Almost all perceived issues are alleviated to some degree with a custom pool because, of course, it’s custom.
Another common myth among the myriad of untrue pool cleaning rumors is that pools must be emptied at least once a year to keep them functioning properly. This myth is absolutely not true, and in fact, emptying your pool can be damaging to the pool surface. You should only drain your pool completely if advised by a pool professional who is familiar with your situation.
If you have other concerns that you think might be myths, we’ve got all the answers for you. Also, you can download our free guide to learn what you should consider before developing a pool design. And if you’re ready to talk about a custom pool for your backyard now, give us a call! We’re excited to partner with you and help you create the pool and patio of your dreams.