Hooton Pools & Spas

We went with Hooton pools for the sale and installation of our $ 20,000 on-​ground pool, because they had the pool we wanted and the sales person we dealt with was very easy to talk to, knowledgable and informative. We did our research, went in armed with questions, called the BBB etc.
The pool was installed in the fall of 2010 and closed for the winter. The installers came back in May of 2011 to finish the install and open the pool. We did not receive a manual for either the pump or the filter, nor could the installer answer any of the questions we had about the new system. We also did not receive the reel for the pool cover, even though it was to be included. I explained that I had called back and spoken to the sales person just a day or 2 after putting a deposit on the pool, and told her we wanted a leaf net and pool cover reel. These items had not been in the original agreement, so she added them in and adjusted the price accordingly. The leaf net was delivered at the time of installation. The reel was not but we assumed it was because they would bring it in the spring and install it. They ended up charging us again for the reel and installation. It was not on the original agreement and the salesperson is no longer there so we had no recourse.
We noticed right away that the pump was louder than it should be and called them about it. We waited, and waited, called again, waited again. Finally after 4 phone calls and 4 weeks, the owner and the installer came out to check it. We were told that this pump is louder than others, that they would adjust a few things and that should do it. We told the owner that we did not know how to clean the filter, how often, etc. He said he didn’t know –he would have to check the manual, which we still did not (and still don’t) have!
The pump was still very loud and we started to have trouble with the filter not working properly, I’m assuming because the pump was not running right. Soon, we had algae. Another call to Hooton, and they sent someone out to replace the pump, finally, six weeks after we initially reported the problem to them. We have since been struggling to keep the pool clean. We’ve been cleaning the filter 2 – 3 times a week, running the pump ²⁴⁄₇ and Still have algae and small particles in the pool. We were told we would have to clean the cartridge filter once or twice a year and replace it every 5 years. We are getting a new one this week as we are at our wit’s end. I have spoken to them again about this and they say it is a tough year for everyone because of all the pollen, etc.
There has been no offer to help troubleshoot or to fix the problems. The after-​sales service has been terrible. Trying to get a question answered almost impossible. We are so disappointed and frustrated that we spent so much money on something we though we would be able to enjoy and instead it has been nothing but a hassle.