New and Green here.
We are looking at a home to purchase in Northern Michigan which has a quite large indoor lap pool, which is not on our "must have" list. We have no experience with pool operation and maintenance, and neither do the owners, as they have it completely cared for by others. They leave it uncovered year around at 72°F, and bump it up to 82° when being used. Dehumidifiers are run to keep the skylights, windows and doors moisture free. I have seen their pool service costs, as well as the utilities, and they are both staggering.
I figured we could handle the maintenance as retirees with nothing to do, and better manage it's operation and efficiency. Am I a blind fool about to leap off the cliff into a painful abyss??
We would like to turn the heat off when not in use, perhaps for weeks at a time, while keeping the heat in the room around 50° during the winter. I understand that evaporation is a huge factor, so would plan to cover the surface water with a well-fitting insulated barrier. With ground temps in the high 40's to low 50's I cannot image the water ever going below 45°. At such a low temp, can you turn the circulation off? Then I would figure out the cost to fire it up to 82° and run it for a day or two when family comes for Christmas. Armed with that knowledge, I can imagine smacking my grandkid's hands if they ever reach for the controls.
Is such a pool just a place to shovel time and $$ into, or could we find a reasonable way to enjoy it? Obviously no pool haters lurk here, but please give it to me straight up.
Evan
We are looking at a home to purchase in Northern Michigan which has a quite large indoor lap pool, which is not on our "must have" list. We have no experience with pool operation and maintenance, and neither do the owners, as they have it completely cared for by others. They leave it uncovered year around at 72°F, and bump it up to 82° when being used. Dehumidifiers are run to keep the skylights, windows and doors moisture free. I have seen their pool service costs, as well as the utilities, and they are both staggering.
I figured we could handle the maintenance as retirees with nothing to do, and better manage it's operation and efficiency. Am I a blind fool about to leap off the cliff into a painful abyss??
We would like to turn the heat off when not in use, perhaps for weeks at a time, while keeping the heat in the room around 50° during the winter. I understand that evaporation is a huge factor, so would plan to cover the surface water with a well-fitting insulated barrier. With ground temps in the high 40's to low 50's I cannot image the water ever going below 45°. At such a low temp, can you turn the circulation off? Then I would figure out the cost to fire it up to 82° and run it for a day or two when family comes for Christmas. Armed with that knowledge, I can imagine smacking my grandkid's hands if they ever reach for the controls.
Is such a pool just a place to shovel time and $$ into, or could we find a reasonable way to enjoy it? Obviously no pool haters lurk here, but please give it to me straight up.
Evan