Intex pool review. What to expect when setting it up, accessories to buy and using it the next year. Is it worth it?
We’ve lived in the middle of the country since 2017, and let me tell you, summer is no joke! The humidity and heat last from about May thru late October.
I don’t know about you but I can’t drive 45 minutes to the lake every day with my kids.
The lunches we pack. The gear we bring; clothes, snacks, towels, chairs, floats, toys, suntan lotion, and trying to carry a couple of kids. Oh yeah, try to relax too.
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The simple fact was that as much as we love the lake, it turns into an all day, energy sucking, event. We needed an easy, summer, every day solution. One that didn’t break the bank.
Something us adults could also enjoy, that was low maintenance and able to take down if we needed to.
INTEX POOL REVIEW
Intex Pool 12ft 30in
We bought this Intex pool the summer of 2018. Since we had a 3 year old and a 5 year old at the time, we needed something small, but enjoyable.
HOW TO SET UP AN INTEX POOL
Even though your ground may look level enough, I promise you, it’s not. Level enough with even the slightest slope equals one side being very full, and the other side with a 4 or more inch difference.
Tools
- Rake
- Shovel
- 2×4 board
- Level
- 10 or more bags of dirt
First, clear the area of any rocks or debris.
Spread the dirt over the the area, using the board and level to fill in any low gaps.
Once the ground is level, you can start to set up your Intex pool. Our pool is the Intex 12ft by 30 inch pool, but that doesn’t mean that it has 30 inches of water in it. The 12x30in pool has sides that go up to 30 inches but with the medal poles and keeping it below the splash line, it has less than 24 inches of water in our little pool.
Follow the Intex pool directions
We laid down a tarp under the pool and attached all the legs and footings. Next we connected all of the pump hoses.
It took us about 40 minutes to set up the first time, with most of our concentration centering around how to correctly set up the pump.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A 12FT 30IN INTEX POOL TO FILL WITH WATER
As you fill this pool up, you’re going to want to walk around and straighten the legs and fix any creases as best as you can.
It took about 3 hours for this size pool to fully fill up using a garden hose.
HOW MANY YEARS DOES AN INTEX POOL LAST
We’re firm believers in taking care of our things. This will be our third summer using this pool. It has the same liner and leg attachments. The only thing we did need to replace the second year was the pool pump itself.
Do you take it down in the fall?
Yes, we do. Every October we pick a nice day to take down and clean the pool. We clean the underside of the pool with soap and water and allow it to dry before storing it in the garage.
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Has your pool ever gotten a leak?
Yes! This year we inspected the inside of the pool before filling it with water and found two small holes. We used Flex tape to fix the problem and filled it with water as soon as it was set up. So far we haven’t had another issue.
Did your Intex Pool have bugs!?
What?! Um, yes. It did. So the first time we set up this pool I noticed tiny little red/orange bugs around the metal frame. They bit and were so bothersome. Immediately I suspected that it had come from the packaging. I can’t say for sure if it did or not but looking around online I was not the only person to have this issue.
We fixed the problem by spraying the bugs with bug spray with deet. It took a couple of days to fully kill them off, but it worked. I haven’t had a problem with any sort of bugs since.
INTEX POOL ACCESSORIES
Fence- First of all, if I was going to buy a pool I needed to put a fence around it. Our fence is actually a dog fence. The reason I chose this was because I wanted a gate to get through, but I also turned it inside out so that the latch is on the inside. That way little hands can’t get to it.
*note-one set is not big enough to go around the entire pool. We bought two and that worked only because we have pool next to the house.
For added safety you can also check a pool alarm-
Vacuum- At first I didn’t think I needed a pool vacuum, but after a while it was clear I needed a little something to clean the bottom. We vacuum ours about 3 times a week and it only takes 15-20 minutes.
This pool has two hoses that lead to the filter. If you cover one of the hoses with the cap, the vacuum has better suction. It’s a pool, there is still some maintenance.
Skimmer- The vacuum came with a skimmer but to get all the little things its easier just to use a mesh kitchen strainer. Get one for each of the kids and make it their job.
IS BUYING AN ABOVE GROUND POOL WORTH IT
This pool was well worth it for us. Instead of hectic beach days that require parents to do all the heavy lifting %100 of the time, we get to walk out onto our deck and enjoy the summer sun without all the extra snacks and 5 year old meltdowns.
Pros- You save gas, time, sanity, less expensive trips to the waterpark. Small enough that they can stand in it. Big enough they can learn to swim underwater.
Cons- They never want to come out.
We still go to the lake but its more of a special weekend trip, and because of that, us parents enjoy it more as well.
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