Originally Posted by latinasojourn

truth is i'm doing research on this now. we live in temperate climate and want to swim all year round.

the worst problem of an uncovered pool is maintenance, and the fact that you need to drain it in the fall. cleaning up leaves and lawn clippings that blow into the water everyday when it is uncovered, etc. outdoor pools just get dirtier, and need more maintenance because of that. usually you will want to heat the water (a little bit) in the summer time to keep it 80-85 degrees. buy your chemicals at home depot.

a pool in wisconsin should be indoor IMO. humidy damage will be the main problem to worry about in your pool house. i would suggest going to an "all glass" type building to take advantage of avail passive solar heating and lower light bill. you need a roof ventilation system to wick away moisture but not lose too much heat.

depending on pool size heating might cost 400-1000/month gas bill so you have to build in every conservation measure you can.

if you are just starting to build you might want to consider a longer "lap" pool which will allow exercise swimming, but hold less water to keep energy costs down. make one end deeper for diving.

check google "swimming pool enclosures".

if you are a serious swimmer you should have an indoor pool. lots of people where i live have pools and only use them 10 times a year. big expense if you don't use it.