Vacation Rentals: A Brief Introduction To Environmentally Friendly Pools

We’ve been taking a look at ways to increase the value and curb appeal of your vacation rental property. In the luxury market, this often means adding a water feature – as discussed in a prior post – or by making a pool available for guests.

If a backyard pool is in your future for either your vacation property or for your primary residence, there is some great information below to help you ensure your pool is at peace with your environment…

The home swimming pool can be a fantastic addition to any property, whether it’s a home, a rental or a holiday let. Unfortunately in its ‘natural’ state, it’s pretty un-environmental so there’s been a huge shift in recent years to design and create more eco-friendly pools. Luxury does have to come at a price, but it doesn’t have to be to the environment.

Fiberglass is one of the most popular materials used in these installations, being a more expensive option than the traditional concrete or vinyl pools; but far more friendly to Mother Nature. Whilst vinyl continues to be the dominant (and cheapest) material, it’s also one of the weakest and one of the most eco-expensive manufacturing processes. Over time, fiberglass can recoup the initial outlay on cost by avoiding the costly repairs that vinyl suffers from through tears and rips.

Fiberglass pools can bend without becoming damaged; bending is natural and can happen when there are extreme temperature changes. If home owners live in a place that often experience weather shifts from season changes, they should consider fiberglass as a material for the pool. Once vinyl pools are damaged from temperature change, they will need to be repaired and re-lined again.

Another advantage of fiberglass is the ease of cleaning the surface. Cement pools require a lot of cleaning and maintenance to keep them in perfect sanitary condition. Think about the abundance of equipment and products you’ll need to invest in, or the outlay of hiring a maintenance company, and it quickly becomes an expensive or time-consuming process.

Aside from being more difficult to maintain, cement and vinyl swimming pools are also significantly more harmful to the environment. The constant cleaning required for concrete pools will release thousands of cubic metres of toxic cleaning agents into the ground and sewer system that eventually end up in the ground and bodies of water. Concrete pools also have to be layered with an additional material, which all adds up…

Outside of the pool itself, you can reduce the carbon footprint of your swimming pool by cutting down on cleaning agents. As we all know, chlorine is typically used to clean swimming pools but chlorine can be very harmful to the environment. Homeowners can avoid using this toxic solution by cleaning your pool with a UV agent or by using ozone systems. Once the water is ionized, it will not need to use as much chlorine for cleaning.

Solar energy can also be used to heat pool water too. Solar heat can save energy and lower heating bills. By using the natural heat from the sun, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced which are known to be harmful to the environment. Pool owners can also use solar covers to save money and energy. These covers will reduce evaporation and lessen the need to put more chlorine.

Eco-friendly swimming pools can also increase the value of a home. Home buyers will look at long-term savings and the advantage of maintaining a cost effective house that is also friendly to the environment. People these days, should consider green options and future benefits of being environmentally friendly.

Thomas Jones is a swimming pool designer and writer currently working with Falcon Pools. Whilst being eco-friendly isn’t always at the top of a client’s list of priorities, Thomas always presses for the more environmental products and processes when possible. Every little bit helps!

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