A swimming pool is supposed to get you refreshed on a hot summer day. During the chilly summer, that can be a different situation. The same water that gets you refreshed could be so hot for comfort. If you’ve experienced this with your swimming pool water, you’re not alone. Various people living in hot areas suffer the same problem.
The pool water gets quite warm that which affects the refreshing value of getting a swim. But that’s not a permanent problem; you can solve it with various methods I’m about to discuss here. But before that, let’s look at the best pool temperature for a comfortable swim and why your pool water might be getting hot.
What is the best pool temperature?
With most residential pools used for leisure, their typical and ideal pool water temperature is usually between 78°F and 82°F, that 26°C and 28°C in Celsius. However, this is a generalized temperature range. Some people might want more.
Another thing, some temperatures might be dangerous for some at-risk groups of people. What’s more, some temperatures might provide favorable conditions for pool contaminants. That’s why proper regulation is required.
Why does your pool get too hot?
Is pool water is hot? What are the causes for warm pools? Typically, Pool warming and heating can be caused by outdoor temperatures, a pool heater, or a pool cover. Fortunately, if the problem is caused by the pool cover or the pool heater, it’s easily fixable. But if it’s caused by outside temperature, that is a different thing.
Pool heaters are used to heat pool water, but at times, they overdo it. Mostly this happened with pool heaters lacking a thermostat. The thermostat allows the unit to regulate itself depending on water temperature.
If it’s not there or malfunctions, the pool heater will keep heating the water until you shut the device down. If you’re busy with other tasks and forget to shut it off, the heater will heat your pool water to a hot point.
According to people using solar heating pools, the problem is the same. Such a pool cover makes the pool too hot to swim.
And you know what, most of these pool covers prevent evaporation but at the same time blocking the heat from radiating out.
And you know what, those transparent covers allow heat in and blanket it in to heat the water. If the outdoor sun is sufficient, the water temperature will rise gradually to make it chilly for a comfortable swim.
Another cause of hot pool water is warmer outdoor temperatures. So, if you live in those warm climates, the problem can be that your swimming pool is receiving a lot of heat from the sun that warms the water.
Some people, especially those living on the coast, complain of their pools getting too hot to swim. This mostly happens for pools that are 6-feet deeper or fewer.
How to cool down a swimming pool: Simple Tricks
Now that you know what might be causing your swimming pool water to heat up, allow me to introduce you to some tricks on how to lower pool water temperature.
As mentioned, a heater overheating your water or pool cover overdoing the heating job is simple-to-solve problems.
All you have to do is shut off the heater and repair, replace, or fix a thermostat to help regulate the heating. You could also remove the pool cover if that is the cause of your warm pool.
But if these two aren’t the cause, then it must be outside temperatures. Right? If so, then you have a bigger problem to deal with.
Solving it might require you to combine two or more of the following pool cooling methods to achieve effective results.
Install Water Features
One way and the most effective method of cooling a swimming pool is to keep the water moving! And installing pool fountains and waterfalls features makes it even better. It might be considered expensive by many, but it’s quite efficient.
You can install a pool fountain, pool waterfall, or other features to keep the water moving to allow evaporation and cold-air heat radiation.
The best way to use this method and not incur extra cost is by fitting the features on your pool return jets. And you know what, these pool features are not only effective pool coolers but also fun and decorative.
Adjust the Pool Landscaping
You can also control your pool temperatures by adjusting the landscape around your swimming pool to allow more air to flow across it.
In some areas, the plants and trees can block the normal airflow, limiting the amount of air moving over the swimming pool.
When you adjust the landscape, you’re ensuring enough wind goes over the pool. That way, it can quickly and effectively cool it down.
What’s more, if you have installed the pool features, the wind could maximize their cooling effect.
Use Solar Pool Cooling
If you have pool solar heating panels, you could use them to cool the pool water through Nocturnal Pool Temperature Cooling.
Like how the panels heat the water, they can cool it down when the roof is colder than the pool water. When water is passed through the panels, it’s exposed to the cold night air, thus lowering the temperature.
But you should know that the method cools the water to environmental temperature, which might also be high if you live in areas that experience warm nights like Southern Florida.
Install a Pool Aerator
A pool aerator works like a pool fountain. It’s a device installed by screwing it on to your pool return line. It sprays a water fountain to the pool using the pool pump.
During the spraying, the water drops, cools down, and returns to the rest of the water.
When the process is repeated, especially during the night, it can lower the water temperature a few degrees. It can make a noticeable difference.
If your pool has more than one return line, you can install more than one pool aerator for faster and effective cooling.
Get a Pool Mister
A pool mister works like a pool aerator. It’s an easy and cheap way to lower the pool temperature. The device releases constant mist that quickens evaporation, thus cooling the water temperatures. Run the mister at night to maximize the cooling effect.
The method doesn’t need a separate source of water. What’s more, it produces an evaporative cooling curtain that helps compensate for water that evaporates.
Use Pool Ice
If you can access a load of ice at a fair price, you can use it to fasten the cooling. Adding ice to your pool in bulk helps lower the pool temperature drastically.
The hot water will try to melt the ice and, in the process, cool down. It’s an effective method to take away the chilliness in a hurry.
According to an online how-much-ice-to-cool-water calculator, you need 2,187.5 pounds of ice to cool down a 10,000-gallon pool by 5 degrees.
Install a Pool Chiller
As I mentioned earlier, the best way to cool down a swimming pool is to keep the water moving. However, if you decide to install pool features, you’ll be forcing the pool pump to work all day and maybe night. That would cause burn out.
A better alternative is to get a pool chiller. It’ll help in circulating the water with the additional airflow, making it more comfortable and refreshing.
A mechanical evaporative chiller could even be more effective considering it will accelerate evaporation and at the same time keep the water moving.
Reverse Cycle Heat Pump for Pool
This method is called active cooling, arguably the most known way of cooling down residential swimming pools. It’s a 2-form technique.
- Reversible Pool Heat Pump
This type of heater can heat and also cool a swimming pool. It’s ideal in those areas that experience temperature fluctuations. Some of the reversible heat pumps are automatic, allowing them to switch modes as needed.
You should note, this swimming pool heating and cooling system tend to consume a lot of electricity. So, don’t be alarmed if you get higher energy bills after you install one.
- Evaporative Cooler for Pool
It’s significantly cheaper than reversible heating/cooling systems. It’s more useful in areas that require cooling but not heating since they don’t heat but cool. If installed appropriately, these systems can help reduce pool temperature by at least five degrees.
Partial Drain and Refill
Lastly, there is partial draining and refiling, depending on the pool intake source. The method works quite well, especially if the water source is a well. Well, water tends to be cooler during the hot season than surface water.
One issue you have to keep in mind while attempting this method is to rebalance the water chemistry, and it can be water wasting.
Which Option Is Best for Me?
If you live in those warm areas where you only need to cool down the water, I recommend an evaporative cooler for the pool.
If your areas get temperature fluctuations requiring you to either heat or cool the pool, a reversible pool heater system would be best. However, this is only practical for someone who has no problem paying higher energy bills. You could get a solar power generator to substitute with electricity, but the initial cost might also be high.
Pool ice is also a viable option as it will offer fast cooling. However, it’s more of a one-time strategy, and your swimming pool might heat up again fast.
You can combine the other methods to solve short term pool heating problems.
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