Summer’s here and keeping cool and having fun is on everybody’s mind. Don’t currently have a pool? Maybe you’re thinking about adding one. It’s a significant investment, so carefully weigh the advantages and drawbacks before making a decision.

Amount of Use
If you live in a region that is warm for a majority of the year, you will obviously use a pool more often than a family living in a colder area. This means a pool is a much better investment in a warm region.

You need to think about how much your family would actually use a pool. If you enjoy spending time outdoors together, a pool could be a great idea. If you’re looking for a way to exercise at home, swimming is an excellent aerobic activity. Having a pool right in your backyard could even motivate you to exercise more often.

Space Considerations
You also need to consider how a pool will impact the appearance of your property. If you have a large backyard with plenty of room for a pool, it might make sense to install one. If your yard is on the smaller side, a pool might take up a lot of space and not leave enough room for other recreational activities.

Costs
Consider the overall cost of owning a pool. This includes the price of the pool itself, installation and maintenance. Pools require a significant amount of work. Chemicals need to be regulated, leaves and other debris need to be removed and repairs need to be made. Weigh the long-term economic costs and the amount of time you would spend on maintenance against how often you would use the pool to figure out if installing one makes sense.

Resale Value
Think about how installing a pool would affect the value of your home if you decide to sell it down the road. If you live in a region with many hot months and all of your neighbors have pools, installing one yourself could help you get a better price in a competitive market. If you live in an area where it’s only hot outside for a short period each year and very few people have pools, installing one could work against you. Prospective buyers might not want the hassle of maintaining a pool that they would barely use and might prefer to search for a house without one.

Weigh the Pros and Cons
A pool can be an excellent place to relax with your family and entertain friends in the summer. It’s also a significant expense, so you need to carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages to decide if it makes sense for you. Think about your city’s climate, whether other homes in the area have pools and how much time you would spend using it to decide whether a pool is a wise investment.