For those of us who live in areas that get cold winters (isn’t that all of us?) the idea of outdoor swimming all year round isn’t really an option. Or is it? We’re all familiar with those who like to soak in their hot tub in the depths of winter, but is it possible to actually practice your swimming stroke in the middle of February? In fact, there is! If you’re looking for an ideal way of how to use a pool year-round you might want to take a look into swim spas.
What Is A Swim Spa?
A swim spa might be considered the middle ground between a full-sized swimming pool or a lap pool and a hot tub. If you’re stuck for space in your backyard, but still want to get in a regular swimming workout, the swim spa might be your answer. They’re not much bigger than the largest hot tubs that are on the market these days. And they allow you to swim or soak, depending on what you prefer that day.
How does this work? Swim spas create a powerful current that keeps you in one spot while you perform your swimming stroke of choice. Think of how a treadmill works to keep a walker or jogger in place and transfer that idea to the water. Instead of a conveyor belt made of rubber, you swim against a conveyor belt made of water. This allows you to swim as long as you want without ever reaching the edge of the pool or having to turn around and swim back the other way.
And if you feel like you’d rather just relax and soak in some warm water as you would in a hot tub, you just turn up the temperature and let the adjustable current massage your body instead. Some models of swim spas have two separate tanks. One for swimming and one for soaking. This allows you to maintain two different temperatures and permits swimming and soaking at the same time.
How Do You Prepare for Winter Use?
When it comes to using your swim spa in the winter there will be a few things you need to take care of to allow for all-season swimming and soaking. When you purchase your swim spa you should ensure that it’s insulated properly for winter use. A good energy efficient design with extra attention paid to insulation will trap the water’s heat and ensure you aren’t paying a fortune to keep it running during the colder months.
Invest in A Good Fitting Insulated Cover
One of the keys to being able to get maximum use out of your swim spa during the winter months is a well fitted, weather resistant, insulated cover. The cover will keep the heat in when the swim spa isn’t being used ensuring that you won’t have to wait for hours for the water to be heated when you finally want to use it. This will also significantly cut down on your energy bills. It will keep snow, dust and other contaminants out of the water which will mean you’ll spend less time trying to keep the water chemistry balanced.
Keep It Running
If you’re going to use your swim spa in the winter, you don’t want to be turning it off. Frozen water in a swim spa can be catastrophic and cause major damage to the plumbing components and the interior itself. If you’re going to be away or don’t plan on using it for a while, simply turn down the heat to a point where you’re sure the water won’t be allowed to freeze.
Change Your Water Before Winter Arrives
Every so often you’ll need to change the water in your swim spa. Make sure your timetable for this job doesn’t land in the middle of the winter. Draining and refilling during extremely cold weather could allow freezing to occur which can cause damage to your investment. Take care of this job before winter arrives.
To learn more about using a swim spa in the winter, download a free buyer’s guide below today, or visit us at our pool store.