Counter Depth Side by Side refrigerator

[Bererera]

We are about to replace a 13 year old Kitchen Aid (side by side, counter depth) refrigerator.

In the time we've had it, I've replaced the ice maker and one other part. Now I think it needs a circuit control board which I understand they don't make anymore but you can send it somewhere to have it re conditioned (or buy new one and pay core charge, etc).

I don't think its worth replacing it because something else will go wrong.

We've looked at most brands of refrigerators. They are all pretty flashy but I want one that will give the least problems.

At Home Depot and Best Buy, both salespeople said LG better than Samsung. I'd like to see a Bosch but can't find on on display locally.
At Small Mom and Pop place they push Kitchen Aid and GE, etc.

A friend recently purchased an LG. He had to have it serviced within 6 months on warranty; but he said he'd buy another LG.

I think its a crap shoot to see if you get a good one. I want to freezing good on glass containers here, I read article on the storageboxreviews.com that it's safe.

Whats your opinion?

[lthenderson]

I have set up pools on our back patio for the girls several times over the years and can maybe offer some advice.  I never used ground clothes since the pool was sitting on a flat smooth surface with no pointy edges. If I were going to do the same thing in my lawn, I would use a ground cloth.

You will definitely need chemicals at some point to keep the water clean. I think the first year I set up the pool, I didn't use chemicals until the water started changing hues nearly a month down the road. By that time, the amount of chemicals and time needed to get the water looking clean again was shocking so in the following years, I started with the chemicals right away. But if you waiting a week, I don't think it would detrimental. In my experience, it takes a few days anyway for the water to warm up enough from tap water temperatures to even swim in the thing. As for the chemicals, I just bought a pool treatment kit that came with a tester and a formula sheet that specified which chemical and how much to add per 1000 gallons of water.

We didn't use a cover on our first couple pools but had problems with local wildlife using the pool as a watering hole and destroying the pool with their claws and or antlers. It would be fine one evening and the next evening it would be deflated with a large gash in the side. We started using covers then but that didn't help the problem. It just made them work harder with claws, teeth and antlers to get to the water. We gave up on inflatable pools. But I don't think a cover is needed. It just keeps debris out of the water to make cleaning it easier.

The best thing about these pools is that they don't cost much so even if you mess up and things go totally wrong, you aren't out a lot of money and it is easy to clean up what remains.

[Wrenchturner]

I think you should get chemicals right away, for health reasons, and a cover right away.  Wildlife might not terrorize your pool if they don't know it's a pool!  Once they know, however...

[BudgetSlasher]

Having been around inflatable pools on and off throughout my life, I'll chime in with some input.

Stop.

You say you are going to put this on your patio? Is the patio in anyway rough, especially the brushed/broomed concrete?

If it is in anyway rough, you run the risk of ruining the bottom of the pool. I have seen it happen a lovely concrete patio was a temping setup, then a bunch of adults walking on the bottom basically abraded the bottom against the rough concrete to the point of leaking in multiple locations. I do not know if a ground sheet is the right solution there; the owners of that pool used play said as a base over the concrete in the following years (I believe they replaced the pool rather than try to repair it of perhaps they tried and it was too many patches).

Now questions.

1) Ground sheet: I've seen it done both ways. A ground sheet is probably best practice, but plenty of pools have held up for years being placed on area in the yard that has had all sharp items (rocks, acorns, cacti, pine cones, and on and on) removed). So I would say if you carefully prepare the site it isn't needed.

2) Chemicals: unless you are setting the pool up for a very short period of time, yes you will need to treat the pool to keep bacteria growth down. It is best to start before it looks like it needs it, but a few days to a week probably won't be too bad. (Most people I've known have just used the floating style and kept if supplied).

3) Cover: It kind of depends on the conditions and threats. As stated above, it might help keep wildlife out (or prevent them from discovering it in the first place). It will also keep dust, pollen, leaves, and the like out. This will definitely reduce the amount of work you have to put in to clean the pool and might let the filters last longer. Still, in a pinch you can setup without it and if needed add it later.

[markbike528CBX]

Chemicals:
I have a salt-water pool.  It has a built in chlorine generator.  No chemicals needed except for some pH adjustment very occasionally.   We also have an oversized (~2x for previous pools) sand filter.
Water is bright and clear even when water temps get over 90F (32C).  Total for equipment $500.

Groundsheet:
We have a groundsheet on a thoroughly cleaned concrete surface.  Very important to have a level surface <1" (2.54cm) variation in any direction.

Solar cover (glorified bubble wrap)
Great way to have warmer water, lengthen swim season.  Generally I find the water temp with a cover will be ~ 5F (2C) less than daily highs.  This sometimes makes it too warm, so we remove the cover untill the temperature is acceptable. 
The cover also minimizes bird crap, stupid insects getting in the pool.
The cover primarily works by preventing evaporatative cooling. Get it big enough to completely cover the surface. We use 2 circle style covers in our oval pool for ease of handling.

We don't have large critters in town, so no antler damage.  We do have a privacy fence 6ft (2m).  City code requires a fence around the pool so small children don't flop in it.

Edit for metric conversion check

[Frankies Girl]

Second post for OP on this site (this one) is about setting up a swimming pool in your backyard. Ooooookay?

OP states in their first post that they are from some place called Mensfield, Texas, which does not exist.

hi, I'm Joseph from Mensfield, Texas. I am very much interested in buy some bitcoins but don't know it will be worth investment. What is your take on bitcoin 2020 investment?

If they meant to type MANSFIELD, Texas... and just misspelled the name... of the town they live in... which in itself is odd... that's a community right outside the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area.

Setting up a pool in the backyard now is quite... unusual as well, considering they already had a good freeze and temps are in the "too freaking cold to consider swimming outside in an inflatable pool" kind of way. Highs are 50/60, lows in 30s/40s. Definitely not pool/swimming weather.

And from the writing, I'd say the OP may not actually live in the U.S. at all... referring to a backyard as a "back garden" and using words like bloody and a few others... which are not common in the U.S., and referring to the idea that they are going into summer implies that they are entering THAT season, so kinda think they may be on a different hemisphere all together.



Will be interesting to see if there are more consumerist/product mentions and even links added shortly. Which is what I fully expect based on the other factors.

[markbike528CBX]

Sharp eye Frankies Girl!

The item noted by OP is available in the US (doesn't mean much).  It is 30" tall

++++Safety Note ++++++If the above-ground pool is <48" tall in my city code REQUIRES a dedicated fence.   

 I'm interested because the OP got me thinking about my setup, even though I'm in the Everbrown section of the Evergreen State and it is 30F here now. 
I'll get a new liner/frame and ladder. 
The old pool was nominal 48" and it hit the crossbar on the ladder, so new ladder (plus the old one was rusty enough to be scary).