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Hello there guys! Today, we will discuss everything you need to know about the ideal water temperature that is perfect for your swimming pool. However, before we dive right into the article, I just want to quickly point out that all of the information that is provided in this article is entirely based on my personal real-life experience. Hence, you can be sure that all of the recommendations and advice that are available in this article have been tested and proven to work in real life. So, without wasting any more time, let’s get right into the article now!
Useful link: Everything you need to know about swimming.
Answer Section
What is a Comfortable Water Temperature for Swimming Pool？ Based on the data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), a safe and comfortable water temperature would range from approximately 78 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperatures that fall anywhere between this are considered to be safe and generally comfortable for most people.
In most cases, you only need to be extra careful with water temperatures if you’re dealing with an extreme level of water temperature. The level of risk for every individual varies depending on their current state of health and the type of activities that they’re engaging in.
Read On
Next, let’s take a closer look at why knowing your pool’s water temperature is important and why does it matter. Knowing your pool’s water temperature allows you to have better management of the potential growth of bacteria and algae in your pool. The water temperature is known to affect the chemistry levels of your pool negatively. The higher the level of your pool’s water temperature, the higher the possibility for bacterial and algae developments to take place in your pool.
So let’s say that the water temperature of your pool is around 85 degrees Fahrenheit. There’s a high probability that there will be some algae and bacterial developments that will take place in your pool which is a bad thing. In a nutshell, it’s a good idea to maintain your pool’s water temperature at 86 degrees Fahrenheit or use chlorine to prevent any bacterial developments from taking place in your pool.
When Is It Suitable to Increase the Water Temperature of My Pool?
Your pool’s water temperature should never exceed 95 degrees Celcius; however, a pool with a higher water level may be suitable for certain groups of people. People with a medical condition such as arthritis and specifically the elderlies may find that water with a temperature between 90 to 92 degrees Celcius may help ease their joint pain. The reason is that warmer water helps to loosen up the muscles and stimulates more blood flow, which causes moving underwater to be bearable.
This explains why most aerobics instructors would typically recommend exercises in warmer water to help loosen up the muscles and joints. On top of that, water temperatures between 84 to 90 degrees Celcius are also good for new swimmers that just getting started learning how to swim（video）. This is because these levels of water temperature help keep new swimmers calm and relaxed during the lessons.
When Is It Suitable to Decrease the Water Temperature of My Pool?
There are many rumors about swimming in cold water, but there’s also plenty of health benefits linked to swimming in cold water. However, it’s always wise for you to understand the risks that come with it and only use extreme water temperatures under the supervision of a certified doctor.
Now, you might be wondering how cold the water of my pool can be before it has the potential to cause harm to me? Well, according to the data provided by the National Center for Cold Water Safety, water temperatures that are less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit are considered sufficiently low to cause shock, complete loss of control to the respiratory system, and death.
In addition, water temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit are extremely painful to the skin; it almost felt like your skin is burning. The only time it’s suitable to use cold water for swimming is when you need to train for the Olympics and have a professional monitor you 24/7. The only reason why cold water is used in most swimming competitions is that cold water will not cause the swimmer to get dehydrated or overheated over time. So unless you’re training to get that gold medal, there’s no reason for you to swim in cold water.
How Do I Measure the Water Temperature of My Pool?
There’s plenty of ways that you may use to measure the water temperature of your pool. In a case where you own a heater for your swimming pool, you will most likely be able to find a built-in thermostat that can provide you with a stable temperature reading. However, if you don’t own any heater, that’s fine, as you can always purchase a pool thermometer instead.
There are three types of pool thermometers in the market currently, and they are:
- Infrared Thermometer
- Digital Floating Thermometer
- Analog Floating Thermometer
The infrared thermometer will automatically measure the temperature of the water just as soon as you point the device to the water. This is by far the easiest thermometer that you may use to measure your pool’s water temperature. On the other hand, the digital floating thermometer has either a wireless display that you can set at another location or a display on the thermometer to provide you with the reading. Finally, the analog floating thermometer looks pretty much the same as a regular thermometer, and you may obtain the reading by looking at the mercury line.
How Do I Control the Temperature of My Pool?
To control the temperature of your pool, you will need to buy a type of pool heater, assuming that you’re not living in an extremely hot climate country. A pool heater is necessary as it helps you to maintain the water temperature of your pool at a safe and comfortable level. Fortunately, most of the pool heaters that are available nowadays would usually have thermostats built-in. This is to ensure that the pool heater would automatically run if the thermostat detects low water temperature and vice versa.
However, if you want to prevent your pool heater from running all around the clock, then there are things that you should do to minimize the excess heat loss. Firstly, you need to understand the concept of heat loss. Heat loss happens during the night when the cool air from the surroundings hits the warm surface of your pool.
This causes the heat energy of the water (heated by your heater) from your pool to lose to thin air. This, in turn, causes your electricity bill to increase. So, it’s wise for you to invest some of your money to get pool cover to prevent this from happening. The best type of pool cover that you can get is a solar pool cover. The reason being is that a solar pool cover may help you to reduce your electricity cost by converting sunlight into electricity. This means that you can take some loads off your heater.
To make sure that your pool’s water temperature is properly regulated, you will need to ensure that you do regular maintenance and repairs (when needed) from time to time. This is why having a decent pool thermometer is crucial. If you notice that your heater is working overtime with minimal effect or your water temperature is not how you expect it to be, then it’s certainly the time for you to inspect all of your equipment.
Safety and Efficiency
In a nutshell, there are several factors that you should consider when you’re deciding the optimal temperature of your swimming pool. However, you don’t have to worry much about it as for as long as you set the temperature anywhere between 77 to 82 degrees Celcius, you should be fine. On the other hand, if your main concern is the total energy cost, it’s highly recommended that you start somewhere at 77 degrees Celcius instead for the first few days.
This is done to gather as much data as you can about the energy consumption of your heater for the first few days. By doing this, you will not only be able to know the estimated cost per month of operating your heater, but you will also be able to know for certain whether you’re comfortable with the temperature of your pool water or otherwise. As mentioned earlier, if you want to save more energy, then it would be best to get a solar pool cover to cut some electricity costs.
However, if you’re more concerned about dealing with issues such as arthritis or you simply need a swimming pool for relaxation purposes, then you might want to start somewhere at 82 degrees Celcius first and then adjust the temperature according to your needs and preferences later on. The most important thing is for you to make sure that you always prioritize safety above all else. You should always test the water manually by yourself right before you allow your family members, especially the elderly and small children, to swim.
