I am living in NW Mexico where the climate is very similar to Phoenix. In fact we are at the southern end of the Sonoran desert and Phoenix is at the northern end. However, unlike Phoenix it never freezes even with an extreme cold spell. We are hoping to sell our house and build another one here. Our current outdoor pool is too cold to use from about mid Nov to the end of March. We do have a heat pump and a reversible cover but it is an infinity pool which faces the Sea of Cortez and thus the winter winds makes it impossible to keep the cover on the pool. If we build a new house it will face the water in the opposite direction so the winds will be low in the winter but high in the summer. Our humidity is low most of the year with the exception of Aug and part of Sept when rains and possibly hurricane occur. We would like to be able to use the pool every day from Oct thru July for 10 months since most of the Americans leave town during the rainy season.
The local pool builders do excellent concrete work but do not have a clue about how to properly install equipment. Thus, I need to purchase all of the equipment in the US and have it shipped down.
One of our friends has an indoor lap pool in its own building here in town with solar heat, an automated cover ($8000), a humidifier ($4000), and just a simple puck chlorinator. She never adds acid but everyone else in town does because the water is very hard. The CH of the water in town is between 400 and 600.
We are thinking that maybe an indoor pool that has an roof that opens, an end wall that opens, and a side wall that opens would be an ideal but expensive solution. In the winter the room would be kept closed. In the spring and fall the room would be open. In June, July, and Oct it would be nice to have the roof closed and providing shade to keep the pool cooler since the outdoor pools become too hot. Has anyone had any experience with an enclosure like this? Any other suggestions?
The pool would be concrete and the building could be either concrete or aluminum with glass. Fiberglass is also OK but between the termites and the salt air many materials are not practical. Don't forget that labor is inexpensive but materials other than concrete are expensive.
Other questions.
1..With the reduced loses of a pool with a cover is it a good idea to have a SWG? I currently like the reduced maintenance but I have to acid clean the SWG 4 times about once a month because of the calcium buildup.
2. I heard somewhere that a solar pool system could be run at night to cool the water. Is this true?
If we do a totally indoor pool are both the automated cover and the humidifier necessary?
3. Any other recommendations specifically aimed at having an indoor pool and/or solar heat in a relatively warm climate?
The local pool builders do excellent concrete work but do not have a clue about how to properly install equipment. Thus, I need to purchase all of the equipment in the US and have it shipped down.
One of our friends has an indoor lap pool in its own building here in town with solar heat, an automated cover ($8000), a humidifier ($4000), and just a simple puck chlorinator. She never adds acid but everyone else in town does because the water is very hard. The CH of the water in town is between 400 and 600.
We are thinking that maybe an indoor pool that has an roof that opens, an end wall that opens, and a side wall that opens would be an ideal but expensive solution. In the winter the room would be kept closed. In the spring and fall the room would be open. In June, July, and Oct it would be nice to have the roof closed and providing shade to keep the pool cooler since the outdoor pools become too hot. Has anyone had any experience with an enclosure like this? Any other suggestions?
The pool would be concrete and the building could be either concrete or aluminum with glass. Fiberglass is also OK but between the termites and the salt air many materials are not practical. Don't forget that labor is inexpensive but materials other than concrete are expensive.
Other questions.
1..With the reduced loses of a pool with a cover is it a good idea to have a SWG? I currently like the reduced maintenance but I have to acid clean the SWG 4 times about once a month because of the calcium buildup.
2. I heard somewhere that a solar pool system could be run at night to cool the water. Is this true?
If we do a totally indoor pool are both the automated cover and the humidifier necessary?
3. Any other recommendations specifically aimed at having an indoor pool and/or solar heat in a relatively warm climate?