# Swimming pools?



## mariabc (Feb 14, 2015)

Just wondered for those of you that have a pool, how many months a year do you use it? Also do you use a heater or have a solar cover? Here in Canada we have to use a heater (powered by natural gas) at the beginning and end of summer, but just use the sun the rest of the time. Most pools here now use a salt water filtration system, chlorine is slowly being replaced.


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

mariabc said:


> Just wondered for those of you that have a pool, how many months a year do you use it? Also do you use a heater or have a solar cover? Here in Canada we have to use a heater (powered by natural gas) at the beginning and end of summer, but just use the sun the rest of the time. Most pools here now use a salt water filtration system, chlorine is slowly being replaced.



Salt water pool are VERY expensive to run.

We use a solar cover which raises the temp at the start and end of the season by as much as 7 degrees. It also reduces evaporation and the likes.


----------



## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Pools round here are usually used for about 4 months, but some hardy souls, often children, a few weeks longer.
We don't use a cover, it's not worth all that bother just to be a little warmer
Heating would be too expensive using electricity, and the solar panes needed would be half the size of the pool!


----------



## tonymar (Jan 29, 2015)

We only use it for about 3 months , have got one solar panel helps a little 

To be honest it dose seem like a lot of work for little use !

Tony Agost Alicante


----------



## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

May to October more or less. Although we use the beach too as from April to November more or less. No covers, no heating, no need for all that!


----------



## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

Our pool used to be used February to November when the children were small. Now more like April to November. No salt, heating or covers on our chlorinated pool. Quite a big body of water at about 80 to 90000 litres so seems to take a while to warm up. It was only 12 C a few days ago but has risen to 16 C the last few days.


----------



## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

July / August / Sept and that's it for anyone I know.


----------



## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

I reckon we got to just about November last year from about May.


----------



## alborino (Dec 13, 2014)

Pazcat said:


> I reckon we got to just about November last year from about May.


I look at a pool as a perfect form of exercise. And to do it 12 months a year I use a wetsuit rather than heat the water. Much cheaper


----------



## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

alborino said:


> I look at a pool as a perfect form of exercise. And to do it 12 months a year I use a wetsuit rather than heat the water. Much cheaper


That's going too far!


----------



## Gareth54 (Nov 8, 2014)

alborino said:


> I look at a pool as a perfect form of exercise. And to do it 12 months a year I use a wetsuit rather than heat the water. Much cheaper


With a weightbelt no doubt for neutral buoyancy!!
Do see on a few houses for sale that they have a PVC moveable type of greenhouse around the pool, rolled back for summer and enclosed for winter. Would still need to be heated in the winter but wouldn't lose so much heat at night.


----------



## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Gareth54 said:


> With a weightbelt no doubt for neutral buoyancy!!
> Do see on a few houses for sale that they have a PVC moveable type of greenhouse around the pool, rolled back for summer and enclosed for winter. Would still need to be heated in the winter but wouldn't lose so much heat at night.


They are very expensive!


----------



## Gareth54 (Nov 8, 2014)

extranjero said:


> They are very expensive!


Quite possibly yes, but like everything must have a breakeven point xx years from now, same as solar panels. Swimming in a wetsuit (unless underwater along a coral reef) doesn't really appeal.


----------



## windwalker (Dec 21, 2009)

alborino said:


> I look at a pool as a perfect form of exercise. And to do it 12 months a year I use a wetsuit rather than heat the water. Much cheaper


How do you keep your feet warm? This is my downfall on winter swimming.


----------



## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

windwalker said:


> How do you keep your feet warm? This is my downfall on winter swimming.


Wet boots.


----------



## alborino (Dec 13, 2014)

VFR said:


> Wet boots.


 I guess living in the south of Spain has wimped you guys up. Have you all forgotten happy days swimming at Skeggie, Blackpool or even Bognor? 

But our next spanish move might be within walking distance of Barrosa beach, Cadiz so I may not need the pool even though there is one. Thought I might grow water melons in it just so it earns its' keep. Anyone else found a good use for an unwanted pool ?


----------



## pnwheels (Mar 3, 2013)

I'm sure I read on here about a homemade solar heater using a large coil of black irrigation pipe laid out on the ground.


----------



## theiere (Mar 24, 2015)

mariabc said:


> Just wondered for those of you that have a pool, how many months a year do you use it? Also do you use a heater or have a solar cover? Here in Canada we have to use a heater (powered by natural gas) at the beginning and end of summer, but just use the sun the rest of the time. Most pools here now use a salt water filtration system, chlorine is slowly being replaced.


5 months of the year, every day if I could. Solar cover of course, warms the water and reduces evaporation/chemical usage.

On Chemicals, Salt pools are also chlorine pools via a salt chlorinators. Chlorine won't be replaced for a while as it does a fantastic job but this is separate from the filtration system which can use various methods to remove dirt etc.


----------



## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Well, we are in May now and I think our pool is starting to get very close to being not too cold.
It's a bit grubby at the moment with any luck the pool guy will finish the job and will clean it up and be ready for a try on the weekend.


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pazcat said:


> Well, we are in May now and I think our pool is starting to get very close to being not too cold.
> It's a bit grubby at the moment with any luck the pool guy will finish the job and will clean it up and be ready for a try on the weekend.


... already using ours - it's at 26 degrees.


----------



## Tammydog (Mar 7, 2015)

So is it worth buying with a private pool? Or better to have communal? Or just the sea. I was looking at private pools. But quite like the idea of being sociable with neighbours as well.. And is it expensive to run pools even without heating? Need to know any advise please as well?


----------



## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

It's personal preference at the end of the day, I'd rather have no pool than a communal one but that's just me.
It's not all that expensive to maintain one as long as no major problems start to appear.


----------



## tonymar (Jan 29, 2015)

I guess it depends how long you run your pump for each day too as electric can be quite expensive and the average pump is 750 to 1000w 

To be honest in the winter I shut our pump down to save electric , then just give the pool a good clean before we start to use it

I think a communal pool could work out cheaper and a lot less work to maintain ( as some one else dose it ) , it may be good for you if you want to chat with the neighbours , good way to make friends .

but at the end of the day it is personal preference !

Cheers Tony


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Tammydog said:


> So is it worth buying with a private pool? Or better to have communal? Or just the sea. I was looking at private pools. But quite like the idea of being sociable with neighbours as well.. And is it expensive to run pools even without heating? Need to know any advise please as well?


We use our private pool from May to October. I look after it myself and don't consider it expensive to run. No heating needed. 
Some community pools are open only from June to September and not for the whole day.
We are not overlooked and enjoy swimming late at night, starkers.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

*We are not overlooked and enjoy swimming late at night, starkers.* QUOTE


And we would, even if we were.....


----------

