What is a Plunge Pool + Cost, Size & Designs
A plunge pool is a small, shallow pool built for the purpose of lounging, wading, and cooling off instead of for swimming and exercising. Some homeowners prefer them because of their lower costs to build, smaller sizes, easier maintenance, and reduced water requirements.
A few companies specialize the building and manufacture of plunge pools, like New Hampshire-based Soake Pools, which offers pre-cast concrete plunge pools in various sizes. Most plunge pools are shallow due to their limited dimensions, although Soake sells a deep-plunge model.
If you’d like to own a swimming pool but aren’t really that interested or don’t know how to swim, and you are also short on space, then going for a plunge pool could be your best option
Plunge pools are extremely popular among the elderly and are the perfect solutions for small homes having little space. A plunge pool is a small pool that isn’t that deep. Unlike larger swimming pools that are built for swimming, a plunge pool is built specifically for the purpose of wading, lounging or just cooling off after a long day.
Since newer homes are built on smaller lots, opting for a plunge pool is a unique way to save space and be the proud owner of your very own pool. No more filling out forms at water sports facilities just to use their pool.
There is no particular definition of a plunge pool, other than it is a small, shallow pool that is restricted when it comes to taking a swim. Instead, it is known as a small pool which allows you to cool off by “plunging” into the pool, hence the name, plunge pool.
As anyone who has had the opportunity to enjoy naturally occurring plunge pools, (like those pools of water at the base of a waterfall) will tell you, they are the perfect width and depth for wading or lounging around. In the pool industry, a plunge pool is used to identify a pool that’s larger than a spa, but smaller than a swimming pool.
How Big are Plunge Pools?
Normally, plunge pools measure between just four to seven meters in length and two to three meters in width, and are no deeper than 1.2 meters. As a rule of thumb, any pool that’s smaller than 6m is considered as a plunge pool. When it comes to getting these little pools, there are no hard and fast rules on their design. If you’re confused and want a visual take a look at the image below.
The popularity of these pools is because of their small, convenient size, which doesn’t take much space in your home, and are much easy to maintain. Since a plunge pool is relatively small as compared to a swimming pool, it also means that less water is used, which is a smart choice for everyone thinking of the environment and sustainability.
When it comes to a plunge pool, the common misconception is that since they are so small in size as compared to the much larger swimming pools, they must be a lot cheaper. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
In fact, the tight spaces that a plunge pool is designed in often bumps up the price tag. Besides, if you are opting for a pool that is between 5m to 8m then additional costs such as getting a permit, dig duration and the installation of the site is only slightly less as compared to the cost of an average size swimming pool.
Additional features that can raise the price of a plunge pool include the popular swim jets and exercise machines, spa jets etc. For instance, additional features that are added to the plunge pool to personalize its design, such as exercise jets, can add an additional $7,000 to the total cost of the pool, depending on the pool size and device brand.
Seats are normally not installed in plunge pools but it doesn’t mean that they can’t be installed. Again, it all depends on the owner. Some people like to lounge in their pool, and install specially designed seats or work in seating arrangements into the design of the plunge pool.
Can you heat a plunge pool?
A plunge pool can be heated or not heated, depending on the personal preference of the homeowners. That said, many homeowners who decide to get a plunge pool often go for an in-floor circulation and cleaning system, which is an extremely popular add-on for a plunge pool.
While installing an in-floor circulation and cleaning system in a small pool might be viewed by some as a waste of money, there are actually a few advantages of having the system installed. Since a plunge pool is normally positioned in a way that makes it the centre of attention once you enter your home, it should been clean at all times. Nobody wants to have a dirty pool in the centre of their backyard.
Another benefit of using an in-floor circulation and cleaning system in a plunge pool is that many homeowners go for gas heaters or electric heating pumps for their pool. The in-floor circulation and cleaning system allows heat to enter the pool through the floor, resulting in a quicker heating of the pool.
Estimated Plunge Pool Prices and Costs
Typical prices for a 5.2m x 3.4m fiberglass plunge pool ranges between $35,000 and $50,000— depending on the size of the pool and the additional features that have been added to personalize it. Also, we recommend another article in the advice section to learn more about pool prices.
Another good concern that some homeowners have when making their mind on whether or not they would like to have a plunge pool is its usability. The good news is that the versatile design of the plunge pool means that it can be used all through the year as your own personal spa.
Unlike conventional swimming pools that can’t be used during the cold winter season, plunge pools are smaller in size and built into the architecture and landscaping of your home. This means that they are cheaper to heat and can also feature all the goodies of traditional spas, such as bubblers and jets.
Those who like to stay fit by exercising can also add swim jets to their plunge pool. In this way, you can be sure that your plunge pool will be in use all through the year. A plunge pool that is designed well can be used every day of the year as a relaxing place to cool off or as a nice warm spa.
Also, compared to the traditional swimming pools, a plunge pool uses up to 80% less water, and that’s not all. The variable speed pumps that are used for plunge pools are smaller and more compact, resulting to the use of up to 80% less energy as compared to the standard pumps that are used in larger swimming pools.
Rather than unloading packets of chlorine to clean the small pool, using salt water chlorinator offers not only cleaner water, it also comes along with therapeutic benefits. Overall, choosing a plunge pool is clearly a justified decision, as compared to traditional swimming pool since it uses less energy and less water.