Get matched with top above ground pool installation pros in Proctor, MN

You should avoid filling your pool overnight—just as a precaution. You’ll want someone around to check on the progress. If your hose springs a leak or you overfill your pool, you could end up with some costly water damage. At worst, you could flood your home’s foundation. For this reason, ensure someone is home and awake, even if your pool takes a couple of days to fill.

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.

Calcium hypochlorite, or cal-hypo, tends to be the best shock for an above ground pool. It is widely available, affordable, and powerful. Cal-hypo shock is typically 65% to 75% chlorine and is very effective at ridding a pool of bacteria or other contaminants.

Because frogs require fresh water for survival, they can die from repeated exposure to swimming pool chemicals. Chlorine dehydrates frogs, which can lead to their deaths. To ensure frogs don’t hang out in your pool for long periods, safely remove them once you spot them in your pool and install a frog log so they can easily hop out on their own.