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Check with your local laws, which might state that you have to build a fence around your plunge pool. If you have children or pets or live in an area with abundant wildlife, you should consider building a fence around your pool for safety. Pools can present a drowning hazard, and while plunge pools are not very deep, younger children can get hurt if they try to dive into them. A fence can help protect your family and visitors from injury.

The best way to heat a swimming pool depends on your pool and location. Those living in sunny environments may find that a solar-powered heater works just fine, but you may need something more reliable, like a gas or electric heater if it’s often cloudy where you live. When in doubt, try a few lower-cost options first to see if they meet your needs before going all in on a more expensive heater.

Evaporation causes up to 70% of outdoor pools’ energy losses, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. While you can’t completely prevent evaporation, different types of pool covers can help a lot. Pool enclosures, however, don’t do much to stop evaporation—and the cost to build a pool enclosure likely won’t tempt you to try.

Small animals, particularly rats and mice, like to burrow inside pool heaters. To keep them out, seal any entry points with caulk or steel wool. Then, place mothballs inside or around your pool heater. As a final measure of protection, you can cover the pool heater in hardware cloth or wood paneling to further block entry points.