Is It Possible to Heat a Pool in Winter and Swim?

Can you swim in a heated pool in winter?

If you are an ardent swimmer, you must be worried when fall and winter set in because that is the start of many months of cold.

It is too cold in winter, but you should never let that stop you from enjoying a swim in the cold season.

So, can you swim in winter in a heated pool? You would need to make the swim short enough, and the pool temperature should be between 70 and 90°F/23.8°C to 32.2°C. Beware of the risk of hypothermia.

Imagine being able to prolong your swimming season and swim into the fall and winter, or at least part of the winter season. That would be awesome. You might also be able to swim in cold weather without a wetsuit.

Can you swim in a heated pool in winter?

Most people ask: Can you swim in a heated pool in 60-degree weather? Well, if you are from the UK, you know we measure temperature using degrees Celsius, while our brothers from across the ocean use Fahrenheit.

In this case, though, 60 degrees means 60°F. Thus, in Celsius, this is 15 degrees. It is too cold! Therefore, the chances of experiencing hypothermia are very high. This is when the body starts losing heat to its surroundings.

To answer the question of whether you can swim in a 60-degree heated pool in winter, maybe you can take a quick dip, but not a stretched swimming session. It would be better to heat the pool to 80°F (26°C).

Life-saving tips for swimming in a pool in winter

If you get your weekly cardio workout from swimming, you know that not even the winter is going to keep you from swimming.

Here are a few tips to help you enjoy swimming in the cold seasons:

You can heat your swimming pool

You can increase the heated pool temperature in winter to swim longer.

Having a heated swimming pool is the real deal for swimming in winter. It will bump your energy bills somewhat higher. However, if you and your family love swimming, you will find it really worth it.

Heating a pool requires you to buy specialized equipment. This could start with a solar blanket, but a gas pump might work best.

When you heat the pool, it is best to keep it covered because that might help you save on costs.

In another article, we are going to see how you can heat a swimming pool for free. It is possible, you know, but it might not be as effective as using the gas heating method.

When buying a heat pump for your pool, ensure that it can work in cold conditions. You need to know that it can work in conditions below 50°F.

Just swim in the cold water with precaution

In another article, we discussed the benefits of swimming in cold water. If you do not want to heat the pool in winter, you can take a dip in the cold water. This has its benefits, especially when it comes to swimming to lose weight.

However, you should be aware of cold water shock and hypothermia, so you would need to dip gently into the water to get your body acclimatized to the cold.

This is not the time to jump into the water. Unfortunately, your kids will not swim in the cold swimming pool, so it will be you alone enjoying the pool.

One of the benefits of taking a dip in cold water is that you enjoy better blood circulation. It can also enhance the rate of metabolism since the body needs to generate more heat.

Thus, the body turns to its reserves of fat to produce energy and heat. That is how cold water swims contribute to losing weight.

Install an indoor swimming pool

If you must swim in cold water, you should think about installing an indoor pool. There are so many advantages to having an indoor pool.

One of them is that you can swim during the day or night, or even when it is raining torrents outside. Also, by nature, most indoor pools are small, so even heating yours in the winter should be easy.

If you have enough indoor space, you could even set up a small, hard-sided above-ground pool.

Wear the right swimming gear

When you are swimming in an outdoor pool in cold weather, you should use the right swimming gear for cold water. For instance, you need to wear swimming gloves.

You also need to wear a swimming cap, or even two! This is not the time to swim in a pair of swimming trunks but you should wear a wetsuit for swimming, unless the pool is heated.

You will also need more preparation before getting into the water than you would need when swimming in the summer.

Longer warm-up sessions, good timing, and even taking a hot drink or snack before taking a dip can help you quite a lot.

Do not swim too long

Even if the pool is heated to 26°C, it will not stay heated for hours on end. Thus, it is best to swim for as long as necessary or for as long as the water remains warm.

If you are swimming in a cold pool and it is winter, only last a minute or two in the water. Anything longer than that will cause the body to lose heat to the surrounding cold water.

Can you heat a pool in the winter?

You can heat your swimming pool in winter and extend your swimming season. If this is what you intend to do, there is no need to winterize your swimming pool by covering it and such. Please note that this is not mean you won’t have to prepare your pool for winter. You need to.

There are various ways to heat your pool so that you can swim during the winter. Here is a brief look at them:

Solar blanket

The solar blanket is not going to necessarily heat the pool, at least not considerably, but it can prevent evaporation.

It can also capture whatever heat is available from the sun and trap it, making it possible to save money on heating costs. Apply the solar blanket when the weather is cloudy because this is when evaporation takes place.

