diff --git a/pool/acceptedwork.go b/pool/acceptedwork.go
index 05e208d8..4dfafb20 100644
--- a/pool/acceptedwork.go
+++ b/pool/acceptedwork.go
@@ -38,23 +38,17 @@ func heightToBigEndianBytes(height uint32) []byte {
 	return b
 }
 
-// bigEndianBytesToHeight returns the block height of the provided 4-byte big
-// endian representation.
-func bigEndianBytesToHeight(b []byte) uint32 {
-	return binary.BigEndian.Uint32(b[0:4])
-}
-
 // AcceptedWorkID generates a unique id for work accepted by the network.
 func AcceptedWorkID(blockHash string, blockHeight uint32) []byte {
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	buf.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString(heightToBigEndianBytes(blockHeight)))
-	buf.WriteString(blockHash)
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString(heightToBigEndianBytes(blockHeight)))
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(blockHash)
 	return buf.Bytes()
 }
 
 // NewAcceptedWork creates an accepted work.
 func NewAcceptedWork(blockHash string, prevHash string, height uint32,
-	minedBy string, miner string) (*AcceptedWork, error) {
+	minedBy string, miner string) *AcceptedWork {
 	return &AcceptedWork{
 		UUID:      string(AcceptedWorkID(blockHash, height)),
 		BlockHash: blockHash,
@@ -63,7 +57,7 @@ func NewAcceptedWork(blockHash string, prevHash string, height uint32,
 		MinedBy:   minedBy,
 		Miner:     miner,
 		CreatedOn: time.Now().UnixNano(),
-	}, nil
+	}
 }
 
 // fetchWorkBucket is a helper function for getting the work bucket.
diff --git a/pool/acceptedwork_test.go b/pool/acceptedwork_test.go
index 09cbbe23..ffa1a6c7 100644
--- a/pool/acceptedwork_test.go
+++ b/pool/acceptedwork_test.go
@@ -10,11 +10,8 @@ import (
 
 func persistAcceptedWork(db *bolt.DB, blockHash string, prevHash string,
 	height uint32, minedBy string, miner string) (*AcceptedWork, error) {
-	acceptedWork, err := NewAcceptedWork(blockHash, prevHash, height, minedBy, miner)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	err = acceptedWork.Create(db)
+	acceptedWork := NewAcceptedWork(blockHash, prevHash, height, minedBy, miner)
+	err := acceptedWork.Create(db)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -85,13 +82,10 @@ func testAcceptedWork(t *testing.T, db *bolt.DB) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	workE, err := NewAcceptedWork(
+	workE := NewAcceptedWork(
 		"0000000000000000032e25218be722327ae3dccf9015756facb2f98931fda7b8",
 		"00000000000000000476712b2f5df31bc62b9976066262af2d639a551853c056",
 		431611, xID, "dcr1")
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
 
 	// Ensure updating a non persisted accepted work returns an error.
 	err = workE.Update(db)
diff --git a/pool/chainstate_test.go b/pool/chainstate_test.go
index 55a41a75..db00b519 100644
--- a/pool/chainstate_test.go
+++ b/pool/chainstate_test.go
@@ -214,18 +214,12 @@ func testChainState(t *testing.T, db *bolt.DB) {
 	}
 
 	aID := paymentID(paymentA.Height, paymentA.CreatedOn, paymentA.Account)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected payment id err: %v", err)
-	}
 	_, err = FetchPayment(db, aID)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error fetching payment A: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	bID := paymentID(paymentB.Height, paymentB.CreatedOn, paymentB.Account)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected payment id err: %v", err)
-	}
 	_, err = FetchPayment(db, bID)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error fetching payment B: %v", err)
@@ -264,13 +258,10 @@ func testChainState(t *testing.T, db *bolt.DB) {
 	go cs.handleChainUpdates(ctx)
 
 	// Create the accepted work to be confirmed.
-	work, err := NewAcceptedWork(
+	work := NewAcceptedWork(
 		"00007979602e13db87f6c760bbf27c137f4112b9e1988724bd245fb0bb7d1283",
 		"00006fb4ee4609e90196cfa41df2f1129a64553f935f21e6940b38e7e26e7dff",
 		42, xID, CPU)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected accepted work error: %v", err)
-	}
 	err = work.Create(cs.cfg.DB)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to persist accepted work %v", err)
diff --git a/pool/client.go b/pool/client.go
index 061d8be5..5da61b62 100644
--- a/pool/client.go
+++ b/pool/client.go
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ func (c *Client) handleSubmitWorkRequest(ctx context.Context, req *Request, allo
 
