Get matched with top pool table assembly pros in Montpelier, ID

You can install an aboveground pool on various surfaces, including dirt, sand, concrete, and grass. You can’t install a pool on an uneven surface, though, so be sure to level the ground before building your pool. You also can’t install your pool on top of a rocky surface. Three or 4 inches of smooth sand or soil is the ideal surface to go under an aboveground pool.

Yes, pool pumps use a significant amount of electricity, making them one of the biggest energy consumers in a home. A pool pump can use up to three times as much electricity as a refrigerator. Typically, a residential pool pump consumes about 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) for every hour it runs. Because pumps often need to run for about eight hours a day to properly filter the water, this can add up to an annual consumption of 3,000 to 5,000 kWh, which can cost between $480 and $800 per year based on average electricity rates.

The amount of electricity your pump uses depends on its size, energy efficiency, and daily run time. To lower your energy consumption, you can choose an energy-efficient or variable-speed pump, ensure it is correctly sized for your pool, and run it only for the minimum time required to keep the water clean.

Pool chemical levels should include a pH between 7.4 and 7.6, alkalinity between 80 to 120 ppm, and chlorine from 1 to 3 ppm. The size and type of your pool determine additional chemical levels, such as stabilizers and pool shock, but you can get to know these numbers using our pool maintenance 101 guide.

You'll feel the most comfortable in pool water between 78 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures are a bit brisk, while higher temperatures can lead to algae and cloudy pool water. Choose a pool heater that either runs automatically when your water dips below 78 or switch it on several hours before using the pool for the day.