View Full Version : Unheated pools
Gamedude
12-04-2005, 00:26
Not having been to Florida before June/July, I was wondering whether the water in the pool of the villa would warm nicely. Pool heating is expensive so didn't want to pay if no need.
If I don't have the pool heated will it limit the time I can use the pool. Sorry if this sounds a stupid question, just not sure what to expect.
In June/July many people will choose not to have pool heat but it is purely down to personal preferences. We like the pool heated even in August when we go as we don't like the water to feel cold, however many are quite happy to have a refreshing pool to cool down in[msnwink]
I would agree with Ruth, its purly down to preference, but you may have reasons like very young children.
Its very refreshing to get into an unheated pool but there again not many people like the shock of cold water hitting their bodies in one go [msnoo].
Tough decisions good luck [msnwink]
E. Cosgrove
12-04-2005, 01:07
Personally I would not need the pool heated in July/August. Apart from the fact that I find it warm enough to swim without the heat, like Ruth says, it is actually nice to use the pool to cool down.
We once visited in August and I found the sea too warm[msneek]It just wasn't refreshing enough.
Each to their own eh?
Speak to your villa owner, it may be possible to have the heat switched on after you arrive if the water is not warm enough, but there may be a cost implication for this and also you will have to arrange to make the payment possibly direct to the MC.
LiesaAnna
12-04-2005, 02:06
but what about the evenings? is it still warm enough then?
i can imagine it being lovely and warm during the day, without having pool heated!
not sure what i would expect during the evening????
We also like to have the pool heat on whatever time of year we are there - the water feels cool when the air temperature is so hot. If you dont have the heat on, sometimes by the evening the water has heated up and feels very pleasant compared to the evening air. Just depends whether you like a cool shock or not!
KarenScott
12-04-2005, 02:27
I must admit I would want the heat on no matter what time of year it is but as previous responses have stated it is down to personal preference.
I think if you are unsure then I would ask the villa owner if you can say no for now but have the option to have it turned on if you feel it necessary once you arrive.
I've never had a guest ask for pool heat in June, July, August or September as the weather gets so hot! If you get there and find you really want the pool heated, you can always order it up after arrival. The MC will be happy to come and turn it on for you I'm sure.
I don't think you'll find your swimming time limited as the temperatures don't go down too much in the evening during the summer.
Before we owned a villa we never had pool heat when we went to Florida in the summer months but even in August my husband has refused to get in the pool because the water was too cold. I think as some of the others have said it is all to do with the air temperature.
As I like to swim rather than just play about in the pool I prefer to have the water on the cool side otherwise you end up feeling exhausted. If on the other hand I had young children or I just wanted to play with the kids in the pool with the pool toys I would like the water to be warmer.As people have already said it is all a matter of personal preference. :)
andrew01
12-04-2005, 03:36
My husband and I spend our lives arguing about heat. I turn the heating thermostat up he turns it down. It's just the same with the pool, depends on who gets there first[msnwink]
Margaret
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/Villas/1413.aspx
Cruella DeVilla
12-04-2005, 08:17
Matter of preference I think. We were in the pool yesterday with no heat. It was 76 degrees and fine once you get in!!;)
caroline
12-04-2005, 11:19
76! Brrrrrr - there's nothing would get me into water at that temperature[msneek] I like a nice toasty 85 - 90 [^]
E. Cosgrove
12-04-2005, 12:02
I would cope with that CDV, I am a swimmer and once in the pool would power up and down.
Not too sure about lazing about at those sort of temps[msneek]<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Cruella DeVilla
Matter of preference I think. We were in the pool yesterday with no heat. It was 76 degrees and fine once you get in!!;)
[/quote]
Ray&Sarah
12-04-2005, 12:16
Our boys prefer not to have the pool heat on in the summer, but then they do some training as they are members of a swimming club. If I had little ones I might be tempted to have the pool heating on anyway as they get cold quite easily as they are not so active in the water.[msnsmile2]
When we were out last july, our pool temp was at least 84 degrees every day. This without pool heat and no pool blanket. It felt cold when you first get in as the outside temperature was normally higher.
jolliffee
12-04-2005, 14:38
I like the spa heat on, and sometimes the pool heat too; ok I admit it I'm soft just have it on all the time...
I would also bear in mind how much of the time are you going to be using the pool. If it's a first time visit people are often too busy out and about to worry much about the temperature of the pool. Others who have been to Florida on a number of occassions might spend a lot more time around and in the pool and want to be sure they can get full use of it.
