How Warm is Too Warm for My Pool?

No one wants to be jumping into a freezing cold pool, right?  And a hot pool always feels so luxurious, but did you know, that there is such a thing a too warm pool?

Different pools are used for various activities.  For example, a spa pool/Jacuzzi is supposed to be warm, and then ice therapy pools, need to be cold.  However, for swimming pools, there is an optimum temperature range.

What are some of the dangers of having your swimming pool too warm?
One of the biggest dangers is the negative effect it has on your body.  For every degree higher than the optimum range, an adult must consume an additional 1 litre of water every two hours.  Most people do not do this, and as a result, are at a huge risk of dehydration.

Other effects on the body can be even more severe.
During swimming, the heat from the body normally dissipates into the water, but if the water is too warm, the body is unable to cool itself down, resulting in spasms, and muscles that are unable to perform properly.

Our heart is our most important muscle.  A too warm pool can affect your heart, causing heart arrhythmia, because the organ can’t pump efficiently.  Lungs can also be affected as they are also muscles, resulting in lung failure, or worse, the inability to not swallow water, and aspirating into the lungs, causing a form of drowning.

Other issues caused by a pool being too warm, is that the pool becomes a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria.  A pool over 30°C is the provides the best climate for these pathogens to breed and reinfect unsuspecting swimmers, thus gastrointestinal illnesses increase.

Algae also thrives in warmer temperatures, increasing the need for pool chemicals and cleaning.

Now this all seems very dire, however, it need not be.  Keeping your heated pool between 25-28°C (+/- 1°) will provide a nice, comfortable pool, while not effecting your health.