How long is swimming season in Central Florida? Should I build now?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
U

ufbrandon

0
Apr 27, 2016
6
Tampa
Hello all, newbie here! My pool builder is telling me that I can expect a total of approximately 5 months from signing a contract for the pool to be ready to swim (4 weeks for permitting and then 3-4 months to build pool, deck, and screen enclosure). He said it was conservative estimate. But, of course, the rainy season is coming and I know this is peak pool-build season anyway so who knows where we will be in line.

My question is, if the pool is not ready to swim until around October-November (we would probably sign contract sometime in May), should I consider waiting until October/November to sign the contract so the pool will be ready by around March-April? I would hate to pay all of this money just to look at some pretty water until next spring!

Or, is the pool swimmable in November and December in Florida on average? It will not be heated. I know it will depend on how deep the pool is, how many gallons, and how much sun (among other things). Our pool is only going to be from 3-5ft deep (more of a lounging pool), about 10,000 gallons, and it will be in the sun (assuming it was in the ground today based on the sun;s current position) from 10:30am-6pm. The front of our house faces East, and the pool is in the back (West) side of the property with no big trees around it. Of course, it will have a screen enclosure that will likely affect temperature.

Thanks so much!
 
Hi! Love my FL people!

So lets dive right in! hehe

Your fill water-how cold is it? That will be a good starting point for this question. Now add it that you will not be able to run the heater (if you get one) for at least the first two weeks at least because of plaster dust.All of that = burrrr to me and burrr=NO swimming for this hot water girl!

Saying that if you sign in Oct-Nov time line=hitting the holidays BUT it might also mean a little less money due to it being in the slow season.

It is up to you. Weigh it back and forth.......if go ahead you KNOW you will be swimming next spring as soon as your water heats up and you will have all fall and winter learn how to care for you pool.

Kim:cat:
 
I'd say wait as well. Seeing that pool get built would be exciting, but think of the letdown not being able to likely use it :( Also, it would then run, maybe appear ok, then in April you start swimming and notice issues. With that much more elapsed time it will be more difficult dealing with the pool builder.

I'd shoot for a March completion myself. Then again, if my house didn't come with a pool I may have said "Install the dang pool, now, I just want to see it!" :)

You're enclosure will keep your pool a little cooler. But with a pool that size and in the Tampa area and full sun you'll likely wish it could actually cool it come late June. I don't get the heat like you up here in the panhandle, but by June many friends complaining theirs is too hot and mine is just right. Only issue is it also didn't warm as fast, so I now have a little tiny, undersized heat pump.

Don't forget a pool build thread with pictures though, whenever you start!!
 
With no heater you'll be waiting either way till June to swim in Tampa. Whatever the builder quotes you, add another month or so. Plus if you build during rainy season, add more time.
 
Cant swim until June???? How could that be possible in Tampa? I'm swimming in New Orleans now and the water is 84 all be it is assisted by solar even though the weather has been horrendous this year. Being a former Floridian, I am sure that the water will be in the low 80s before June.

Having said that, I'm shopping for a heat pump right now....sick and tired of waiting on clear skies. Pool dropped from 84 to 76 the last 3 days with constant rain!!!!
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
rick999 said:
Cant swim until June???? How could that be possible in Tampa? I'm swimming in New Orleans now and the water is 84 all be it is assisted by solar even though the weather has been horrendous this year. Being a former Floridian, I am sure that the water will be in the low 80s before June.

Having said that, I'm shopping for a heat pump right now....sick and tired of waiting on clear skies. Pool dropped from 84 to 76 the last 3 days with constant rain!!!!
Click to expand...

Pools not assisted by heaters or solar tend to follow the Gulf water temps. I think right now the gulf is upper 70's so pools without heaters are within a few degrees of that. I've grown to like my pool warmer so I'll be waiting.
 
The most important question: how long have you lived in Florida?

In your first two years, you can swim 12 months in South Florida, 11 months in Central Florida.

Then the swim season shrinks as you get spoiled. :)

My pool only goes to 4.5 feet in the middle, we get about 2 weeks more on each end of our season than full depth pools...
 
Alex_H said:
The most important question: how long have you lived in Florida?

In your first two years, you can swim 12 months in South Florida, 11 months in Central Florida.

Then the swim season shrinks as you get spoiled. :)

My pool only goes to 4.5 feet in the middle, we get about 2 weeks more on each end of our season than full depth pools...
Click to expand...


That is so FUNNY!!! but so TRUE! I'm from the north myself, and I remember swimming in the ocean in Miami in April when I first moved there. People thought I was crazy....nope....just grew up on a SPRING FED LAKE in the north....after that you can just about swim anywhere!

20 something years later....80 is my cutoff point though if it is a nice nice day with warm sun, maybe 75.

For sure though air temp has a lot to do with the comfort which is why Im installing 2 infra red heaters.

Third world problems huh
 
My advice - pay for the solar. It's well worth it. When you pool gets in the high 80's in the summer, run the pump at night with the solar on - that can cool things off!

Not to mention, in Orlando, my pools been in the the low 80's for 60 days or more. Of course, we had "summer" mostly all winter, so there's that.

I've got 8 Fafco panels on the roof and shut the system down last week, then, we get this "cool-off" with night time lows in the 50's and sucks the heat right out of the pool again!

I remember, as a kid, visiting Toronto in July and jumping in the pool at the hotel there. Growing up in Orlando area and used to swimming in a warm pool, I thought these people were CRAZY - the water temp was probably 70 and they thought it was great!!

Florida living definitely spoils you for pool water temps. And, then there's Vegas. They have to cool the water there!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply