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Yes, you will need building permits for an inground pool, and your pool installation company should pull them for you. The permit filing fee will usually sit between $400 and $1,800, and it should appear on your contract or invoice. You may want to confirm with your contractor that they will pull all necessary permits. You might also need a permit for a new fence, as many municipalities have special fencing requirements for properties with pools. A fence permit costs between $50 and $500. This expense may not be included in your pool installation estimate.

No, shock and chlorine are not the same thing, though they are related and both are used for pool maintenance. Regular chlorine, often in the form of tablets, is a sanitizer used for routine, day-to-day maintenance to keep a steady chlorine level. Pool shock, however, is a highly concentrated dose of chlorine used periodically for a more intense cleaning. It rapidly raises chlorine levels to fix issues like cloudy water or algae growth and also eliminates chloramines, which are byproducts of regular chlorination. Because their purposes and concentrations differ, they are not interchangeable, and proper pool care typically requires using both.

A fiberglass pool lasts up to 30 to 50 years with proper maintenance. For the longest possible lifespan, keep your pool water pH as close to seven as possible. Test your water levels regularly, run your pool filter daily, and avoid draining the pool. Once your pool is 20 to 30 years old, you can prolong the lifespan by refinishing the shell.

You can turn your aboveground chlorinated pool into a saltwater pool. The cost of a saltwater pool conversion is between $750 and $2,000, depending on your pool’s size. A saltwater pool offers benefits like less maintenance and water that is gentler on your skin. You’ll need to replace the salt every five years, but you won’t need to clean your pool as frequently.