How to Reduce the Temperature of Your Swimming Pool

How can you cool down hot swimming pool water during extreme heat conditions? If you're not enjoying your swimming pool because it's as warm as your bathtub, know that you can get your hot pool water back to a cool and refreshing temperature. While dumping large blocks of ice into the pool may seem like a great idea, the cost is prohibitive and the effect is only temporary. There are other ways to control the heat so you can enjoy your pool again.

Causes for Warm Pools

Warm pools are typically caused by one of the following: outside temperature, pool cover, and pool heater. Fortunately, if the problem is with the cover or the heater, you can fix it. Remove the cover and allow your pool to cool off, or switch off the heater. 

If you live in a warmer climate, the problem can be something different entirely, and it can be harder to control the temperature. Those of us residing down South and on the West Coast know all about hot pool temps caused by 90-plus degree days.

If your pool is above ground or fewer than 6 feet deep, direct sunlight can heat the pool to the upper 80s in some cases. The thing is, the sun acts like a heat beam. If the sun beats down on your above ground pool, two things work against you: heat surrounding the pool, and heat reflecting off the shallow pool.

Ways to Cool the Pool

If you are dealing with an overheated pool, consider a pool cooler. Yes, there is really such a thing and they are quite simple. A pool cooler is a large pool is similar to the heating unit. When the warm pool water flows in, it bypasses a fan, which cools the water. The cool water circulates through the pool and can drop the water by as much as 10 to 15 degrees. pool coolers are a hefty investment and require professional installation and maintenance. 

The easiest and cheapest way to cool your pool is to add a swimming pool water feature, such as a swimming pool fountain or aerator.

There are many types available which can connect to your pool's return line. By spraying the water into the air some of it will evaporate, drawing heat out of the rest of the water and thereby cooling it down. This is the same method employed by the old water cooling towers you used to see on top of buildings.

You will get the best effect if you run the fountain at night, taking advantage of the cooler temperatures that will also help cool the water. Yes, you will lose more water to evaporation than normal, but this will be a small price to pay to increase the enjoyment of your pool. The increased use of the pool can save on water by reducing the number of showers taken by the family with a net result of saving on water.

More Ways to Chill the Pool

What if you don't have the cash to install a pool cooler or fountain in your pool? There has to be a cheaper option, right? Don't add ice to the pool. It is ineffective and may throw the pool out of balance. If you want easier and cheaper pool-cooling options, try the following:

1. Install misters around the pool area. You can install them on the side of a building, onto a hose, or an awning, or on a nearby wall.
2. Install an awning on the pool so that it shades the pool during certain times of the day.
3. Build your own tower. You can use trash cans, PVC pipe, hose, and a fan or ice. This is for the skilled DIYers, and it is not meant to be a permanent solution. Instead of spending money every summer on a DIY contraption, you might as well make the investment.