Cold water is becoming a hot commodity.
Where for so long, focus fixed on the ability to heat water to provide therapy or extend the swimming season, today the ability to manipulate water temperature has trained in the other direction.
In the deserts of the Southwest, which saw record heat waves last summer, extending the swim season means reducing the temperature to make the water comfortable in the hottest months. Recent market trends makes this even more of a concern: Smaller, shallower pools and those with dark interior finishes reach higher temperatures more quickly.
“So we’re 100 degrees in July, and if you’ve got a dark-bottom pool that’s 4 to 5 feet, that can easily reach 95 degrees in July and August. So there’s a lot of frustration,” says Mark Uberecken, owner of Unified Pool Solutions in Katy, Texas, a suburb of Houston. “I have people with these pools saying, ‘It’s bath water in July so it’s not enjoyable. This pool that we spent $100,000 on? It’s not any fun to use.’”
In places like the Northeast, pools generally don’t transform into cauldrons during summer. But nationwide interest in another form of cold water has reached those regions. The health and therapy benefits of cold plunges, with water hovering at approximately 50° Fahrenheit (10° C) are gaining more attention.
“We are seeing an increase in that type of technology,” says Michael Todd, president of Rainbow Pools in Fishkill, N.Y. “Instead of putting in a hot tub at their house, they’ll put a very small cold plunge for therapeutic [benefits].”
On the commercial side, Todd sees more clients opt for cold plunges rather than steam rooms because of health and sanitation concerns with the steam.
“Anytime you’re shooing water through the air, especially in a commercial application, it’s very, very expensive to make sure it’s up to Board of Health standards,” Todd says. “So there’s definitely a trend in the industry of going toward cold plunges.”
And, as with so many things, resorts are exposing consumers to cold plunges and the possibility of chilling pools during summer. Those travelers are starting to ask pool builders and renovators for the same abilities.
“I’ve always been of the belief that whatever happens in Europe, some of our wealthier clients will take vacations there and say, ‘I want that for my house,’” Todd says.
Fortunately, manufacturers are producing technologies that can provide these products and experiences in a residential setting at more affordable prices than before. Here, professionals discuss these technologies and offer tips for their sales and installation.
Taking the edge off
To reduce pool temperatures, two technologies are gaining traction.
The first is most widespread, with more of the major equipment manufacturers coming out with their versions. This entails a combination heat pump and chiller, which can perform both functions with the same basic technology. To cool the water, it reverses the flow through the unit.
These units can cool the water substantially, with at least one model capable of reaching cold-plunge levels. Some can be controlled and programmed to reach specific temperatures. But how cold the water can get depends on factors such as the ambient temperature, size of pool and turnover, says Darren Tamburrelli, president of Phoenix-based California Pools & Landscape of Arizona.
A heat/cooling pump probably will not bring a large pool down to 50 degrees.
“The higher the temperature, the larger the pool, the longer it will take to be effective,” Tamburrelli says. “It’s hard to give a definitive temperature, because there are too many variables that can affect that. If you size it correctly, we’ve seen it be very effective in the Arizona market.”
Tamburrelli and his team have found that getting a small, spa-sized body of water down to 50 degrees usually can be done in less than a day.
“If you’re just trying to take the chill or heat off a pool, you’re probably looking at a half day to move the temperature a little bit,” he says.
While the equipment does the job at substantially lower upfront costs than before, they will use electricity and potentially require the addition of electrical service to the property. When discussing this with customers, first and foremost check to make sure they can accommodate it with the capabilities they have.
“Like running an air-conditioning unit, there’s some cost involved, depending how often you use it and the differentiation of temperature that you’re trying to gain or maintain,” Tamburrelli says.
Mechanical option
Another type of technology enables homeowners to gradually reduce temperatures by modest amounts to take the edge off during hot summers.
Using a mechanical process combining fans, sprays and cooling ponds to aerate the water so that heat transfers out of it to the air, these systems work best in smaller pools, says Uberecken, whose service company offers the technology and its installation as part of its list of services.
With no freon and using considerably less electricity, the systems do not cool to set levels. Uberecken tells customers it can reduce temperatures 10 to 15 degrees overnight but it’s not guaranteed, as it is dictated by dew point, sun exposure and depth.
“I want to see a 10-to-15-degree drop, but sometimes if the outside temperature doesn’t drop enough or we’re extremely humid, some of that could be difficult to achieve,” Uberecken says.
These systems also use significantly less power and cost less upfront than most heat pump/chiller combinations, he adds. Because they rely on lowering ambient temperatures, homeowners who choose this technology will have to run their pools at night, Uberecken says.
For the system to work at its optimum, they absolutely require the clearances specified by manufacturers — just as a heater would. In this case, it needs 18 inches.
“I’m really a stickler about asking for 18 inches of nothing around them,” Uberecken says. “I don’t want anything restricting my cross flow — I need that air moving. We have a very mechanical process, so we’re asking the environment to do a lot for us.”
In his warranty work, he’s come across installations with obstacles close to the unit, which limited the equipment’s cooling ability. “They’ll have fences around them on three sides, and there’s just dead air in a corner that’s blocked in on three sides,” he says. “You don’t get much cross flow. One unit was struggling to cool down 6 to 8 degrees at night.”
The size of the unit itself is considerable, then add the clearance and you have a substantial footprint. Because of these concerns, Uberecken makes sure to survey the site, ensuring the equipment will fit with proper clearances before planning to move forward with the installation.
“A conversation over the phone is going to make it really difficult to see the entire picture,” he says. “If they have any other infrastructure in the backyard that could block some of the cross flow, that would be a really big thing.”
Expert advice
Regardless of the technology you use, there are some guidelines builders and installers should follow.
With these systems, it’s important to manage customer expectations. They need to know the limits of the technology and the kinds of environmental factors that can affect its performance. They should also be prepared for how long it takes for the water to cool. Uberecken believes this is especially important in areas like he works, where the humidity can reach high levels. The higher the humidity, the more difficult to cool the water.
In addition to providing the proper amount of venting area for the equipment, certain design choices can promote cooler water.
“Placement is a big thing — look for less sun exposure,” Tamburrelli advises. “The color of the interior is a big one: If you have a white interior in Arizona, it will help keep the pool cooler. Then depth: A pool that is 8 to 10 feet deep will stay cooler in summer versus something that is shallower.”
To optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the equipment, place it as close to the pool as possible.
“If you’re trying to chill the water, and [the plumbing’s] going under hot ground, then you’re heating the water [as it travels],” Tamburrelli explains. “We’re not using insulated piping, so you’re going to constantly lose some heat or cool elements as the plumbing travels underground.”
