Pool Remodeling & Resurfacing in Arizona

Arizona pools can reach bath temperature by July. The options are evaporation, shade and mechanical cooling. Running a fountain, aerator or deck jets at night cools the water through evaporation, which also costs water. Shade sails or trees over part of the pool cut daytime heat gain. Removing a solar cover at night lets heat escape. A heat pump with a chiller mode, or a dedicated pool chiller, cools water actively and is the only method that works on demand. Lighter interior finishes absorb less heat than dark pebble. Builders can plumb for a chiller during construction so it can be added later without opening the deck.

The shell and the finish have different lives. A well-built gunite or shotcrete shell can last for many decades, and old Arizona pools from the 1960s and 1970s are still in service after remodels. The interior finish is a wear item and is replaced several times over the shell's life. Fiberglass shells are also long-lived, with the gelcoat surface being the part that ages. Equipment such as pumps, filters, heaters and salt cells is replaced on a shorter cycle. This directory does not publish year counts because they vary with chemistry, soil and workmanship. The best predictors are a licensed builder, proper steel and shell thickness, and consistent water balance.

That is a personal decision this directory cannot make. The case for a pool here is simple: a long hot season and a yard that gets used. The costs are ongoing. Water to replace evaporation, electricity for the pump, chemicals that burn off faster in sun, periodic resurfacing and equipment replacement. There are also responsibilities. State and city barrier laws apply, and drowning risk for small children is the reason those laws exist. Insurance may rise. Summer water can get too warm to refresh without cooling. Homeowners who swim often and keep up maintenance tend to be happy. Those who want the look without the use often find it a chore.