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Running Costs of an In-Ground Pool
Swimming pools are a great addition to any home, offering a relaxing space and promoting physical and therapeutic benefits. However, there are a few things to consider if you’re building or inheriting a swimming pool.
In this article, we will be exploring how much it costs to run a swimming pool in the UK. We'll also be sharing how you can help to limit these costs using poolside equipment and accessories.
Although you might find yourself pining after a pool during the summer months to cool yourself down, it's essential to consider the reality of running a swimming pool.
The first question you should be asking is how much it costs to maintain a swimming pool in the UK.
Swimming pools are not a small commitment; they are something that you will invest money and time into over a long period. However, with the right know-how, equipment and the use of a simple schedule, swimming pools are incredibly easy to maintain, and their running costs can be kept surprisingly low.
There are many variables when accounting for swimming pool running costs:
As you can imagine, swimming pool running costs differ greatly from one pool to another. An in-ground pool that uses a swimming pool heat pump, which has 400% efficiency, will have a much lower heating cost than one that uses an electric heater with 92% efficiency.
The same goes for a swimming pool that is regularly maintained; swimming pools that are not consistently maintained will become unbalanced, which can result in excessive use of chemicals and potentially costly repairs.
It's difficult to offer an accurate figure for swimming pool running costs due to the many variables. However, here are the key things to take into account when making an estimate:
Running costs can vary anywhere from £100 to £4,000 per season. If you invest in good quality equipment and properly maintain your swimming pool, your repair and maintenance costs should stay low.
Simple techniques or equipment, such as swimming pool heat pumps, properly closing the pool for winter and investing in a swimming pool bypass kit, can also help to keep costs low.
The main cost of running a swimming pool will often be heating. Because there are so many variables, it's difficult to offer a ballpark estimation of heating prices.
Most of a swimming pool’s heat (often between 50-70%) will be lost through evaporation. You can drastically reduce this heat loss by investing in pool accessories, such as swimming pool covers.
Swimming pool covers are a great investment to consider. You can find specially designed solar covers that allow sunlight to pass through the cover and generate more heat, cutting down on your heating expenses during the summer season.
However, a swimming pool will naturally lose its heat even with the best covers available. Because of this, a heat source will be necessary to keep the temperature at a consistent and comfortable level.
Using a Bowman heat exchanger is another good way to optimsie your heating system.
To help give you an idea of how much running different kinds of swimming pool water heaters can cost, here is an example:
For this example, we will be using a 15'' x 30'' pool that runs from May to September. The pool's size requires around 10,048 kW to maintain a comfortable temperature. In our calculation below, we will be accounting for a loss of 1 degree per day.
In total, this will amount to:
You can roughly estimate your own swimming pool heating cost using our tables below:
Pool Volume (Litres)
Typical Pool Size
Heat Required Per Day (kW)
Heat Required Per Season (kW)
8,000
12’ Round
9.3
1,256
16,000
15’ Round
18.6
2,512
25,000
18’ Round
29.1
3,925
40,000
12’ x 30’
46.5
6,280
64,000
15’ x 30’
74.4
10,048
100,000
20’ x 40’
116
15,700
87.92
62.80
238.64
50.24
175.84
125.60
477.28
100.48
274.75
196.25
745.75
157
439.60
314
1,193.20
251.20
703.36
502.40
1,909.12
401.92
1,099
785
2,983
628
Calculation: Tariff per kW/hr / efficiency = kW outputkW output x heat required per season = cost
*These figures have been updated to represent the increase in gas and electric tariffs in Autumn 2021. The cost of electricity has been estimated at the UK's average of 17.50p per kWh.
For more advice on choosing a heating option for your pool, check out our guide below:
When working out your swimming pool’s running budget, you should consider the pool's chemicals.
Pool maintenance is a crucial component of owning a swimming pool. Maintaining the water's sanitisers (chlorine or bromine), pH and TA will help to keep your pool clean and safe for swimming.
Pool maintenance while in and out of use is key to preventing any unnecessary and costly expenses. If the pool is left unbalanced, the water may become corrosive, or calcium can build up. Unmaintained, these imbalances can not just make it unsafe for swimmers but also damage your pool’s equipment, which can incur expensive repairs or replacements.
To give you a rough idea of how much these will cost, you'll most likely be looking at an annual price of around £50-150. However, this will depend on the size of your swimming pool, its general usage and the water's evaporation rate.
It's worth noting that these rates can easily be reduced through the use of pool equipment and accessories! For example, closing your swimming pool for the winter season can help cut your annual costs, while investing in a pool cover will protect the chemicals from evaporating under the sun.
Another part of maintaining a healthy pool is replacing parts when necessary. Sadly, it's an inescapable process of maintaining a swimming pool. However, it will save you money in the long term.
Leaving old or damaged parts can harm your pool and heating system. It's also worth noting that purchasing better quality parts can be a good investment. They may be costly in the short term, but they will save you more money later down the line, preventing breakages and costly replacements.
You will need to factor all pool equipment lifespans into your annual budget to give you a realistic running cost average and prevent any expensive surprises from catching you out.
For more information on swimming pool running costs, feel free to contact a member of our team here at 1st Direct Pools! We’re always happy to provide advice.
