Are you ready to give up on your swimming pool, but you desperately need to convince someone else in your life to green light a pool removal? We have ammunition for you. Few people understand the full impact pools might have on our life and our environment. It can be surprising when you tally it all up. Here are five good reasons not to own a swimming pool. We think any one of these reasons is good enough on its own to ditch the pool.

1. It Costs a Whole Lot

Have you ever really tallied it up? Pool costs tend to arrive a little bit every month. A new cover here, some chemical replacements a month later, then there is a heater repair. Not to mention that running the pool bumps up your utilities and your water bill every month. To figure out how much your pool really costs you, look through your last year of spending and add up:

  • The costs for all chemicals, from pool shock to algae treatments
  • Any money you spend on paying someone to clean or maintain the pool
  • The utility costs for running the pool heater and pump
  • The water bill costs for filling the pool
  • The cost of pool accessories and toys
  • The money you spend on safety accessories like covers and floatation devices
  • The cost of sealing, cleaning, or repairing surfaces near the pool
  • The money you spend on repairs of any pool equipment
  • The cost of buying replacements for pool equipment

If you’re like most homeowners, you’ll find that a pool actually costs you thousands per year.

2. There are Real Health Risks

People who sell pools and pool chemicals like to gloss over it, but research has found that there are health risks to being exposed to pools and to their chemicals. Irritation, skin damage and respiratory irritation are a start. Babies exposed to pool chemicals can develop asthma. Competitive swimmers may do the same and may also lose teeth enamel, and research into this area is just getting started.

Thinking of skimping on chemicals to protect yourself? Don’t. There are also health risks from swimming in even properly treated pool water, including picking up parasites that are resistant to chlorine and can make you sick.

3. You Spend a Lot of Time on Them

You test your pool at least once per week and spend time putting chemicals in it too. You clean it, you arrange for it to be maintained, you open and close it. Many people spend more time taking care of their pool than they actually spend in it. You might say that’s fine if your kids spend a lot of time in it, but, especially as children get older, they tend to spend less in them anyway.

4. There are Safety Risks

If you had to guess how many people drown in swimming pools per year, what would you say? Sadly, eleven children in the United States die in a swimming pool every day. It is actually the most common cause of death for children aged 1-4.

5. Swimming Pools Aren’t Sustainable

Pools use a ton of water, which is a serious concern in many parts of Texas. Plus, when pool water evaporates in our sunny conditions, some pool chemicals go with it and end up in the local environment. There are many more sustainable ways to swim over having a pool in your backyard.