How to Make an Outdoor Year-Round Swimming Pool

Determine a good location for your pool, taking all seasons into consideration. For example, placing a pool near trees may not seem like a major issue in the summer, as the leaves stay on their branches. Come autumn, however, those leaves may fall -- and land directly in the water. Choose a wide open space for installation.

Choose a material for your pool's structure. Most in-ground pools are either fiberglass, vinyl-lined or concrete. Concrete pools, for example, are not ideal for areas where the temperature drops dramatically -- even if the pool is heated, the frozen ground can crack the concrete. In warmer areas, however, concrete pools may last for decades without any structural issues. Consult your contractor, as this decision may be influenced by soil conditions in your area.

Implement safety measures. You can't keep a close eye on your pool all year, even if you're using it all 12 months. Make sure that you have a fence around the pool with locks and alarms to deter children and/or trespassers, who may fall into the pool and drown when you're not there.

Monitor your pool diligently to make sure that swimming in the water is safe. No matter the weather outside, you must treat your pool with chemicals to make sure that it's clean and safe.

Equip your pool with accessories that help it weather a variety of climates, such as a pool cover. A cover keeps the pool clean and protected when you aren't using it, so whether you live in a tropical area susceptible to rain storms or a dusty plain where sandstorms blow through the town, you can keep the water clear.

Ask your contractor about options for heating your pool -- this is especially important if you don't live in an area that's consistently warm year-round. Even if you do live in a warmer area, a heated pool may make activities such as night swimming more comfortable, so inquire about your options. Traditional methods include heat pumps and gas heaters, but the U.S. Department of Energy recommends solar-powered heaters as the most cost-effective method of heating your pool. In areas susceptible to ground freeze, including northern states, you may have to take steps such as running your pool's filtration system non-stop to prevent the pipes from freezing.