Find a retailer in your area by zip code. Click for demonstrations of our most popular products. Click here for help or to ask a question. You are here » Solar Swimming Pool Heaters This five-bedroom, four-bathroom house in The Dominion has a beach-entry pool with a spa and waterfall and is listed at$1,495,000. It has a covered flagstone patio with an outdoor kitchen and flagstone decking around the pool. It has a covered flagstone patio with an outdoor kitchen and flagstone decking ... more This seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom house sits on about 2.24 acres in The Dominion. It has a resort-style pool with waterfalls and a cabana plus two guest quarters and a viewing gazebo for$2.55 million. Attractive hardscape and landscape around the pool are important features that buyers look for when buying a home with a pool. This four-bedroom, four-bathroom Cordillera Ranch home has two swimming pools with beach entry, a pool bathroom and two spas for $2.95 million.

Thinking about installing a swimming pool for your home? In-ground pools are a good investment for families who want a cool, refreshing sanctuary from the San Antonio heat. Wedding Dresses In AlbaniaBut consider this: They don’t necessarily add high resale value, said John Flournoy Jr., a managing broker with the Phyllis Browning Co.Unusual Outdoor Furniture Uk “People put pools in just like they buy big cars,” Flournoy said. Outdoor Furniture Plastic Foot Caps“Why buy a (Mercedes-Benz) when a Chevrolet will get you down the road? It’s an emotional thing. I don’t know if it will get you back every penny, but you do it for the sheer enjoyment of it. You don’t look back.” Flournoy said most sellers only recoup about 40 to 70 percent of their initial value, depending on when the home is sold and what condition the pool is in.

Homes with swimming pools generally sell for more during the summer than they do during the winter when the water isn’t as inviting. But for many families the investment is well worth it. “Nine months out of the year, you can really enjoy your pool,” said Leslie Brewer, a real estate agent with the Phyllis Browning Co. “The significant value is the value of enjoyment.” Homes with in-ground swimming pools sometimes polarize buyers. “People fall into two categories,” Flournoy said. “Some don’t ever want a pool, and some want and only look at houses with pools.” But well-maintained pools can give listings an edge over other properties, Brewer said. “Homes that have pools are going to bring a little bit more money and they’ll bring up the price per square foot,” Brewer said. “A lot of these properties sell faster.” Residential swimming pools allow parents to easily watch their children as they splash around and they are often cleaner than public pools, said Stephen Korbar, a San Antonio-based custom pool builder.

“Having children in a controlled environment is a huge benefit, as opposed to a public pool where you might not have your eye on them all the time, or a neighbor’s pool where they may get into some potential danger,” Korbar said. “What we see with most of our customers is they want to have a pool so they’re in control.” But having a fenceless pool at home can be a risk for families with small children, and parents should take precautions to avoid drowning accidents. Kids under 4 who can’t swim can easily drown in even the shallowest of pools, so parents should build a fence with a locking device to prevent them from getting too close to the water’s edge. Hot summers and mild winters make San Antonio ideal for lounging in the sun. In-ground swimming pools are very common in higher-end homes here. About two out of three residences priced above $700,000 have pools, Flournoy said. The lower a home is priced, the fewer the chances are of it having a pool. Homes in the $200,000s are likely to have above-ground pools.

Brewer said most homes with in-ground swimming pools in San Antonio are in the city’s North Side, which generally has more affluent residents. Installing an in-ground pool is a big investment. Korbar said installing an in-ground swimming pool can cost between about $30,000 to about $50,000. The cost greatly depends on the size of the pool and additional features. Maintenance costs also can be high. In times of drought and subsequent watering restrictions — San Antonio currently is in Stage 2 restrictions — pool owners have to be extra careful to minimize evaporation. “Water is at a premium right now,” Flournoy said. “It’s a continuing expense, but people look past it all the time. They know their kids are only young once. They want pools when their kids are late in elementary school, middle school and high school.” Under Stage 2 restrictions, all non-public swimming pools must have a minimum of 25 percent of the surface area covered with evaporation screens when not in use.

In the heat of summer, swimming pools lose up to an inch of water per day to evaporation. Placing a solar cover on the water’s surface greatly reduces evaporation. Even inflatable pool toys or floating decorations help, Korbar said. Solar covers also can increase the amount of time families can enjoy their pools. Swimming season in San Antonio is from about March to October, and solar covers can extend that time frame by about a month by creating radiant heat from sunlight. “It’s like a blanket,” Korbar said. “It keeps warm water in the pool.” To ensure a swimming pool has a long life, the water’s pH level must be kept at an ideal balance. If the pH level is too acidic or too basic, it will quickly deteriorate plaster surfaces. “It’s all about water chemistry,” Korbar said. “There are some customers that have a plastered pool that may last 20 years and not need any maintenance, and some can only have them for seven years because they’re not taking care of it.”