 	// Create accepted work if the work submission is accepted
 	// by the mining node.
-	work, err := NewAcceptedWork(hash.String(), header.PrevBlock.String(),
+	work := NewAcceptedWork(hash.String(), header.PrevBlock.String(),
 		header.Height, c.account, c.cfg.FetchMiner())
 	if err != nil {
 		sErr := NewStratumError(Unknown, err)
@@ -582,9 +582,9 @@ func (c *Client) updateWork() {
 	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(b, now)
 	timestampE := hex.EncodeToString(b)
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	buf.WriteString(currWorkE[:272])
-	buf.WriteString(timestampE)
-	buf.WriteString(currWorkE[280:])
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(currWorkE[:272])
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(timestampE)
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(currWorkE[280:])
 
 	updatedWorkE := buf.String()
 	blockVersion := updatedWorkE[:8]
@@ -701,12 +701,12 @@ func (c *Client) process() {
 // reversePrevBlockWords reverses each 4-byte word in the provided hex encoded
 // previous block hash.
 func reversePrevBlockWords(hashE string) string {
-	buf := bytes.NewBufferString("")
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	for i := 0; i < len(hashE); i += 8 {
-		buf.WriteString(hashE[i+6 : i+8])
-		buf.WriteString(hashE[i+4 : i+6])
-		buf.WriteString(hashE[i+2 : i+4])
-		buf.WriteString(hashE[i : i+2])
+		_, _ = buf.WriteString(hashE[i+6 : i+8])
+		_, _ = buf.WriteString(hashE[i+4 : i+6])
+		_, _ = buf.WriteString(hashE[i+2 : i+4])
+		_, _ = buf.WriteString(hashE[i : i+2])
 	}
 	return buf.String()
 }
@@ -719,10 +719,10 @@ func hexReversed(in string) (string, error) {
 			funcName, len(in))
 		return "", poolError(ErrHexLength, desc)
 	}
-	buf := bytes.NewBufferString("")
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	for i := len(in) - 1; i > -1; i -= 2 {
-		buf.WriteByte(in[i-1])
-		buf.WriteByte(in[i])
+		_ = buf.WriteByte(in[i-1])
+		_ = buf.WriteByte(in[i])
 	}
 	return buf.String(), nil
 }
diff --git a/pool/error.go b/pool/error.go
index 683befb1..f8da7235 100644
--- a/pool/error.go
+++ b/pool/error.go
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func (e Error) Unwrap() error {
 	return e.Err
 }
 
-// poolError creates an Error given a set of arguments. This hould only be
+// poolError creates an Error given a set of arguments. This should only be
 // used when creating error related to the mining pool and its processes.
 func poolError(kind ErrorKind, desc string) Error {
 	return Error{Err: kind, Description: desc}
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ func dbError(kind ErrorKind, desc string) Error {
 	return Error{Err: kind, Description: desc}
 }
 
-// msgError creates am Error given a set of arguments. This should only be
+// msgError creates an Error given a set of arguments. This should only be
 // used when creating errors related to sending, receiving and processing
 // messages.
 func msgError(kind ErrorKind, desc string) Error {
diff --git a/pool/hub_test.go b/pool/hub_test.go
index f4d8afd7..b6540a4c 100644
--- a/pool/hub_test.go
+++ b/pool/hub_test.go
@@ -333,15 +333,12 @@ func testHub(t *testing.T, db *bolt.DB) {
 	go hub.Run(ctx)
 
 	// Create the mined work to be confirmed.
-	work, err := NewAcceptedWork(
+	work := NewAcceptedWork(
 		"00008121c7731f9f81cae3d6279e81b9e7e7ebab94fb7bf584d16ecb70fbb9dd",
 		"000033925cfb136f209b2722c4149dd53fceb0323f74b39be753887c19edcd2c",
 		56,
 		"193c4b8fd02aaed33ab9c5418ace9bec4047f61f923767bceb5a51c6e368bfa6",
 		CPU)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("[NewAcceptedWork] unexpected error: %v", err)
-	}
 
 	err = work.Create(db)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pool/job.go b/pool/job.go
index 5a4a5e03..050c5428 100644
--- a/pool/job.go
+++ b/pool/job.go
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ func nanoToBigEndianBytes(nano int64) []byte {
 // jobID generates a unique job id of the provided block height.
 func jobID(height uint32) string {
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	buf.Write(heightToBigEndianBytes(height))
-	buf.Write(nanoToBigEndianBytes(time.Now().UnixNano()))
+	_, _ = buf.Write(heightToBigEndianBytes(height))
+	_, _ = buf.Write(nanoToBigEndianBytes(time.Now().UnixNano()))
 	return hex.EncodeToString(buf.Bytes())
 }
 
diff --git a/pool/message.go b/pool/message.go
index b446e057..3579ae5b 100644
--- a/pool/message.go
+++ b/pool/message.go
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ func ParseWorkNotification(req *Request) (string, string, string, string, string
 	}
 
