An indoor swimming pool is a popular dream for many homeowners. However, installing a pool in your home is a big step, and it will create a major change to your living space. Here are some tips to consider before you invest in an indoor swimming pool:
Having an indoor swimming pool will allow you to enjoy a leisurely swim even on those days that are cloudy and rainy, or imagine swimming in a snowstorm! The advantage of an indoor swimming pool is its ease of access and proximity to your living area. Indoor swimming pools are equipped with heating systems that allow you to control the temperature of the water, and when you heat the space, you are able to walk around in a bathing suit no matter the temperature outside.
Maintenance on an indoor pool is a lot less as the pool is not exposed to the outside dust and debris, which are normally blown into an outdoor pool by the wind. Although cleaning and maintenance is still an important part of upkeep, indoor pools can be less of a hassle, when you want to just jump in and swim.
A pool has a way of adding a distinct type of appeal to your backyard. It’s a pristine, shining body of water accented by the flora and decor of your backyard. It gives you an urban or suburban slice of paradise.
You may want to go with something smaller to suit a cozier home, or you may want to go bigger - if you have the available space on your lot. Maybe you have a classic rectangle in mind, or perhaps you'd prefer a more natural oasis. Just like when you decorate your home, the design of your pool area is a product of the aesthetic and budget. From the shape and size of your swimming pool to its decoration, you can create the perfect space suited to your lifestyle, family, and home.
One of the greatest health benefits of swimming pools is that they offer a low-impact way to exercise. Compared to activities like running and tennis, swimming only puts a quarter of the strain on the body. This means way less pressure on muscles and joints. For this reason, swimming is an excellent option for all people and especially those with arthritis or sore joints. Since swimming is a low impact exercise, you can do everything from a few laps to a high energy sprint - and all with minimal strain on the body. This means you can go much harder during your pool workout sessions eliminating the risk of injury. A luxury that an equally challenging run wouldn’t be able to provide. You build your cardiovascular endurance just as effectively, if not more than you would with running. When you are done, you hop out feeling refreshed, and most importantly, free of swollen feet and sore muscles.
Sunshine is good for you…but not too much of it! One of the major attractions of outdoor swimming pools is the ability to sunbathe. While soaking in the sun's rays can introduce Vitamin D into the body, excessive exposure to the sun can cause skin cancer, advanced aging and eye damage, according to the World Health Organization. Indoor swimming pools can provide water-time fun without the dangers of overexposure to the sun; however if you wish to occasionally enjoy sunbathing a retractable roof can be installed above the pool.
The upkeep of a swimming pool requires time, chemicals and pool care knowledge. Many swimming pool owners know pool maintenance and keep their pools pristine. If you plan on buying a home without prior pool maintenance experience, do your research first before committing. There are plenty of professional pool companies that provide maintenance as a service. Consider using them if you don’t want the responsibility.
○ Algae are one of the most common and unsightly swimming pool hygiene problems. It’s prevented by ensuring that the water is balanced correctly, and ‘shocked’ regularly. Shock-treatment of the swimming pool’s water means that you are raising the chlorine level in the water to two or three times its usual amount, so that unfiltered waste and grease is oxidized and burnt off into the surrounding air. For indoor pools, regular shock-treatment is even more important. You can now get UV water treatment systems to help with this problem.
○ During chlorine shocking, contaminants are released into the surrounding air, so it’s important that the ventilation system for your indoor pool is efficient and effective, otherwise, the waste will simply fall back down into the water. Being able to open and close the roof and side walls ensure the chloramines are released and don't negatively impact air quality.
Residential pools must have pool enclosures that ensure the safety and security for all ages. If the pool is outdoors this means a securely locked fence if indoors there are additional benefits to enclosing the pool, namely:
A swimming pool can be a significant expense. Prices will be impacted by size, design style, special features, installation logistics (like accessibility), region, geography, and climate.
An indoor swimming pool will usually cause your electricity bill to be much higher than normal as water heating systems, water pumps, additional lighting, and other pool devices will increase your expenses. Pool upkeep averages between a few hundred dollars a year, and repairs and upgrades might increase the expense even more.
There are plenty of cost-effective pool heating options. You can lower swimming pool bills by using an energy efficient pool heater. It’s a common misconception that heating your pool is always expensive. A pool heat pump which offers an energy efficient alternative can be less than a 1/3 of the cost of a gas pool heater. And if you’re looking to extend your pool season but just a few months, solar pool heaters also offer an affordable pool heating option.
Although the benefits of having an indoor pool can outweigh the expenses, the cost to build and operate is indeed a factor that can’t be ignored so selecting features, like a retractable roof, that can reduce your operating or maintenance costs is a wise choice.
○ Recreate the allusion of being outdoors
OpenAire’s retractable roof enclosures attract and delight homeowners by satisfying the human craving to be outdoors. Our indoor-outdoor designs create all-season, sunlit homes that let pools maintain the perfect swimming conditions and temperature throughout the year. Even in the midst of winter, OpenAire’s aquatic structures give you the warm, summer atmosphere of a truly outdoor pool.
○ Energy Efficiency and Saves you money!
OpenAire’s operable roof panels open and close at the touch of a button, letting in natural light and fresh air and reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day. When the roof is open, homeowners can turn off their dehumidification systems, reducing energy use and heating pool costs. Even when roof panels are closed, the enclosure has some winter solar heat gain, while the thermally broken aluminum frames resist heat transfer and condensation.
○ Improved Air Quality
The abundant fresh air from OpenAire’s dynamic enclosures helps you to easily maintain your pool to keep an ideal temperature and excellent air-quality indoors, unlike traditional indoor swimming environments. Opening the roof and the walls (via doors and windows) creates a natural chimney effect, moving chemical laden air up and away from swimmers and their families. Many pools that feature OpenAire structures report improved air quality and a more pleasant atmosphere, which encourages the swimmers in your family to swim longer, ensuring fun for all.
○ Virtually Maintenance-Free
OpenAire’s aluminum frames are also corrosion resistant and require virtually no maintenance compared to steel structures, minimizing pool area “down-time”. Our baked-on paint technique does not require repainting and also resists rust and corrosion damage, saving homeowners even more on long-term costs.
○ Proven Engineering
Retractable roofing uses advanced structural engineering to design an elegantly proportioned roof structure design for any location. Large segments are moved into position to cover open areas, with a sturdy and strong permanent roof. Aluminum roof structures are maintenance free and come with a standard 5-year full warranty, meaning that your indoor pool remains worry-free.
OpenAire designs, manufactures and installs custom retractable roof enclosures and skylights for distinguished venues all over the world. We work with homeowners throughout each stage of the design and construction process, from design concept to manufacturing and installation to project completion and hand-over. Once your project is completed, we continue to provide service support if needed under our full 5-year warranty
No matter what type of retractable roof system you need, OpenAire can custom-design a solution to suit all of your home requirements, including unique, complicated, specialized systems that no one can match.
For more information on our products or your residential indoor swimming pool project, contact us today!
