As the summer season approaches, many homeowners start wondering whether a fountain can help cool the water in their swimming pool on those hot days. Regardless of the size of the pool, a fountain will be very helpful in lowering the water temperature in your pool. Just like other decorative features that can be installed in the swimming pool, for example waterfalls, the fountain can create a cooling effect in the water.
Keep reading to learn more about the relationship between a pool fountain and water cooling.
Can You Put A Fountain In A Pool To Cool The Water?
During the summer, the water temperature will increase over time, no matter how well insulated the sides of the pool are. The pool water might get too warm, making it unpleasant to swim in.
Thus, when looking for ways to cool your pool down quickly, it is a great idea to opt for a pool water aerator such as a pool fountain. The fountain will play an essential role in keeping the water in the pool moving, thus helping to make the water colder.
Installing a fountain, or even a couple of them depending on how big your swimming pool is, will be essential to ensure the water stays noticeably colder most of the time.
First, it will be good to choose the best location for the fountain and install it with the appropriate size of the pool pump. After these fountains start running, you can enjoy swimming in cool water.
Among the different types of fountains that can be installed in the swimming pool are:
– Poolside fountains – these are small devices that can be attached to the pipe at the edge of the pool. Being installed on the side of the pool, they won’t get in the way of swimmers.
– Centerpiece fountains – these are devices built into the design of the pool, you install them in the middle of the pool. They are usually the most expensive option.
– Floating pool fountains – they are similar to the poolside fountains, but the main difference is that these devices are connected to a hose that makes them float on the water. Typically, they have adjustable features for the height, aim, and angle of spray.
A solar powered floating fountain will float around the pool, sucking up and spraying water which will become cool as it goes through the air.
Is A Decorative Fountain Good To Keep In A Swimming Pool?
When thinking of the best water features that help to keep your swimming pool water cool in the summertime, a pool fountain is a perfect choice!
Apart from ensuring you get colder pool water when the air temperatures are high, the fountains have many other benefits as well.
These include:
– The pool fountain keeps the water cool without polluting the water. The device doesn’t require the use of any harmful chemicals that might affect your health.
– It also improves the circulation of water in the pool. While the water from the fountain hits the pool water, it allows for proper circulation in the swimming pool. It’s essential in helping the distribution of chemicals, moving the water through the filter, and preventing the growth of bacteria and algae in the pool.
– It acts as a natural barrier to noise from the surroundings. The water sounds from the fountain create a soothing, tranquil environment while masking unwanted noise. When the water stream from the fountain hits the pool water, it prevents disturbing noises from the neighborhood.
– It creates water movement and moving water tends to be always colder than still water.
– It adds colorful light and ambiance to your backyard after it gets dark outside. If you decide to put a fountain in your pool, it must look attractive, even when it is turned off. The fancy design will look strange when it’s not working.
How Does A Fountain Make The Pool Water Colder?
As we have established, besides being an attractive decorative element in your swimming pool, the fountain also offers a cooling effect to the pool water.
The device provides the cooling of the water by the means of aeration. Pool aerators are the best option to make the water colder instead of using other cooling features that might be more expensive. You simply connect the aerator to the return line in the pool.
Water aeration lowers the temperature of the pool water by evaporation that happens during the few seconds when the water molecules are airborne. After some of the water has evaporated, the pool water temperature is reduced. The only downside to using an aerator is that you lose more water to evaporation than you normally would.
Install the fountain next to the rim or in the center of your swimming pool, depending on the type of pool fountain you have purchased.
When it’s running, it will start spraying water over the surface of the pool water due to the pressure from the pump. The splash will disperse water heat by spreading the water into the air. When water droplets hit the outside air, the oxygen in the air mixes with and binds to all the tiny water molecules (or droplets).
The oxygen that binds to the water molecules helps to replace the hot air molecules in the water, thus cooling it down. When the water droplets fall back into the pool, they bring the water molecules into the air and replace the heat with the oxygen molecules. These water droplets bring the cooling effect into the swimming pool.
As the cycle continues, the water in the swimming pool gets colder and if you run the fountain for approximately two hours, you’ll get the entire swimming pool with nice cool water.
The fountain can help lower the pool water temperature by a few degrees during the time when it’s running, depending on the level of air humidity and the volume and type of device you’re using.
Aeration of the pool water works best in arid climates but provides minimal effect in humid areas.
When Is It Better To Run A Fountain To Cool Water?
During the summer, the best time to run a pool fountain to cool your swimming pool water is at night, when the outside air temperature is lower and the water temperature is at its highest.
Instead of running it during the day, doing so at night will move more water through the cold air of the night, and this can reduce the water temperature even further.
Experts advise that you shouldn’t run your fountain to cool the water when the weather is very hot. If you run the fountain too long when it’s too hot outside, you’ll make the water even warmer.
When the water splashes upwards, instead of binding to the oxygen that makes it cooler, it may bind to the hot air in the atmosphere. When the water gets back to the pool and meets the remaining warm water, the pool water becomes even warmer.
Running the fountain at night or late in the evening will ensure that you get the best cold water circulation throughout the pool, so you will be surprised how much the pool cools off.
At night, heat loss and the evaporation rate of the surface water are high. As the pool water splashes up, the oxygen molecules will bind to the water molecules, which makes your swimming pool water feel colder.
In addition, there is also the presence of much cooler air circulating at night, so you can be sure that the water returning to the pool is cold. Thus, the best time to run the pool fountain to ensure effective cooling of the water is at night or late evening.
In Summary,
Apart from bringing aesthetics to your swimming pool, the fountain also plays a significant role in cooling your pool water in hot weather. The pool fountain uses the technique of aeration and the movement of water molecules to ensure you can enjoy a refreshing swim in cool water.
However, you shouldn’t run the fountain all day long, and running it during the hot day may cause the water to become even warmer. Also, running the fountain during the day can help, but is not quite as effective for cooling the water down quickly as it is late in the evening or at night.