There are many good reasons to purchase a water slide for your backyard pool. Slides are fun, visually pleasing, and able to add resale value to your home if you’re ever looking to sell. However, understanding the various factors to consider before installing a pool slide ensures you make the right choice for your pool setup.
Size of Your Pool
It’s always smart to take the size and shape of your pool into consideration when looking at various slides. You want to make sure that you have enough space for the slide in your yard and that there’s a safe distance between the slide and the pool’s edge. Unfortunately, a slide may not be feasible if you have a narrower lap pool. If you have limited space in your yard, you may want to consider a curved slide over a straight one since curved slides typically take up less room.
Slide Materials
Another important thing to consider before installing a pool slide is what type of material works best for you. Some of the most common waterslide materials are fiberglass or polyethylene plastic. Different materials have different advantages and disadvantages. For example, it helps to understand how to maintain a fiberglass water slide before buying one, as damage can occur to this material type otherwise. If your slide receives direct sunlight, you may want to opt for plastic that won’t stain or fade as easily.
Water Hookups
Most water slides can connect directly to your pool to use the same water that goes through the pump. Even if you can make the direct connection through the pool, we recommend hiring a plumber to install a sideline that allows water to flow through the pool pump and water slide simultaneously. The sideline typically goes underneath the pool and doesn’t stick out too much, so it’s well worth the investment if you plan to use your water slide regularly.
