Before you buy your swimming pool enclosure, there are a number of things you should consider to ensure it will live up to your expectations, and perform well. Please take a few moments to read through the following points:

1. Are you having a tracked or trackless swimming pool enclosure?

This is often the most difficult decision when you decide to purchase a pool enclosure. The fundamental difference, from a user perspective, between these two, is the ease of operation. A tracked enclosure can easily and quickly be opened and closed just by one person, whereas the trackless enclosures generally require two people. This is due to the fact that the enclosure modules need to be pushed, or pulled, evenly both sides to avoid the whole enclosure moving offline.

2. Is your swimming pool in a sheltered environment, or fully exposed to the wind?

This could effect the type of pool enclosure you decide to buy. If your pool is in an open area, or where a pool could be subject to high winds, then consider either a low profile enclosure, or one which is secured to the ground by tracks.

3. What sort of edging to you have around your pool?

If your coping stones are raised above the surrounding pool area, you will need to take this into consideration when taking measurements of your pool for an enclosure. This also applies if you have a raised lip around your pool. Generally many people want to have the enclosure sitting as tight as possible to the pool, if there is limited space, so any measurements will need to be at least 10cm beyond the raised copings to make sure the swimming pool enclosure clears them.

4. Is your swimming pool surround in good condition?

Is your pool paving or decking in good condition? Is it level and solid? In order for a pool enclosures to work easily and efficiently your paving should be as level as possible and also the paving should be reasonably smooth, particularly if you are not having a tracked system.

If you have opted to purchase a tracked system, then this is not so crucial. However if the surround is particularly uneven, you may need to consider fixing a level boarding, or platform to even it out. The smoother the pool surround, the easier the enclosure will operate.

5. Can you still easily maintain your pool?

When planning the positioning of your enclosures, you will need to bear in mind that you will still want easy access to filter covers, or lighting points. This is particularly true if planning for a tracked system, and your measurements will need to take into account these access points.

6. Is your pool accessible for delivery and installation?

Another often overlooked aspect before you purchase an enclosure, is the delivery and installation. You will need to consider both how easy it is for the swimming pool enclosure to be delivered to your pool side, and also how much room you have available for the installation team to work on putting the pool enclosure in place.

Many of the low profile enclosure now come virtually flat packed so there are generally few problems with access. However for larger enclosures, generally the individual Modules are delivered ready assembled, and therefore much more room is required.

7. Have you considered Planning, and your neighbours?

Another of the key decisions before you buy your enclosure is that of the overall height of the enclosure. This is partly driven by aesthetics, and partly practical considerations.

The low profile enclosures are obviously less intrusive visually, both for yourself and also neighbours. And also do not generally need planning permission. Although it is still worth notifying your local planning office to make sure you have the right approval.

The full height enclosure have the benefit of you being able to still walk around your pool even with the swimming pool enclosure on, however planning permission may be required.

Beyond this there is the obvious issue of budget, with the full height enclosure costing approximately double what a low profile enclosure would cost.

If, once you have read through this, you have any questions before you buy your swimming pool enclosure, then please contact Jonathan at UK Pool Enclosures on 0800 756 6216 www.ukpoolenclosures.co.uk.