– Making the most of Indoor Pools
Graceful Adelaide Hills Glasshouse
Building a pool indoors is all about allowing you to swim whilst protecting you from any adverse weather conditions. In South Australia we have long, cold winters and some of the harshest UV rays on the planet, so it’s no wonder an indoor pool is a desirable proposition! To decide whether you want to build a pool inside or out, it’s important to ask the question: “How am I going to use this pool?” and deciding whether the added protection is required for your purpose.
Exercise
We all know that maintaining a consistent exercise routine is important for our health and wellbeing but jumping into a chilling body of water in the depths of winter is a difficult feat for even the fittest of lap swimmers. Adding a heater an outdoor pool year-round may seem like a feasible solution, however it is neither affordable nor efficient. Building an indoor pool insulates your pool area from heat-loss, allowing you for comfortable cost effective swimming year-round!
Therapy
If you’re building a pool to aid with physical therapy, access to and from the pool is an important factor. Injuries and mobility issues can make the trip across through the garden to an outdoor pool a treacherous proposition, particularly if the weather is blustery or wet. As such, building your pool indoors is the safer and more practical option when its main purpose is physical therapy.
Leisure
We all love to jump in a cool pool on those scorching Aussie summer days, but who loves having to change into a rashie, lathering yourself in sunscreen and waiting for the prescribed 15 minutes before taking the plunge? Save yourself and your kids from the rigmarole by building an indoor pool, sheltered from the dreaded UV rays! Many indoor pool rooms open out onto the garden so that you can still enjoy the great outdoors without the great risk of skin cancer.
Relaxation (Spas)
Unwinding after a long hard day at work is important for our mental health. Whether your thing is a soak in solitude with a glass of wine, or a happy chat with a group of friends, a spa is a worthy addition to your pool area. Unfortunately, the weather gods aren’t always accommodating of our plans which can ruin that post-dinner party spa session everyone was keen on! Building your pool and spa indoors gives you the opportunity to relax no matter the weather.
Heating Options for your indoor pool
Keeping your pool at the optimal temperature will maximise your pool usage and enjoyment, but with rising electricity prices and increasing carbon emissions we all want to keep our energy use to a minimum. Housing your pool indoors increases the efficiency of your chosen heating system, which can be further improved with automation and the inclusion of a blanket.
Solar
Solar heating is the most efficient heating system because all it needs to do is slowly circulate the pool water through the tubing panels on your roof while the sun is shining. Although it is very efficient, it is only effective when the sun is shining which may not be suitable if you wish to swim year-round in your indoor pool.
Heat Pump
Heat pumps combine efficiency with utility by extracting heat energy from the ambient air. Far more efficient than traditional electric heaters, heat pumps are often net-zero carbon emitters when paired with an appropriately sized solar array. Heat pumps can be programmed to switch on at certain periods of the day or above certain temperatures, allowing for efficient control over your swimming pool temperature and energy use. Larger heat pumps can be quite an investment, but as indoor pools do not lose as much heat as an outdoor pool, often a smaller, more affordable model can be specified.
Gas
Gas heaters have been the workhorse for rapid pool and spa heating for decades, however their popularity is now in decline due to their carbon footprint plus increasing installation, maintenance, and energy costs. It is important to note that if a gas heaters is to be installed indoors, installing a flue system is essential to vent the exhaust gases.
Electric Heaters
For rapid pool and spa heating, electric heaters are starting to become the more obvious choice. A number of technological advances and composite material developments have resulted in some fantastic heating units. With less maintenance issues, no requirement for a flue and potential net-zero carbon emissions in combination with a PV array, electric heaters are the new gas.
Indoor Pool Design
Design outcomes
In order to achieve the best possible outcome for your indoor pool, it is important to set some design outcomes with your swimming pool builder, as well as your architect or building designer. Your desired use, access, outlook and location are some important factors to consider, which Urban Oasis can resolve in your swimming pool design with our in-house design team.
Engineering
Building a swimming pool indoors has engineering implications for both the swimming pool itself and the building enclosing it. The interface between the pool and the building itself must be carefully considered, as well as any loads transferred from the structure to the pool and vice-versa. At Urban Oasis, we work with experienced swimming pool engineers to address the structural requirements of your pool.
Ventilation
A warm swimming pool will evaporate water into surrounding air. When building an indoor pool, it is therefore vital to allow for ventilation in your pool room to avoid humidity, condensation, and mould. We can work in partnership with your builder or architect to ensure appropriate plans are made to ventilate your pool room.
The Bottom Line
Whether you plan to build a pool for exercise, therapy, leisure or relaxation, you can protect yourself and your family from the elements by building an indoor pool. At Urban Oasis we can tailor all of the requirements for your indoor pool to your needs, making sure you have the best possible experience during the build and beyond!
