Americans are spending big money on backyard pools

The backyard pool has become a big moneymaker.

A combination of factors has been fueling the trend for years. Many Americans are moving to the suburbs, migrating to warmer states and increasingly looking to make their own yards better places to spend time in.

Retailers and distributors such as Leslie’s and Pool Corp. are aiming to conquer the large and growing pool supply market, which offers pretty steady revenues from consumers trying to keep their pool water from turning green.

There are some short-term challenges – including a shortage of chlorine tablets resulting in part from a large fire at a plant in Louisiana that has created a chlorine shortage constricting supply and raising prices.

Longer term, pullbacks in the housing market could restrict new pool construction. But once a house has a pool in the backyard, the most economical thing to do is maintain it, so companies who bet on maintenance are likely to see steady sales.