When it comes to having an inground pool installed at your Raleigh home, the sky is the limit when it comes to customization options. Not only can you choose your shape, whether you want a vinyl liner or another type of pool, and select from a variety of colors and patterns, there are also a variety of features to improve your experience. You can be as ornate or as minimalist as you prefer, or you can consider options that reduce your maintenance and save you time.
To help you plan for your custom inground pool, our installation company is taking a closer look at the features you can include when you purchase a pool.
LED Pool Lighting
Having LED lights installed in your pool is one of the few features we would consider a necessity more than a feature. Part of the reason to get a pool is the ability to swim whenever you please, and that includes swimming after dark. After all, you don’t want your party to end right at dusk, right?
But if you’re going to swim at night, it’s simply not safe to do it without lighting. This allows you to see and prevent injury while also being aware if someone is in distress.
We specifically say LED lights because they offer a brighter light at a lower wattage, increasing energy efficiency, while their built-in heat sinks keep them cool.
Heating Your Inground Pool
If you want to lengthen your swimming season, opening the pool in late April and extending it through September (or even October!), or your pool is in a shady area that doesn’t get full sunlight, you may want to consider a pool heater. The recommended temperature for swimming pools is between 78 and 82 degrees, though if you have young children or older family members, the temperature should be closer to 85.
There are three types of heaters to choose from:
- Gas heaters – Able to heat on demand, these are better for a pool at a vacation home or one that is only use used on weekends. Factor how far the gas line would need to be run and the cost of propane to determine if this is right for you.
- Heat pump – An electric heater that is fairly energy efficient and keeps your pool at a consistent temperature.
- Solar pool heater – A solar swimming pool heater is cost effective and provides consistent heat to the pool, though if there’s minimal sunlight, this may not be ideal.
Fountains for Inground Pools
An inground pool is more than a recreation space, it turns your yard into an oasis of relaxation. Because inground pools do tend to dominate a backyard space, you want it to look as attractive and eye catching as possible, which is why many homeowners add artistic elements to their inground pools such as fountains. From basic spray features to The Bellagio Hotel’s famed fountains, they’re pretty and appeal to most people’s sense of aesthetics and taste.
In addition to that, pool fountains keep the water cooler by aerating the water – ideal if your pool is in direct sun and pool temps reach well into the 80s. They also circulate your pool water, distributing chemicals and preventing stagnation.
Automated Features for Your Inground Swimming Pool
Swimming pools can also be outfitted with automated features that save you time and allow you to spend more time enjoying your pool and less time maintaining it. Popular and common options include:
Chemical Feeders
A chemical feeder automatically and precisely controls how much chlorine, bromine, or pH control chemical is added to your pool. The most common type is the erosion feeder in which solid tablets or sticks are placed in the feeder, and as water flows over them, the tablets dissolve, distributing a steady stream of chlorine in your pool. The floater type is a more basic variety in which a free-floating dispenser circulates in the pool, while an automatic chlorinator is installed at the filter and pressure from the circulation system flows through the feeder, dissolving the tablets or sticks and chlorinating the pool.
Liquid chlorine feeders work on a pump mechanism with an output control dial and a time clock to regularly inject chlorine into your pool. While these are a low-maintenance option, the hoses do need to be replaced and there is a potential to leak.
Water Fillers
A water filler, or water leveler, prevents damage to your filtration system or overflowing by keeping your pool at a set level. If the sensor probes note that there is too much water, it will be pumped away, whereas it will automatically add water if it gets below a certain set level.
Freeze Protection
While North Carolina doesn’t get too cold, the temperatures do dip below freezing pretty consistently in the winter months. Though the surface water freezing isn’t a big concern, water that freezes in your pool equipment, such as your pump, filter, or heater, can cause expensive damage.
Freeze protection equipment has a sensor that checks the outdoor temperature, and if a set temperature is reached, the pool pump will turn on automatically.
Contact Our Custom Inground Pool Installers in Raleigh to Learn More!
If you would like to learn more about adding features to an existing pool or you’d like to know about features you can add during the installation process, reach out to the experienced team at Prestige Pools in Raleigh! Call us at 919-586-8556 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation and quote!