Gas heater

Running the gas heater can get your private swimming pool ready faster. Irrespective of the weather, you can heat the water and enjoy a warm dip in the winter.

Gas heaters for pools work faster than heat pumps, which can work the heat slowly during the winter.

Please note that this is not a very cost-efficient method, and it can cost you hundreds of dollars a month to run.

Heat Pump (air source)

As the name suggests, an air source heat pump captures the heat from the air and passes it into the swimming pool water.

You can heat your swimming pool at a very low cost. For every unit of power that these pumps use, they will produce 6 units of heat.

The only disadvantage with these heat pump types is that they don’t operate well in low temperatures. If the outdoor temperature drops below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the pump switches off.

Heat pump: water source

If you live in a place that gets very cold, say, below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, this type of heat pump is going to be more suitable for your needs.

The installation process for these types of pumps is costly, but you will recoup that cost from the low energy bills. It needs to be installed in a well since it will transfer heat from the large water sources to your swimming pool.

Can you swim in a heated pool in 60-degree weather?

I guess the question we should be asking here is: Is 60 degrees too cold for swimming? And it is!

If the temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, you are advised to swim with caution. This means wearing a wetsuit for swimming so that it can keep you warm in the water.

You might also have to wear a pair of swimming gloves to keep your hands warm. For your feet, wear swimming socks made of neoprene.

If you heat the swimming pool, you can swim even when the outdoor temperature is 60 degrees, or even below that.

However, for this, you must use a heat pump, a gas pump, or a solar blanket to keep the water warm. If you are swimming in the open water, wear the right gear.

Wear swimming socks made of neoprene. They will trap heat against your skin, so you will not lose heat to the surrounding cold water.

Also, wear a latex or silicone swimming cap. It is going to protect your hair and head against extreme cold.

Can you heat an above-ground pool in the winter?

You can heat an above-ground pool in the winter. Likewise, you can heat a saltwater or chlorine pool easily and extend the swimming season for more fun.

Some of the ways that you can heat an above-ground swimming pool in the winter include using solar blankets, an air source or water source heat pump, or even a gas heat pump.

Just find out the outdoor temperature first. Air source and gas heat pumps do not work well in temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you live in an area that gets really cold winters, install a water source heat pump. It is more efficient and will operate well.

In addition to heat pump installation, you need to do regular maintenance for your swimming pool. Also, cover it if there is falling snow, so it doesn’t collect too much.

Can you swim in a heated pool in winter: FAQ

One of the ways to swim throughout the year is by heating an outdoor pool in winter. However, you might need some clarification regarding the same. Read this FAQ section; it will help:

What temperature should I heat my pool at in the winter?

The best temperature for swimming in the pool in winter is 26 to 28°C. If it is lower than that, you will be at risk of suffering from hypothermia.

26°C is comfortable, even for kids. In summer, you can swim in lower temperatures, and the same applies when swimming in the ocean.

Can you swim in a heated pool in Florida in the winter?

If the temperature of the swimming pool in Florida drops to 50°F, that is too cold, and it could lead to hypothermia. You would need to heat the pool.

If it is between 70 and 80°F, you can swim without the need to heat it. If you have an indoor pool, that too would be fine to swim in.

Are pool heaters worth it?

They are a good investment for a person who loves to swim during the cold seasons. While you might not swim throughout the year, you can swim from late April to around mid-October, and that is a long time.

Is 75 too cold to swim?

75°F/23.8°C is good to swim in. If the pool is below 60°F though, you will need to heat the pool because you will be at risk of suffering from hypothermia.

To keep swimming in the pool in the cold season, you need to invest in a heater that can keep your water between 70 and 80°F.

Is 85 degrees warm for a pool?

The recommended pool temperature for adults is 70 to 80°F. However, that might still not be good enough for children and the elderly. It is recommended that seniors and children swim in pool temperatures of 80 to 90°F.

Should I turn on my pool heater in freezing weather?

There are two main considerations here:

If the surface of the water is frozen, do not run the heater just yet. Break the ice to clear the skimmer doors.

It is best to avoid turning on the pool heater when the water is frozen because the heater can sustain damage.

However, if you intend to keep the pool running in the winter, you need to make sure the heater is running all the time, keeping the water temperature above freezing point.

Only turn the heater on when the temperature of the water goes below 78 degrees. Usually, keeping the water at 78 degrees Fahrenheit or slightly above that is comfortable enough for most people.

Conclusion

Can you swim in a heated pool in winter, and how high should the temperature be? It is recommended that you swim in pool temperatures between 70 and 90°F, with the lower one being good for adults.

The high range of 80 to 90°F is best for children and seniors.