Enjoy Your Pool Long Past Labor Day
Don't give your pool and patio the cold shoulder just because the air is chillier. New accessories can help foster a warm relationship
When the weather starts to cool down, most homeowners believe they need to shut down their pool until summer starts to heat up again. But today's pool products and accessories can push your swimming season from early spring through the fall — and put energy savings in your pocketbook during the summer too.
Consider the investment you've made in your outdoor living space. Products that allow you to enjoy your pool a few months more every year can give you a better return on it.
Consider the investment you've made in your outdoor living space. Products that allow you to enjoy your pool a few months more every year can give you a better return on it.
Snow-melting cable systems can be installed fairly easily underneath patio areas to keep outdoor areas warm and free of frost and snow. Pricing begins at $10 per square foot for materials only.
Automatic freeze protection can keep your water flowing, even in freezing temperatures. A Jandy AquaLinks System automatically turns on the water features in your pool when the temperature drops below a certain preset point.
iAquaLink Smart-Phone App
Cooler temperatures do mean you'll have to heat your pool if you want to keep swimming — unless you love a good icy swim. Smart-phone apps like the iAquaLink allow you to control all aspects of your pool and outdoor living space — such as spa and outdoor lighting — anytime and from anywhere.
If there is a danger of dropping temperatures, you can turn pool equipment on or off with a flick of the finger. You can also check the air and pool temperatures.
If there is a danger of dropping temperatures, you can turn pool equipment on or off with a flick of the finger. You can also check the air and pool temperatures.
Jandy Pro Series EE-TI Heat Pump
This Jandy Pro Series EE-TI heat pump can save as much as 80 percent of the energy that alternate heating methods require to heat your pool, extending your swimming season by at least a couple of months. These heat pumps simply absorb free heat from the air and transfer it to the water, making the heating process efficient and ecofriendly, with lower energy bills as a result. While an upfront cost of more than $8,000 may give you sticker shock, this may be a worthy investment in the long run if you love to swim and live in a four-season climate.
An inexpensive out-of-pool option is an outdoor heater, which can warm a swim-up bar or other gathering space, or simply the area where swimmers get out of the pool. Look into wall-mounted options as well as freestanding units. One option, a Danville wall-mounted heater, will run you $260.
If you're still in the process of planning your pool, consider adding a fire element for those chillier autumn nights. This fire pit integrated with the pool design provides not only another entertainment area for the homeowner and guests, but a warm reprieve for swimmers during cooler weather.
This custom fire feature is a perfect example of how to incorporate a fire element near the pool in an outdoor living area. Placing it between the pool and the outdoor seating area allows it to benefit both spaces.
Fire elements like these bowls by Fire By Design are a great ready-made option for outdoor pool fire features.
Houzz Photo
Pricing varies, and some of these units can be costly, so be aware before adding one to your wish list. Complete units with electronic ignition, such as this one from Fireside Expressions, start at $2,500.
Tell us: Do you like to use your pool in cooler temperatures? Share your cold-weather swimming tips with us in the Comments section below.
Tell us: Do you like to use your pool in cooler temperatures? Share your cold-weather swimming tips with us in the Comments section below.
