Definitely get the auto-fill but more importantly, get the overflow drain. I know several friends without it and they regret it! Also, consider solar panels for heating your pool. It easily extends your swim season by two months. Also, get the pool, you won’t regret it. Always sparkling clear and clean. Go to a neighborhood pool any given afternoon and it is cloudy and has a film of lotions and potions floating on the surface. Kinda like sharing a bathtub 🤢

Auto-fill for swimming pool.
 

Get the Auto-fill!! You will be able to "fine tune" it (pool company will do it initially),but it is a "life saver" in this hot weather when we have so much 'surface evaporation'. Anybody who has created a 'pond' because of pool overflow should checker their pool drain! There is a hole in the back of the filter basket assembly, where excess water can drain out into your 'drain track' (perforated drain/divider which separates your pool deck from your lanai, or other permanent concrete surface. If that drain becomes clogged (and it does) just take your garden hose (with a high pressure nozzle) and blow it out! No 'pond', no problem.

Auto fill and auto drain is not an expensive option. It’ll be the best decision you make in designing your new pool.

Autofill
 

If your pool is concrete I would say yes[. If your pool is fiberglass no. The difference is in the depth of the skimmer. The fiberglass skimmer is set into place lower than a concrete pool and if you vac. your pool yourself you have a long reach down and your knees will be very unhappy. I have autofill. It’s great but I also have a fiberglass pool. The best combo for autofill is a concrete pool. QUOTE=Spinner812;1824245]Our pool is scheduled to be built at the end of September. We’re trying to decide if we should have auto fill. Any advice from pool owners would be appreciated. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

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We had to manually fill vacation home’s pools before. I thought at the time an auto fill device could easily solve that problem. With additional effort, maybe there could be an alerting method if the auto filling runs too long.

I thought that electric pool heating in the winter adds about $300 a month to your electric bill. I heard that if you don’t constantly heat your pool, electric heat takes a couple days to heat up the pool and gas heat takes only a few hours. Supposedly gas pool heating is cheaper. So, gas pool heating is probably a no brainer if you have natural gas service. I also heard that saltwater pools are nicer than chlorine pools.

Auto Fill and Auto Drain are usually listed as two separate options from builders. Get them both, don't even think twice. My first two pools didn't have either, my new pool here does. Without the auto drain, your pool will overflow during a big rain... and this can damage the coping.

The auto fill works great when it's really hot out and we're not getting rain - you lose a lot of water to evaporation every day. If the auto fill fails (rare, but can happen), you'll get a higher water bill than normal, you fix it and you're OK - again it's extremely rare for it to fail in an open position. The cost isn't that much. Filling my entire pool only cost about $20.

The peace of mind you get is awesome. I remember having to pull a hose to my pool in GA at least twice a week just to add water. Then you have to babysit the hose to make sure you don't overfill.

Auto-fill for pool
 

I've never heard of this. Is this something that can be added to an existing pool and if so, who can install one?

You will need it if your ever away on vacation. Especially during the summer months when water evaporates quickly.
I have it on a water feature in my yard

just do it. why even ask us?

Definitely get the auto fill device installed. We have it- a simple toilet type float valve with an overflow pipe out To the back yard. Our sister down in Ft.Myers has no auto fill and she adds water all the time and forgets to turn it off sometimes!

Get it

I urge you to have auto fill. The Florida heat causes water in pools to evaporate quickly overnight. You can lose 2 inches a day. Without auto fill you will have to refill with your hose !

I’ve had pool for 3 years and happy that I have auto fill and auto drain. Don’t know what the extra charge is, but both save you a lot of trouble.

With 89 Swimming pools in TV I don't understand why anyone would go to the expense of having one built and then paying to have it serviced but have it. I had one in Atlanta before moving here eight years ago and I will never have another one.