Whatever you decide I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.
Jeff
Our most recent guests have complained that the pool is too hot and asked to have it switched off. I don't think heat is necessary in summer months - Pool heater wil only heat to mid 80s, if air temp is 90-100 it will still feel cool. Once you are in water will feel nice and warm.
Ruth did you use the old Burntisland open air pool that drew water straight from the sea - I think the temperature rarely got above 40degrees even mid summer. We used to travel about 20miles by train to swim there - it was awful.
Drew
Cruella DeVilla
12-04-2005, 18:09
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by E. Cosgrove
I would cope with that CDV, I am a swimmer and once in the pool would power up and down.
Not too sure about lazing about at those sort of temps[msneek]<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Cruella DeVilla
Matter of preference I think. We were in the pool yesterday with no heat. It was 76 degrees and fine once you get in!!;)
[/quote]
[/quote]
The water was 76 the actual temp outside was 86! Lovely[8D]
pieman790
12-04-2005, 19:19
We always put our pool heat on even in the summer months.
Our pool is normally around 90-95f when we are there and is just about right.
We also have young children who hate cold water. That's my excuse and im sticking to it.
SunLover
12-04-2005, 20:15
Pool heat, as others have said, is a personal preference, but I would add, regarding your comment that pool heat is "expensive", that when it is taken into consideration that electricity and gas prices in the USA are absolutely astronomical, pool heating is in fact extremely good value for money. :)
The pool water is normally 10F below the level of the air temperature without pool heating so, in June/July/August the pool water temperature is going to be around 80F or so.
If you can imagine heating water about 65 times the volume of your home hot water system for around 8 - 12 hours a day, then you can imagine that this is fairly expensive! Given the high charges in Florida for gas and electicity, the prices charged seem a bit of a bargain for me for a whole week of this.
Cruella DeVilla
13-04-2005, 20:20
Just put ours on this morning, so we shall see what the difference is like[msneek]
DisneyDreamer
13-04-2005, 21:13
We are planning an Xmas visit next year, the villa has a solar cover over the pool...do these make any real difference?
chrizzy100
13-04-2005, 21:47
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by SunLover
Pool heat, as others have said, is a personal preference, but I would add, regarding your comment that pool heat is "expensive", that when it is taken into consideration that electricity and gas prices in the USA are absolutely astronomical, pool heating is in fact extremely good value for money. :)
[/quote]
I can back you 100% about the high cost of Electric and gas.......[msncry][msncry][msncry][msncry]
I'm going in August and I've asked our villa owner to have the pool heating on. I think she was a bit surprised because no-one had asked her for it at this time of year before. Maybe we're all softies in our family, but we've always needed the heating on even in July/August. The couple of times we tried it without heating we were very quickly on the phone to the agent to switch on.
Also, we've got four children who will happily play in the pool all day every day, so I prefer it to be "comfortable". This year, we're bringing my parents, who are well into their seventies and we want them to get good use of the pool as well.
Tonish
Gamedude
14-04-2005, 00:05
Thanks for the opinions about pool heat. When I meant expensive I meant the total extra expense to me financially as we are going for 4 weeks. I can understand why it costs so much but this is a lot of money to me and so wanted a few points of view to help me decide.
Thanks all.
I was over late september/October last year and did not have the pool heated so I would be very surprised if you would need it heated in July/August.
I thought the temperature was just nice.
We had Kids aged 3-11 with us and we could not get them out of the pool at night.
No, thankfully it had already gone when we moved here. I now spend at least 4 hours a week at the Burntisland pool as the children go to swimming club but it is now a beautiful modern facility well protected from the elements:D:D
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by drew2
Ruth did you use the old Burntisland open air pool that drew water straight from the sea - I think the temperature rarely got above 40degrees even mid summer. We used to travel about 20miles by train to swim there - it was awful.
Drew
[/quote]
resorthomerentals
16-04-2005, 00:08
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by DisneyDreamer
We are planning an Xmas visit next year, the villa has a solar cover over the pool...do these make any real difference?
[/quote]
The solar covers on the pools in the winter months make a HUGE difference. Not in heating the pool up - you need a heater to do that, but in keeping the pool warm when not in use. Without the solar cover, the heater can be running all day just to get the pool up to temperature, but since the heater doesn't run at night, the pool cools down very quickly. The end result is a cold pool the next day, and the heater having to work overtime to warm it back up again. The pool will cool off much more quickly than it will heat up.