 	// Note that param[4] which is the list of merkle branches is not
-	// applicable for decred, the final merkle root  is already
+	// applicable for decred, the final merkle root is already
 	// included in the block.
 
 	blockVersion, ok := params[5].(string)
@@ -488,13 +488,13 @@ func ParseWorkNotification(req *Request) (string, string, string, string, string
 func GenerateBlockHeader(blockVersionE string, prevBlockE string,
 	genTx1E string, extraNonce1E string, genTx2E string) (*wire.BlockHeader, error) {
 	const funcName = "GenerateBlockHeader"
-	buf := bytes.NewBufferString("")
-	buf.WriteString(blockVersionE)
-	buf.WriteString(prevBlockE)
-	buf.WriteString(genTx1E)
-	buf.WriteString(extraNonce1E)
-	buf.WriteString(strings.Repeat("0", 56))
-	buf.WriteString(genTx2E)
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(blockVersionE)
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(prevBlockE)
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(genTx1E)
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(extraNonce1E)
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(strings.Repeat("0", 56))
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(genTx2E)
 	headerE := buf.String()
 
 	headerD, err := hex.DecodeString(headerE)
diff --git a/pool/payment.go b/pool/payment.go
index 7453c319..cd64735b 100644
--- a/pool/payment.go
+++ b/pool/payment.go
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ func NewPayment(account string, source *PaymentSource, amount dcrutil.Amount,
 // paymentID generates a unique id using the provided payment details.
 func paymentID(height uint32, createdOnNano int64, account string) []byte {
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	buf.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString(heightToBigEndianBytes(height)))
-	buf.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString(nanoToBigEndianBytes(createdOnNano)))
-	buf.WriteString(account)
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString(heightToBigEndianBytes(height)))
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString(nanoToBigEndianBytes(createdOnNano)))
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(account)
 	return buf.Bytes()
 }
 
diff --git a/pool/share.go b/pool/share.go
index bf2a71f8..758a2131 100644
--- a/pool/share.go
+++ b/pool/share.go
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ var ShareWeights = map[string]*big.Rat{
 // created.
 func shareID(account string, createdOn int64) []byte {
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	buf.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString(nanoToBigEndianBytes(createdOn)))
-	buf.WriteString(account)
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(hex.EncodeToString(nanoToBigEndianBytes(createdOn)))
+	_, _ = buf.WriteString(account)
 	return buf.Bytes()
 }
 
diff --git a/pool/share_test.go b/pool/share_test.go
index 440a3ca3..a736c478 100644
--- a/pool/share_test.go
+++ b/pool/share_test.go
@@ -49,9 +49,6 @@ func testShares(t *testing.T, db *bolt.DB) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error fetching share A: %v", err)
 	}
 	bID := shareID(yID, shareBCreatedOn)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected share id creation error: %v", err)
-	}
 	_, err = fetchShare(db, bID)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error fetching share B: %v", err)
diff --git a/pool/upgrades_test.go b/pool/upgrades_test.go
index 52a1c7f6..809817f5 100644
--- a/pool/upgrades_test.go
+++ b/pool/upgrades_test.go
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@ func verifyV3Upgrade(t *testing.T, db *bolt.DB) {
 			}
 
 			if payment.Source == nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("%s: expected a non-nil "+
-					"payment source: %v", funcName, err)
+				return fmt.Errorf("%s: expected a non-nil payment source",
+					funcName)
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -185,7 +185,8 @@ func verifyV4Upgrade(t *testing.T, db *bolt.DB) {
 	err := db.View(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
 		pbkt := tx.Bucket(poolBkt)
 		if pbkt == nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("bucket %s not found", string(poolBkt))
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s: bucket %s not found", string(poolBkt),
+				funcName)
 		}
 
 		v := pbkt.Get([]byte("txfeereserve"))