If you have enough space, what can be more enjoyable than a pool party for friends and family? Not to mention the kids inviting their own friends round for an enjoyable afternoon or evening.
You might ask yourself if an outdoor pool would be a better idea, so let’s look at some comparisons.
Indoor vs outdoor
When considering what to build, it’s worth “pooling” your ideas to start with.
Outdoor pools can often be bigger than indoor ones if you have the outside space for construction and, as they don’t need a building to house them in, they can be considerably cheaper.
Bear in mind, though, the climate and how often you will be able to use an outdoor pool. In many states, you’re going to get quite limited usage, even if you have a cover. You’ll need to keep an outdoor pool heated in colder climes, and it will be costly to maintain a temperature in which it is comfortable to swim. You’ll need a machine room for the heating and chlorinating requirements and may have to regularly scoop debris out of the water. An outdoor pool is unlikely to add that much to your home’s value, though you should take advice from a realtor on this.
With an indoor pool, your heating costs are likely to be considerably less, and at warm times of year, you may not need to use much heating at all. This type of pool is an all-year-round facility and can be much easier to maintain as it is not at the mercy of the elements outside, and it is easy to control the heating. It will cost considerably more than an outdoor pool as effectively you will be adding an extension to your home, so always weigh up the cost benefits before proceeding.
Positioning your new pool room
If you think of your new pool room as an extension to your home, you need to ensure that it’s in the best position for easy access and use. If you already have a conservatory, then your pool room could be an effective addition to that. You could also use that as a changing room.
Consider the sun’s position when you site the room as when it’s very hot you’ll need to think about how warm it will be inside. Full sun for a long period of time could make the interior unbearable, though you can mitigate that by using effective screening to windows and, if it’s mainly transparent, the roof.
Effective ventilation
This is probably one of the most important aspects of indoor pool design, and you need to get it right. Maintaining a humidity level of 50 to 60 percent can be achieved with a dehumidifying system or by bringing in fresh, drier air in exchange for humid air. What you want to achieve is as little water evaporation as possible and keep the atmosphere comfortable for swimmers or for just relaxing in comfortable chairs around the pool.
A pool cover can cut evaporation significantly, by up to 50 percent, and you should ensure that you have good deck drainage so that there are no pools of water left standing – these can contribute to high humidity levels and evaporation.
Good ventilation also reduces the smell of chlorine, an inevitable part of any pool environment.
Window coverings
There will be times when you want plenty of light in your indoor pool room and times when you want to control the light and the heat that comes with it. Using waterproof shutters is an effective way of giving you that control, especially those with adjustable slats that give you the option of increasing or decreasing your light intake at will.
If you have a transparent roof, you could also use shutters designed to fit the spaces and that are controllable either manually or electronically. You could, alternatively, have skylights that can be opened when required to let hot air escape or have an open roof system with sliding doors.
The ideal pool room
Every home is different and every pool room will be different in terms of personal preference. Design with building and pool experts to get the best setting and space for your pool and look forward to a new addition to your home that will bring years of pleasure for everyone.
