Who hasn’t dreamed of owning their own swimming pool or hot tub? I know I have and still do! Not only do they add value to your home but they bring comfort, relaxation and wonderful memories for years to come.

However, in order to get your pool or hot tub to run smoothly (and to avoid electrical shock or electrocution to your family and friends) you need to ensure the electrical wiring is done properly). Here’s your hot pool and spa wiring checklist:

1. Hire a reputable company to do all the electrical work. As much as we all like to believe we’re the jack of all trades if you don’t have the technical training you could put your family and friends in serious danger.
2. Once you’ve found a professional technician or electrical company verify that they’ll install and configure all the wire, conduit and hardware necessary to make the proper electrical connections.
3. Invest in electrical codes that will provide extra protection for anyone near the pool and hot tub areas.
4. Make sure the technician you hire is licensed and aware of the appropriate electrical code regulations and requirements.

Lighting

If you already own a pool or spa and it’s in need of a new wiring system or maybe just new lighting most electrical companies can fix both. They can add lighting or outlets around your pool and tub area and even add waterfalls that will greatly enhance your experience. Also, keep in mind that the only safe lighting option for pools or hot tubs is fiber optic lighting.

The name “vinyl pool” is slightly misleading as the swimming pool is not actually made of vinyl, but is in fact a concrete, composite plastic, or steel-sided pool which has a vinyl lining. This lining can vary in thickness, where obviously the better liners are thicker liners, and sport some very brilliant and diverse patterns. There are so many patterns that it would be fair to say that they are adequate enough to satisfy virtually any taste, whether you desire an elaborate tile look or a simple earthy one.

Vinyl pools and gunite pools (or shotcrete pools) are similar in that they take a little while longer to construct. You can loosely estimate that you need 4-6 weeks to do the swimming pool construction, and this will be impacted by weather conditions. Much like when building a house, this swimming pool requires that the ground be allowed to settle prior to construction completion. Obviously, this is to prevent cracking and shifting from any ground settling which occurs after the swimming pool is built.

The beauty of a vinyl pool is not only the fact that there are many pattern choices to use for your liner, but also the fact that it can be shaped into almost anything you can imagine. Unlike a fiberglass pool, where you are restricted to shapes that the factory produces, a vinyl pool is built with a series of walls, which can be combined to make curves, corners, indents, half circles… you name it. You could even make yourself an in-ground swimming pool in the shape of a star and you can include steps, benches, sun-bathing decks, vanishing edges, spas, a variety of wall heights, and other custom features.

These walls may be made from concrete steel, composite plastic or a combination of both, and upon completion are lined with a vinyl liner. The liner will be smooth to the touch, although not as smooth as a fiberglass pool and will resist algea moreso than a concrete pool. Estimated life of the liner is several years approximately and depends on how the pool is maintained, but can be torn sooner in a variety of ways making them less popular than years ago. The warranty only covers the welded seams and not cuts. So, read the warranty very carefully! Depending on the size of your swimming pool, a replacement liner will run in the $1200-$1800 range, plus the cost of reshaping the bottom which may be considerable.