The Above Ground Swimming Pools

The above ground swimming pool market has grown rapidly over the years, and there seem to be a never ending set of different designs all of which have some good points, and some not so good points.

The market has grown because it is a fairly easy entry into the swimming pool scene. The costs are obviously smaller and the installation and erection of the above ground pools are quicker and easier to manage. Above ground pools can be opened and closed quicker, but the general testing, filtration and chemical control must be as stringent as any other pool. It is equally likely that poor housekeeping on the water quality will result in problems with algae, bacterial growth and waterborne illnesses.

The above ground pool is usually, but not always smaller in capacity and hence the space required is smaller, but remember that the pump and filtration unit may need to be at some metres away from it due to electrical safety (This varies from country to country) and you will need to get an RCD electrical supply to it.

The problems with a smaller pool are that if you want it as an exercise swimming pool, then the actual length that you can swim is limited. Usually they are round or oval in form, and this makes it more difficult especially if there are several people in the pool.

For children these pools are great as they collect in groups and splash and swim shorter distances, and pool games are very easy to play. The social pool party atmosphere of these pools is second to none as the family and neighbours tend to use it as a weekend or evening collection point, and probably the main selling point is that they are family friendly.

One advantage of a pool with high sides is that young children cannot easily fall in as they might in an “In-ground pool”, but it will still need covering and securing when the swimming is finished, and there should always be supervising adults present when children are swimming, and they should be swimming adults.

The negative side of this, and possibly the one most difficult to deal with is the fact that because the average above ground pools are over a metre up in the air the access to them is more difficult. There are steps up and down, but any such steps make life more difficult if you are not agile. There are also the problems that children must be schooled to use the steps as climbing over the sides can be dangerous and accidents can occur.